Coach Chesswick
Hi speedofsound7!
You’ve been playing very dynamic chess recently and hovering around the 2100-2200 rapid range. Below is a focused review of your current strengths and some concrete action-items that should give you the quickest rating gains.
What you already do well
- Tactical alertness. In the win versus george_berkeley you uncorked 16.Bxf6! followed by 18.Bxf8, turning an uneasy position into a technical win. Your eye for intermediate moves is a real asset.
- Harmonious London setups. The d4-Bf4-e3-c3 structure you favour gives you sound piece play; you consistently complete development and centralise rooks.
- Fighting spirit. Several victories (e.g. against makr1) came after early inaccuracies. You keep the game complicated and pose practical problems.
Fastest places to improve
- Black opening hygiene.
In the loss to Hans Sanders you played 2…Bb4 and then 3…Bc5 in the English, losing a tempo and landing behind in development. Decide before the game whether you want the …Bb4 lines or the …Bc5 structures, not both. A clean alternative is 1…e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 or 3…Bb4. - Clock management.
Both losses to huggyh and others came from flagging in playable positions. Try the 60-40 rule: keep ≥60 % of your time for the first 15 moves; spend the remaining 40 % thereafter, adding increment only for forced lines. - Add a surprise weapon to your London.
Opponents around 2200 know the “Accelerated London” well. Two low-maintenance extras:
• The Torre Attack (d4-Nf3-Bg5) vs …d5/…e6.
• The Jobava-London (d4-Nc3-Bf4) vs …g6 setups.
This will keep prep fresh and give you more attacking chances. - Proactive pawn breaks.
Even in winning games you sometimes postpone thematic breaks (c4, e4, or f4). Every 3-4 moves ask, “Which pawn break improves my worst piece?” and you’ll convert advantages faster.
Illustrative examples
Recent win
16.Bxf6!! exploited Black’s queen overload. Great calculation!
Recent loss
Lesson: avoid spending two tempi with the same bishop; instead play 3…Nf6 or 3…Ba5 and aim for …d5 in one shot.
Your numbers
Peak rapid so far: — let’s raise it!
Action plan for the next two weeks
- Play three training games as Black in the Reversed Sicilian, committing to one bishop development plan and reviewing each game for wasted tempi.
- Daily: solve 15 tactics at ≤3 minutes each to simulate time pressure.
- Annotate one London win, specifically marking the moment you first considered each pawn break. Review with an engine or coach.
Good luck and keep the pieces humming!
— Your Chess Coach 🤖