Coach Chesswick
Hi Piotr!
Congratulations on the many tactical victories you’ve been collecting recently. Below is a personalised assessment of your play based on the latest games.
What you already do very well
- Sharp tactical vision. You routinely spot resource–rich continuations such as the miniature below, finishing with a picturesque mate:
- Opening repertoire versatility. Your wins feature both 1.e4 and 1.d4 systems, and you answer 1.e4 with multiple counter-gambits (e.g. the Paulsen Counter-Gambit and Philidor setups).
- Endgame technique. In the game against kajtasbiceps you converted the extra pawn flawlessly with …b6 – …Kd6 – …h5, keeping everything under control.
Primary growth areas
- Clock management. Every recent loss was on time, often from winning or equal positions. Try implementing a hard “play the last 30 seconds only on instincts” rule and rely on premoves where the tactics are forced.
- Transition to quiet positions. When the game slows down (e.g. vs. GregRotewi, move 22–30) you occasionally misjudge strategic plans and allow unnecessary counter-play. Practise “nothing to do” positions by analysing master games in the same structures.
- Piece co-ordination in cramped setups. The loss vs. giftedcreation showed difficulties untangling pieces in the Grünfeld pawn chain. Spend a session building “find the manoeuvre” exercises from those positions.
Quick drills for the coming week
- Blitz puzzle rush (5 minutes, 3 runs/day) to mimic time-pressure calculation.
- Endgame ladder: play K+P vs. K races starting with 20 seconds per side to hard-wire quick technique.
- Opening maintenance: prepare one non-tactical line against 1.d4 (e.g. Slav) so you’re not forced into sharp play every game.
Progress tracker
Keep an eye on your metrics – they’ll tell you if the above habits are working:
- Peak rating so far: 2340 (2019-12-11)
- Hourly win-rate pattern:
- Day-to-day consistency:
Final encouragement
You’re already displaying master-level tactical prowess. By tightening your time handling and deepening your strategic patience, you’ll convert more of those good positions into points and push your rating ceiling even further.
Good luck with your next session, and feel free to send any tricky positions my way!
— Your Chess Coach