Coach Chesswick
Hi sol1ra!
You have an energetic and tactical style that can overwhelm many opponents, especially in short time-controls. Below is a blend of praise and practical advice drawn from your very latest games.
What you’re already doing well
- Killer instinct in open positions. Your win against adamauten (Italian Game) shows excellent awareness of mating nets. Once the f-file opened you never let the initiative go.
- Piece activity over material. Sacrificing a pawn or exchange (e.g., 10.Ngxf7! in the same game) to keep the enemy king in the centre is a great practical weapon at your rating.
- Opening variety. You have tried the Italian, London, Bishop’s Opening and even the Scandinavian as White. This broad base will pay off once you reinforce the underlying principles.
Primary areas to improve
- Clock management. Four of your last six losses were on time, sometimes from equal or winning positions (e.g., vs mokonza, move 21). Make a habit of glancing at the clock after every move and aim to keep at least 20 seconds in reserve for tactical flurries.
- King safety with Black. Games vs dredayy727 and ppeeeemen ended after your king was left on g8 with little pawn cover. Practise the basics:
- Castle early—ideally before move 10.
- Avoid weakening pawn moves such as …f6/…h6/…g5 unless you have a concrete reason.
- Handling counter-tactics. In the PPeeeemen game you allowed 14…Nxc2 and then 18…Bxe2, missing a double-attack. Add “pause and blunder-check” to your move routine: before playing a move, scan for checks, captures or threats your opponent gains. This will cut down on one-move oversights (blunder).
- Opening hygiene. Early queen excursions (e.g., 5.Qd4? against rick_0131) invite …Nc6 and tempo-gaining threats. Review the classical principles: speedy development, centre control, minimise tempo losses.
Study suggestions for the next month
- Daily tactic quota: 10–15 puzzles focusing on forks and discovered attacks. Your sharp style will benefit most from spotting a hidden zwischenzug.
- Model game reviews: Watch one annotated Italian Game and one Scandinavian Defence master game each week. Compare the piece placement to yours.
- Time-control discipline: Play a set of 10-minute games and aim to reach move 20 with at least 5 minutes left. Treat the clock as an extra piece.
- Endgame basics: Even tactical players need them. Spend one session a week on king-and-pawn or basic rook endings; it will pay off when the tactics fizzle.
Your performance snapshots
Peak Blitz rating so far: 368 (2025-05-16). Keep an eye on these trends:
Quick mental checklist (pin it next to your screen!)
- Are all my pieces defended?
- What is my opponent’s last threat?
- Can I improve the worst-placed piece?
- Do I have at least two minutes on the clock? If not, simplify.
Stay sharp, enjoy the journey, and keep those king hunts coming. See you on the board!