Coach Chesswick
Hi Nikolaos — quick overview
Nice streak of activity and big rating momentum lately. Below are targeted, practical points based on your recent blitz games (wins and the losses you posted). I focus on things you already do well and the concrete, high-impact areas to improve next session.
What you did well (keep these habits)
- Actively pushing a passed pawn and converting it: your win vs vitorkoren shows excellent awareness—pushing the a‑pawn to promotion and simplifying at the right moment won the game. ().
- Good piece activity and coordination in the middlegame — you often centralize the queen and use rooks on open files quickly.
- You show creativity in unbalanced positions (sacrifices / exchanges to free a passed pawn). That’s a great resource in blitz.
Main weak spots to hit first
These provide the best immediate rating gains in blitz if you address them consistently.
- Time management in 3|0 blitz: several games ended by flag (both wins and losses). With no increment you must simplify your opening routine: aim to reach move 10 with 1:50+ remaining. Practice fast, reliable opening plans so you don't burn time early.
- Tactical misses & hanging pieces: in your losses (example vs Gagik Mkrtchyan and onlyc6), there were decisive tactical blows and queen/rook penetrations. Before each move, do a 3‑second “are any pieces hanging?” check.
- Opening balance — repertoire weak points: your Caro‑Kann results are poor. If you play it regularly, review the core pawn-structures and a handful of typical tactical motifs. Use focused study rather than trying to memorize long theory.
- Endgame technique under time pressure: you can promote and win, but sometimes time pressure prevents accurate conversion. Practice simple king+rook vs king, queen endgames and common rook endgame motifs to build automatic play.
Concrete, game-specific takeaways
- Win vs vitorkoren — you converted a passed pawn well. Takeaway: when you have a clear passed pawn and active pieces, prioritize simplification and remove counterplay. Your decision to trade rooks and advance was correct — repeat that pattern in training.
- Loss to Gagik Mkrtchyan — tactical sequence around move 24–30 swung the game. Defensive pattern to practice: guarding the back rank and blocking penetration squares for opposing knights/queens in the middlegame. Also, avoid pushing too many pawns without king safety in sharp positions.
- Loss to onlyc6 — your king got exposed and the opponent used basic tactics (pins/rook+queen infiltration). Quick checklist: (1) can I improve king safety? (2) are my major pieces protected? 3‑second check before finalizing a move in time trouble.
Training plan (next 2 weeks — 30–45 minutes/day)
- Daily: 15 minutes tactics (repeat puzzles until solved fast). Focus on forks, pins, skewers and back‑rank mates.
- Every other day: 10–15 minutes of opening drills for two problematic systems — pick one defensive line you play (e.g., Caro-Kann Defense) and one you face often (e.g., Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation). Learn 3 typical plans/structures, not long theory lines.
- 3x per week: 10 minutes of endgame drills — king+rook vs king, queen vs pawn, and basic rook endgames (Lucena/Rozumovskij ideas).
- After each loss: 5–10 minute post‑mortem. Look at 3 moves before/after the tactical error — was it calculation, oversight, or time trouble? Mark one recurring mistake and fix it next session.
Practical blitz habits to adopt
- Openings: choose one “safe” sideline you can play without thinking to save 20–40 seconds (especially in 3|0). If Caro‑Kann is costing points, temporarily replace it with a simpler setup.
- Pre-move discipline: avoid pre‑moves unless you’re certain (captures on empty squares or forced recaptures). They cost you games when the opponent has a trick.
- Move checklist (3 seconds): threats to my king? Hanging pieces? Opponent's last move created a tactic? If answer is “no threat,” play a developing/active move quickly.
- When ahead materially: trade into simpler winning endgames if it reduces the chance of counterplay and saves time.
Short weekly micro‑plan (what to do this week)
- Monday–Friday: 15 min tactics + 10 min openings (Caro‑Kann patterns), 5 min endgame.
- Saturday: Play 10 blitz games; after each, mark 1 mistake and 1 good decision.
- Sunday: Longer review — pick 3 losses and annotate them (engine check limited to verifying one critical position).
Final notes & quick checklist before your next session
- Warm up with 5 tactical puzzles.
- Review 1 opening plan — not moves — and keep it simple.
- Set a goal: "No blunders in first 10 moves" or "Convert one clear advantage." Small goals raise consistency.
- After the session: do a 5‑minute review of your worst loss that day.
If you want, I can: (1) generate a 2‑week tactics set tailored to your recurring motifs, (2) produce a 10‑minute Caro‑Kann cheat‑sheet with typical plans, or (3) analyze one of the posted games move-by-move highlighting 3 concrete positions to work on. Which would you prefer?