Coach Chesswick
Quick summary
Nice fighting spirit in your recent blitz block. You created sharp kingside play, found concrete tactical shots to convert advantages, and finished one game with a clean mate. The main recurring issue is time management / decision quality in the critical moments — that’s where most of the avoidable losses come from. Below are focused, practical steps to keep your good habits and tighten the leaks.
What you did well
- Active attacking mindset — you consistently pushed on the kingside and opened lines (example: pushing pawns to pry open files and using rooks along the g- and h-files).
- Good tactical awareness — you spotted direct tactics and mating nets in at least one win (you converted a kingside attack into mate rather than letting the opponent escape).
- Conversion in simplified winning positions — when you reached favourable endgame/rook-and-pawn structures you tended to keep the pressure and limit counterplay.
- Willingness to exchange into favourable endgames — you used piece trades to simplify when ahead rather than trying to force unrealistic complications.
Recurring weaknesses to fix
- Time trouble (zeitnot): you often arrive at critical positions with very little clock. That creates blunders or passive decisions. Train to keep a reserve of time for the later phase (30–45 seconds minimum in 3+0 / 3+2 blitz).
- Back-rank & 7th-rank vulnerabilities: in the loss you allowed a rook infiltration on the 7th rank (Rxa7). Watch for loosened back ranks or undefended 7th/ranks after pawn pushes or piece trades.
- Occasional passive piece placement after an attack stalls. When an attack doesn’t immediately break through, re-route pieces to active squares instead of retreating too far.
- Tactical oversights when under time pressure — the combination of time pressure + complicated open positions is costing you the most points.
Concrete, short-term plan (this week)
- Daily tactics: 20 mixed tactics per day (puzzle rush / tactic trainer), focus on pattern recognition (pins, forks, sacrifices and back-rank mates). Spend 20 minutes total.
- One careful post-mortem per session: after every 3 blitz games, pick the most unclear loss/win and spend 10–15 minutes reviewing without engine first, then 5 minutes with engine to confirm the critical moments.
- Time control practice: play 10 games at 3+2 and force yourself to keep 30–40s on the clock after move 15. If you flag often, switch to 5+3 for a few sessions to rebuild time-sense.
- Endgame short sessions: 2 × 10 minutes this week on basic rook endgames and king-and-pawn basics — these convert close games into wins and avoid unnecessary draws/losses.
Concrete, medium-term tasks (2–6 weeks)
- Opening check: pick your top 3 openings from your repertoire and make a one-page cheat sheet for typical plans, pawn breaks and one “trap” to be aware of. For the Trompowsky-style lines you’ve been seeing, rehearse the common ideas rather than memorizing long move-orders. If you want a reminder: Trompowsky Attack.
- Tactics patterns: build a list of 20 motifs you miss most (back-rank, deflection, decoy, double attack). Drill them with spaced repetition (same motifs every 2–3 days).
- Practical decisions: when ahead, practice routine simplifications — exchange queens or rooks when it reduces opponent’s counterplay and your clock advantage can be converted.
- Game review habit: weekly 1-hour review of 5+ of your recent games (wins and losses). Focus on “what changed the evaluation” at the key turning point.
Drills & training recipes (repeatable)
- 5×5 tactic blocks: five minutes of fast tactics, rest one minute, repeat ×5. Keeps pattern recognition sharp for blitz.
- “Minute of thought” rule: in critical positions (when you evaluate as unclear or decisive), force yourself to use at least 30–60 seconds. That reduces snap errors.
- Shadow play: play the same opening 5 times in a row (3+2) vs different opponents or engines, trying to reach the same middlegame plan every time. Note which move-orders cause problems.
- Endgame sprint: 10 rook endgames from randomized positions — aim to convert them in under 5 moves each, focusing on Lucena and Philidor patterns.
Key moments from your recent games
Watch these positions and ask: “Could I have kept more time? Could I improve piece coordination?”
- Win by mate (example): you successfully opened the g-file and forced a mating net — great sequence of pawn pushes and queen/rook coordination. Replay that finish to memorize the mating pattern (shown below).
- Loss by resignation: you allowed a rook to penetrate the 7th rank (Rxa7). In similar positions prioritize stopping the opponent’s rook infiltration or exchanging down if you can’t stop it.
- Time-win: you had a technical win that ended on time — good positions can still be lost on the clock. Practice keeping a time buffer.
Replay the final game (your mate)
Open this quick replay to go over the finishing sequence. Replay it once focusing on pacing (where you could have kept time) and once focusing on the tactical pattern.
Opponent: Aleksandr Moiseenko
Micro-habits to adopt now
- Save 30s before move 20: deliberately stop and check the full board — threats, hanging pieces, opponent's counterplay.
- “One key square” rule: identify the single most important square in the position (outpost, entry, promotion) and ask: can I occupy, control, or prevent it?
- After every loss, write one sentence: “My mistake was ______.” Keep a 30-entry log; patterns jump out in weeks.
Parting note
You have a strong, aggressive skillset that produces wins against tough opponents. With small improvements to time management, prophylaxis against rook infiltration, and a few targeted drills, you’ll convert many of those close losses into wins. Keep the attacking flair — make it more precise and better-paced.
Want a 2-week drill plan I can generate for you (daily checklist + exercises)? Reply “Drill plan” and I’ll make one tailored to your schedule.