Ted Daigle

General Performance Insights

Ted, your recent games show a balanced competitive level with almost equal wins and losses. Your recent 1-month rating gain is solid (+24), and the 3-month and 6-month trends indicate good overall improvement (rating gains of 74 and 66 respectively). This demonstrates consistent progress in your play over time.

However, the negative slope in your short-term form (1-month and 12-month rating trend slopes being negative) suggests you have some fluctuations in performance. Staying focused and maintaining consistent practice will help smooth out these dips.

What You Are Doing Well

• Strong win rate in openings like the Scandinavian Defense (around 57%), indicating good understanding and tactical play in this line.
• Good handling of Four Knights Game variations and the Bishop's Opening with win rates above 50%, showing solid early development and control of the game.
• Efficient time management in your bullet games, often winning on time pressure, reveals quick decision-making skills.
• Your recent wins demonstrate tactical awareness in sharp positions, such as in the
  
  game where you successfully attacked through initiative and piece activity.

Areas to Improve

• Opening Repertoire Balance: While your Scandinavian Defense is effective, other openings like the Barnes Opening and Amazon Attack have lower win rates (around 45-46%). Focus on studying and reinforcing these elsewhere in your repertoire to improve overall consistency.
• Endgame Technique: Some losses came from complex endgame positions where precise calculation and technique are critical. Reviewing key endgame principles and practicing common endgame scenarios can boost your conversion rate.
• Time Pressure Defense: Though you can win on time pressure, several games were lost similarly. Enhancing your ability to defend accurately under opponent's time pressure can save important points.
• Positional Play and Strategic Planning: Emphasize deepening your understanding of positional play to complement your tactical prowess. This will help in longer-term planning and reduce errors made in quieter moments of the game.

Practical Recommendations

• Work on opening theory updates and traps for lower-performing lines while further solidifying your Scandinavian Defense setup.
• Include regular endgame study sessions focusing on king and pawn endings, basic rook endings, and minor piece endgames.
• Practice bullet games against strong time pressure to improve accuracy when the clock runs low.
• Analyze your recent losses, especially ones where you lost on time, to identify any recurring tactical oversights or positional weaknesses.
• Use slow games or training tools to build your strategic vision, so your bullet instincts become even sharper and better guided.

Encouragement

Ted, your resilience and fighting spirit are clear from your close win-loss record and ability to prevail in fast-paced bullet games. By focusing on consolidating your openings and sharpening endgame and time management skills, you will continue to rise. Keep analyzing your games, stay curious, and enjoy the learning journey!