Avatar of Novica Trifunovic

Novica Trifunovic

Strazanin Straza Since 2021 (Active) Chess.com ♟♟♟♟
46.1%- 44.9%- 9.0%
Bullet 2289
156W 98L 13D
Blitz 2460
1277W 1317L 268D
Rapid 2224
52W 32L 11D
Daily 1649
15W 14L 2D
Coach Chesswick's Profile Photo
Coach Chesswick

Quick summary

Good energy in your recent blitz: you consistently create imbalances and exploit tactical opportunities. The areas that cost you most are endgame technique, pawn-structure decisions, and occasional time trouble in 3‑minute games. Below are focused, practical steps to keep your strengths and reduce recurring leaks.

What you're doing well

  • Active piece play and initiative — you force weaknesses and open files quickly, then bring rooks to the 7th/8th rank to finish.
  • Tactical vision — you spot forks, discovered attacks and decisive exchanges when opponents misplace pieces.
  • Solid blitz repertoire — lines like the Caro-Kann Defense and Modern give you reliable positions you can play fast.
  • Comfort with imbalanced positions — you create practical winning chances in messy middlegames rather than hoping for draws.

Main weaknesses to fix

  • Endgame technique — a few losses show difficulty converting or defending simplified pawn/king endings; improve king activity and basic rook/pawn endgames.
  • Poor pawn-structure decisions — avoid creating isolated or backward pawns that become long-term targets.
  • Time management — in 3|0 you sometimes go too low on time and make avoidable simplifications or blunders.
  • Opening leaks in some lines — your Openings Performance shows weaker results in a few systems (e.g., Four Knights Game and French Defense: Exchange Variation). Tighten the main lines and one safe sideline for surprise moves.

Concrete example — key winning sequence

Replay this sequence from one of your recent wins to study the flow: you trade into an endgame while activating rooks and using a passed pawn and knight forks to finish. (Open the viewer and step through slowly.)

Lesson: when you create a passed pawn and active rooks, prioritize piece activity and coordination over grabbing more material that leaves pieces passive.

4-week training plan (practical & blitz-focused)

  • Daily (20–30 min): 12–18 tactics (forks, discovered attacks, mating nets). Focus on speed and pattern recognition.
  • 3×/week (20 min): Endgame drills — king+pawn vs king, basic rook endgames (Lucena, Philidor), opposition and active king play.
  • 2×/week (30–45 min): Opening tuning — pick two weaker openings from your stats (e.g., Four Knights Game and French Defense: Exchange Variation). Learn common plans and one tactical trap for each side.
  • Weekly (30–45 min): Post-game review of 3 losses and 3 wins — find the turning point and write down one improvement per game.

Blitz-specific in-game advice

  • Save time in the opening: play systems you know well for the first 8–12 moves to build a clock buffer.
  • Keep 20–30 seconds as a buffer before complex decisions — if a move will take more than 30s, pick a safe practical move instead.
  • Avoid simplifying into rook/pawn endings unless you’re confident with the resulting pawn structure — those are where small technique gaps hurt most.
  • When ahead, trade into positions where your king can become active quickly rather than into passive blockades.

Opening adjustments — prioritized

  • Reinforce your best lines: keep using Caro-Kann Defense and Modern as quick, reliable choices in blitz.
  • Fix one weak line at a time: pick the Four Knights Game or French Defense: Exchange Variation — learn the main trap and 3 typical plans.
  • Prepare one short anti-surprise weapon: a sideline that saves time and gives a playable middlegame without memorizing huge theory.

Short checklist for your next session

  • 20 min tactics set (forks & discovered attacks).
  • 20 min endgame drill (king activity & one rook endgame).
  • Review the loss vs dirtyflaggerkeval — find the exact move where pawn structure/plan shifted and note the better alternative.

Want more?

  • I can build a 2-week daily schedule you can follow on your phone.
  • I can analyze one specific loss move-by-move if you paste the PGN — I’ll mark turning points and give concrete alternatives.
  • I can generate a short tactic set tailored to the themes you miss most from these games.

Nice work — you have the tactical instincts and initiative play that win blitz games. Tighten endgame technique and clock management and you’ll convert many of those narrow losses into wins.


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