Coach Chesswick
What stands out in your blitz games
You show good willingness to play active, dynamic openings and keep the game under pressure. Your openings data highlights strong results with aggressive repertoires like the Amazon Attack and Nimzo-Larsen systems, which suits quick calculation and immediate piece activity. There is noticeable consistency in taking initiative, especially in the middlegame where you often create tactical chances and keep opponents on the back foot. Your trend indicates steady improvement over the longer term, which is a solid sign of growth and learning from past games.
What you’re doing well
- Choosing sharp lines that generate concrete, tactical chances rather than passive, slow play.
- Building quick development and piece activity in the opening, which often leads to favorable middlegame positions.
- Early initiative translates into successful finishes when you find the right tactical sequences.
- Ability to recover from rough positions and keep fighting, which is crucial in blitz.
Areas to improve
- Time management under pressure: in blitz, you can get into tight clocks. Practice allocating a quick, targeted time to the opening plan (about 1–2 minutes for the first 10 moves) and then switch to a more deliberate approach in the middlegame only when needed.
- Defensive discipline: some losses come from over chasing tactical ideas or missing defensive resources. When you sense a tactical blow coming, pause to confirm the candidate moves and consider the safest defensive reply first.
- Endgame clarity: in longer blitz sequences, aim to simplify to a clear endgame plan when ahead. Practicing rook endings and simplified positions can help convert more wins in the final phase of a game.
- Pattern recognition in time trouble: build a quick mental checklist for common structures and typical plans in your favored openings so you can act decisively even when short on time.
Opening performance highlights
- Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack shows strong win potential and good practical chances in blitz. Consider continuing to develop comfort with this line and its typical pawn structures and piece placements.
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack also performs well, suggesting you enjoy flexible setups and the ability to transpose to favorable middlegames.
- Colder or more solid lines like Caro-Kann provide learning value but may require extra attention to maintain pressure in blitz; balance sharp lines with reliable, low-risk choices when you’re low on time.
Two-week practical plan
- Daily tactics: 15–20 minutes of focused tactical puzzles to improve quick calculation and motif recognition (forks, pins, discovered attacks, and tactics around exposed king positions).
- Opening focus: pick 1–2 openings you enjoy (for example, Amazon Attack and Nimzo-Larsen Attack) and study 2 typical middlegame plans for each. Create a simple one-page reference for each with ideas like piece activity goals and pawn-break themes.
- Game review: after every blitz session, review at least 2 games to identify blunders or misjudged plans. Note 1 concrete takeaway from each game (e.g., “avoid overextending on the kingside,” or “watch for back-rank threats”).
- Endgame practice: dedicate 10 minutes twice this week to rook endgames or simplified positions to improve conversion when ahead or to defend in equal endings.
- Time-management drill: play 4 games with a slightly longer control (3+2 or 5+0) to train maintaining a steady pace, then switch back to blitz and apply the calmer approach.
Extra notes
If you’d like, you can share a quick link to your profile to tailor drills to your upcoming opponents. peterroberson