Coach Chesswick
Quick summary
Ondrej — nice run lately. Your rating trend is sharply up, your strength‑adjusted win rate is ~56%, and your opening win rates (French, Caro‑Kann, Alapin) show you know how to get a playable middlegame and convert. Most recent wins include a patient conversion and a successful flag; recent losses are often time losses or punished king exposure. Keep the momentum and tighten a few recurring leaks.
What you’re doing well
- Opening choice and preparation — high win rates with French, Caro‑Kann and Alapin mean you reach comfortable middlegames often.
- Conversion ability — when you get a material or positional edge you usually simplify and press the win (several wins ended by promotion or resignation).
- Active play — you use piece activity and pawn breaks to create passed pawns and winning endgames.
- Good long‑term trend — rating slope and recent months show sustained improvement; keep building on that.
Recurring leaks to fix
- Time management / flagging: a number of decisive results are due to clock rather than the board. You both win and lose on time — aim to reduce the latter. See Flagging.
- Passing pawn races & king safety: in some games (recent loss vs SheeepHippo2025) you allowed enemy passed pawns and queen penetration while the white king wandered into contested space.
- Automatic captures in bullet: quick recaptures that open files or give checks back to the opponent have cost you tempo / safety. Pause for a split second on captures that change king safety.
- Unreliable sidelines: openings like the Hungarian Wiedenhagen‑Beta Gambit show a subpar win rate — either improve the lines or replace them in your bullet repertoire.
Concrete drills & training plan (bullet-focused)
Do this for 4 weeks, 4–6 sessions per week. Sessions 15–30 minutes — built for busy bullet players.
- Tactics sprint (10 min): 1‑minute puzzles or puzzle‑rush style — focus on forks, pins, and mating nets. Goal: 20 accurate puzzles per session.
- Endgame micro‑drills (2×8 min/week): king and pawn races, rook vs pawn, basic queen vs rook technique. Practice queening races — these appear in your games.
- Bullet simulation (20 min): play 6–8 bullet games but force a time baseline — don’t let your clock fall under 10s unless you’re clearly winning. Practice quick but safe moves.
- Opening consolidation (10 min): pick 2 trouble openings. For the Hungarian line that underperforms, either review typical traps or drop it. Keep 2 reliable bullet openings and one surprise line.
- One post‑mortem per day (5 min): review 1 recent bullet loss/win — find the single turning move. If flagged, ask “was this avoidable by pre‑move discipline or earlier time choices?”
Practical bullet checklist (use before every move)
- Are any pieces hanging? (quick scan)
- Does the opponent have check/capture threats next move?
- Can I trade into an easily won endgame? If ahead, simplify; if behind, complicate.
- Do I have < 10 seconds? Use only airtight moves and safe pre‑moves; avoid risky tactics.
- If making a capture that opens lines to my king — pause one extra second.
Game‑specific takeaways (from recent PGNs)
- Win vs penetrators666 (2025‑11‑20, you were Black) — you converted an active rook/majority and used passed pawns. Strength: pushing passed pawns and queening. Weakness to watch: you almost let the pawn storm decide the game; make those pawn‑race decisions earlier to avoid last‑second time scrambles. You can replay it here:
- Loss vs SheeepHippo2025 (time loss) — the sequence shows you got into a tactical mess where pawn pushes opened lines; opponent exploited checks and your clock. Takeaway: when opponents sacrifice pawns to open files, prioritize king safety and decide quickly whether to trade or run the king to an active square. Link: SheeepHippo2025.
- General pattern — when the position gets messy and time is low, simplify if you’re better; if you’re worse, create complications but avoid obvious tactical refutations.
Opening checklist
- Keep your bullet go‑to repertoire short: 2–3 main lines you know by habit and 1 surprise line.
- For weaker lines (Hungarian Wiedenhagen‑Beta Gambit), either study the critical reply(s) or swap it out — your win rate there is ~29%.
- Study model games in your top openings (French, Caro‑Kann, Alapin) so you recognize winning plans without calculation time.
Clock & UI tips for bullet
- Use increment when possible. If classic 1|0 bullet, practice keeping a 8–12s buffer by making simple safe moves when ahead on the clock.
- Pre‑move strategy: pre‑move captures only when there is no plausible intermezzo or the incoming move is forced.
- Shortcuts: learn to mouse‑drag or keybind quickly but avoid risky two‑click pre‑moves in unclear positions (prevents Mouse Slip losses).
30‑day micro plan (summary)
- Daily: 10 min tactics + 1 bullet block (6–8 games). Keep a clock baseline.
- 3× week: 10–15 min endgame drills (pawn races, rook vs pawn, king and pawn vs king).
- Weekly: review 3 losses and 3 wins — identify 3 recurring themes and adjust openings or habits.
Motivation & outlook
Your long‑term slope and recent peaks show the right direction. Small disciplined changes — better clock hygiene, a short opening list, and a couple of endgame drills — will convert many of your close losses into wins. Keep it simple and consistent.
Want a short follow‑up plan I can generate for you? I can create a one‑week drill schedule or an annotated replay of the penetration game — tell me which you prefer.