Coach Chesswick
Hi Tembo79 – performance review & training roadmap
1. Quick stats & activity
- Current blitz peak: 2689 (2025-03-30)
- Most played opening with White: English Opening (A28/A30 family).
- Most played opening with Black: Caro-Kann (B10-B15 family).
2. What you’re already doing well
- Opening consistency
Sticking to the English with White and the Caro-Kann with Black gives you a clear study focus and avoids “opening overload”. Your first win vs. Baku1963 shows a smooth English build-up, culminating in a beautiful rook lift to g7: . - Piece activity & tactical alertness
You routinely steer the game toward active piece play (e.g. Nd5 outposts, b-pawn breaks). In several wins you converted the initiative into mating attacks despite low clocks. - Fighting spirit in worse positions
Even when under pressure you keep the board complicated, giving opponents chances to go wrong (see comeback win vs. Chess_PUR after being a pawn down).
3. Repeating pain-points
- Time management
Four of your last six losses were on the clock (e.g. vs. D1sintegrator, position still drawable). You often reach <10 s with queens still on. - Conversion technique
When the attack fizzles, converting small pluses is less assured. In the loss to 930rg you declined a repetition but mis-handled the transition to the endgame and resigned two moves later. - Central pawn tension in the Caro-Kann
Several opponents hurt you with 4.c4 or early Bc4 ideas. In the loss to Boundless_Strike the von Hennig Gambit caught you off-guard, costing a pawn and the initiative.
4. Targeted training plan
| Theme | Weekly work | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Clock handling | • 3 sessions of 20 puzzles @ 30 s/puzzle • 5 blitz games limited to 1 min/move during the first 15 moves (force yourself to “spend” early) |
Enter move-40 with >30 s in 70 % of games |
| Technical endings | • Drill rook-and-pawn vs. rook endings (Chess.com “Practice” → R vs R + P) • Review 100 Endgames You Must Know chapters 1-6 |
Convert +1 pawn endings ≥80 % |
| Caro-Kann repertoire patch | • Prepare vs. 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 (Accelerated Panov): study main line 4…Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 • Add the solid 4…Nf6 5.Nf3 Nc6 sideline as a fallback |
Score ≥55 % as Black in the next 20 Caro-Kann games |
| Transition skills | • Once per day, load a winning position of yours and practice converting vs. the engine on depth 10 until mate/resign. • Annotate two of your own games each weekend, focusing on “first moment advantage slipped”. |
Reduce “won → lost/drawn” games by half |
5. Opening micro-advice
- English Four Knights: after 8.Qa4+ Nc6 the retreat 9.Qd1!? keeps options open; 9.h3 (your game) is fine but burns time.
- English vs. …e5: watch for …Nd4 jumps; prophylactic 7.Rb1 (as in your wins) is an excellent model – keep using it.
- Caro-Kann sideline armour: against the von Hennig (3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Bc4) play 4…Nf6 5.f3 e6! aiming for …c5; avoid early …Bg4 pins when behind in development.
6. Next milestones
- Stabilise blitz rating at 2700+ for two consecutive weeks.
- Finish the endgame drill plan (≥80 practical positions) by end of the month.
- Complete 10 annotated self-reviews and send your three favourites for coaching feedback.
You have the tactical power to defeat anyone in your rating band; sharpening your clock use and technical endings will convert even more of those good positions into points. Let’s get to work – see you on the board!