tim_tim2345789

Hi tim_tim2345789!

You are doing many things right: you fight for the initiative, you are not afraid to sacrifice material, and you already know how to drive the opponent’s king into mating nets. Your victories against higher-rated players show good tactical instincts and resourcefulness.

What is working well

• Tactical alertness. In several games you spotted quick mating ideas (e.g. 18.Re8# against baaaapp and 28.Qg8# versus lowavyy).
• Open-file awareness. You often place rooks on open files (Rd1, Rxf1, etc.) and convert them into attacks.
• Confidence with pawn storms. Pushing g- and h-pawns to harass the enemy king plays to your attacking style.

Immediate improvement targets

1. King safety first!
   In every one of your recent losses your own king remained in the centre or lost castling rights before move 10.
   • Game vs igor_911_9 ended with 5.Qxf7# because you played 2…g6 without securing e7–g7 squares.
   • Against schyhigh you allowed the queen to camp on h4/h1 because your king walked to d2.
   Rule of thumb: develop two minor pieces and castle before starting flank pawn pushes or queen sorties.
2. Stop chasing the queen in the opening.
   When opponents play cheap tricks (2.Qh5, 2.Qh4, etc.) play calm, centre-building moves instead of attacking the queen repeatedly. Ask yourself, “Am I improving my worst-placed piece?” before each move.
3. Reduce unnecessary pawn moves.
   Early b-, g- and h-pawn thrusts often leave holes (e.g. vs duckme1464 your 8…Bf5/…Be6 allowed b5-Nb4-Na4 ideas). Try to limit pawn moves to one per pawn in the first ten moves unless there is a concrete tactic.
4. Time management.
   One loss (vs Williamfilsinger) was on time in a completely playable position. Spend less time in the opening by following a fixed move order you know, and save thinking time for critical middlegame moments.
5. Learn a compact opening kit.
   White: continue with 1.d4, but pick one system (London/Colle) and study ideas, not just moves.
   Black: against 1.e4 choose a simple defence such as the Scandinavian Defense or Pirc Defense and against 1.d4 start with the Queen’s Gambit Declined setup (…d5, …e6, …Nf6, …Be7, …O-O).

Typical tactical theme to drill

Most positions that hurt you involve an unguarded back rank or double attack on f7/f2. Add 10 puzzles a day that feature those patterns and you will feel the difference quickly.

Annotated snapshot from your best game

Notice how early development and piece activity translated into a winning attack:

Stats & tendencies

• Peak Blitz rating: 279 (2025-06-26)
• Peak Rapid rating: 629 (2025-03-19)
• Performance during the day:
• Performance by hour (watch out for late-night tilt!):

Next steps for the coming week

1. Play 10 rapid games (10|0 or 15|10) where you promise yourself to castle before move 10.
2. After each game, write down one move you would change and why. This builds self-analysis habits.
3. Finish the “New to Chess” lessons on Pins and Back-rank mates (they are short but will save you rating points).

Stick with it—you are already showing fast progress. A solid foundation in opening principles and king safety will let your natural tactical talent shine. Good luck, and happy hunting on the 64 squares!