Coach Chesswick
Hi volpe36! Here’s some personalized, constructive feedback based on your recent games.
Quick snapshot
• Current peak: 458 (2023-02-01)
• Typical session pattern:
Your key strengths
- Tactical alertness: you frequently spot sharp ideas (e.g. …Qxh1+, piece sacrifices in the Spanish Counter-Gambit and the French Two-Knights game vs. shchop86).
- Confidence to attack: you are not afraid to give material for activity, which helped you score quick mates such as 35.Rc8#.
- Open-file use: once the position opens you often double rooks or lift them to the 3rd/7th rank efficiently.
Recurring issues to address
- King Safety & Early Queen Adventures
In multiple games (vs. s123carro and rajeshebe007) you delayed castling, moved the queen several times, and were mated on f7/f2. • Guideline: “No queen raids until you have at least two minor pieces out and your king secure.”
• Practical drill: aftermove 10ask: “Is my king safer than my opponent’s?” If not, fix it before attacking. - Mis-judging ‘poisoned’ pawns
Grabbing b-/g-pawns (…Qxg2, Qxa2) often invited counter-play. Train on the theme zwischenzug to notice hidden replies. - Time-management & Conversion
You flagged in a winning position against des_tiny241. Once you’re clearly ahead, simplify: trade queens, push passers, avoid flashy but slow ideas. - Opening discipline
The early …Nxd4 gimmick (seen in several d4/e4 lines) works only if you calculate everything. Adding one solid system to your repertoire will give you variety and stability.
• VS 1.e4: sample Caro-Kann skeleton –
• VS 1.d4: sample Queen’s Gambit Declined –
Targeted training plan (4 weeks)
| Focus | Daily actions |
|---|---|
| Defensive tactics | 15 puzzles on back-rank mates, forks, and removal of the guard. |
| Opening repair | Build a 15-move “main line” file for each side of e4/d4. Rehearse with “blindfold” flashcards. |
| Game review | Self-annotate one loss each day, flagging the first move where the eval drops >-1.5. |
| Longer games | Play 15 | 10 once every two days, aiming for ⩽3 minutes left at move 30 to improve pacing. |
Example improvement line
In the Spanish Counter-Gambit you recently won, try the classical main line to keep your king safer:
This keeps the queen active and allows quick castling.
Next steps
- Keep embracing tactics, but balance them with solid structure.
- After every game ask: “Why did the eval swing?” and store the answer in a quick diary.
- Re-visit these notes in two weeks and update the plan based on new patterns you see.
Good luck, and enjoy the journey toward your next rating milestone!