Максим Щекачихин IM

Positives from Your Recent Games

You are playing at a very strong level, consistently over 2600 in recent months and with a solid win rate in various openings. In the analyzed game you showed:

• Good control of the center and effective use of your pawns to restrict opponent's pieces.
• Active piece play, especially your rooks and bishops were well-positioned in the middlegame.
• Strong defensive awareness near the endgame, resisting pressure well and creating counter-chances.
• Preparedness in less common openings such as the Scandinavian Defense, as indicated by your ECO choice.

Areas for Improvement

Even at the top level, there are always areas to refine. From your recent loss and draw plays, consider these points:

• Transition from middlegame to endgame: Some of the critical moments involved transitioning smoothly into a winning endgame. Practice converting small advantages, especially in rook and minor piece endings.
• Opening Precision: While your opening repertoire is solid with good results in many lines, the Scandinavian Defense game showed slight weaknesses especially around move 20 where pawn structure started to loosen. Review common pawn breaks and tactical motifs in your chosen openings.
• Time Management: In blitz, quick but accurate decision-making is essential. Your clocks suggest you managed time well, but continue training to maintain accuracy under pressure.
• Handling Complications: Against tricky moves like unexpected knight maneuvers from the opponent, practice calculation and visualization to avoid tactical slips.

Overall Progress and Advice

Your current strength-adjusted win rate of just under 48% is very commendable against strong opposition. Although recent rating trends have been flat or slightly downward in the last months, your rating consistently stays above 2600, showing you maintain competitive form.

• Keep focusing on sharpening your middle and endgame technique, this is often the difference-maker against strong opponents.
• Review your opening lines occasionally, especially those with lower recent win rates like the Nimzo-Larsen Attack and Slav Defense, to enhance your results.
• Continue regular blitz practice to develop intuition and speed, ensuring your strong positional understanding translates efficiently in fast time controls.
• Analyze losses carefully to identify decisive turning points — this will help reduce recurring errors and improve decision-making.

Your game shows creativity and solid strategic foundation. With focused refinement in endgame play and opening nuances, you can continue gaining rating steadily and achieve even higher performance finishes.