Stephan Becking IM

Overall Performance Insights

Stephan, your recent games demonstrate solid technique and understanding at a high level of blitz chess. Your strength adjusted win rate of approximately 52% reflects a good competitive edge against similarly rated opponents. Notably, your 3 month rating gain of +739 points speaks to strong improvement over medium term, although the most recent month shows a slight drop. The rating trend slopes suggest your performance is on a positive trajectory overall.

Recent Game Feedback

Analyzing your recent win, loss, and drawn games reveals key areas where you excel and where you can improve:

• Win Highlights: In your recent win against MohsenGhorbani, you demonstrated strong strategic play in the Indian Game opening. You maintained good piece coordination and pushed your opponent into time trouble, which you capitalized on to secure the win. Your ability to control the center and prepare steady pressure was effective.
• Areas to Improve (Losses): Your losses indicate moments where tactical awareness and patience could be sharpened. For example, in one game using the Scandinavian Defense, early exchanges led to an unfavorable endgame that your opponent exploited. In other losses, time management was a factor especially in complex middlegame positions. Improving calculation under time pressure will help reduce such errors.
• Drawn Game Takeaways: Your drawn game showed solid defensive technique but could be further improved by active counterplay to create winning chances. Increasing aggression in balanced positions may turn more draws into wins.

Opening Play

Your opening repertoire is diverse with the following observations:

• You have a high success rate with the Indian Game variations and the London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation, showing solid understanding of typical middlegame plans.
• Openings like the French Defense: Burn Variation and the East Indian Defense also are strengths with win rates above 55%, reflecting both readiness and comfort in these lines.
• Some lines, such as the Amazon Attack and French Defense (general), have win rates below 50%. Review and practice in these openings could shore up your consistency.

Continuing to deepen your opening preparation and learning the key tactical motifs specific to your repertoire will pay dividends in the fast-paced blitz format.

Time Management & Tactical Awareness

Many blitz games are lost due to rushed moves or missed tactics under time pressure. Here are some suggestions:

• Practice quick visualization exercises to improve pattern recognition and reduce hesitation during critical moments.
• Try to maintain a healthy time buffer so that you can spend extra seconds in complicated positions instead of rushing.
• Analyze games where time pressure caused issues, and identify the common tactical motifs or endgame scenarios that troubled you, then drill those themes.

Endgame Focus

Some losses and draws indicate tight endgame positions where small inaccuracies decided outcomes. Improving technique here can convert closely contested games into victories:

• Work on fundamental endgames like rook and pawn endings, where many games are decided.
• Study typical mating patterns and simplifying strategies to help under time pressure.
• Try practical endgame trainings such as solving endgame puzzles or playing out theoretical endings against engines or training partners.

Positive Notes

• Your ability to push opponents into time pressure and capitalize there is a strong asset.
• Winning complex middlegame positions after maneuvering shows good strategic understanding.
• You maintain a competitive edge against a wide range of opponents and openings.

Next Steps for Improvement

• Review and analyze loss games in detail to avoid recurring mistakes.
• Refine weaker openings to raise your overall win rate.
• Enhance time management skills to minimize blunders under time pressure.
• Deepen endgame technique and tactical sharpness with focused training exercises.
• Continue maintaining your broad opening repertoire while focusing on study of critical lines in those openings.

Stephan, your recent results show you are playing strong chess already. With targeted improvement in these areas, your blitz performance can become even more consistent and rewarding.