Coach Chesswick
What’s going well
You’ve shown good resilience in blitz and a willingness to press when you have the initiative. Over the longer term, your chess progress remains solid, with a foundation you can build on. You also have certain openings where you play actively and create chances early, which is a strong trait in fast time controls.
Patterns to watch and improvements
- Time management in blitz: try to allocate a clear plan for the first 7–10 moves and use a small, fixed window to check for tactical ideas after each opponent move. This helps reduce rushing in the critical middle phase.
- Middlegame planning: when you gain space or active piece play, have a simple plan in mind (activate rooks on open files, target weak squares, or coordinate pieces toward a common goal). If a concrete plan isn’t visible after a couple of minutes, simplify to solid positional moves rather than chasing a risky tactic.
- Endgame conversion: practice common rook-and-pawn and minor-piece endgames so you can convert small advantages more reliably in blitz.
- Opening understanding: your openings show you’re comfortable with dynamic play. deepen the core ideas and typical plans for your 2–3 main lines so you can respond confidently to common defenses without losing momentum.
- Blunder prevention: in blitz, quick threat checks before moving can stop blunders. After you choose a candidate move, quickly verify your opponent’s most forcing responses and whether they create immediate problems for you.
Opening strategy and recommended focus
Your openings data suggests several lines where you perform well and maintain pressure. A practical path is to pick 2–3 openings you enjoy and study them in depth, building a simple plan sheet for each. Good targets to consolidate include:
- King’s Indian Defense with a Four Pawns Attack idea, focusing on quick development and active piece play.
- London System family (Poisoned Pawn variations) for solid structure and clear middlegame plans.
- Nimzo-Indian approaches that fit your style, with focus on typical middlegame plans and common responses.
Practical steps you can take this week:
- Create a concise plan sheet for each chosen opening, covering the first 6–12 moves and the typical middlegame goals.
- Watch 1–2 short tutorials or game analyses on each opening, then replay 2 practice games to reinforce the ideas.
Training plan and micro-goals for the next two weeks
- Daily tactics: 15–20 minutes of puzzles focusing on forcing lines (pins, forks, and discovered attacks).
- Blitz practice: aim for 2 focused blitz sessions per day with a single opening you’re prioritizing, followed by quick post-game notes to capture one concrete takeaway.
- Opening study: dedicate 20–30 minutes to 2 chosen openings each week, and build a brief cheat sheet for the first 12 moves and common middlegame ideas.
- Endgames: include 1 short endgame drill per session (rook endings or king-and-pawn endings) to improve conversion in blitz.
- Weekly reflection: write a short summary of your top 3 improvements and 1 area to target next week.