Learn2Chess FM

Snapshot

• Current peak blitz rating: 2445 (2020-07-30)
• When you win most often:
• Weekly rhythm:

What you are doing well

1. Initiative & tactical alertness. In your recent win against theendernal you sacrificed material to keep Black’s king in the centre and finished with the elegant 27.Qh4#.
2. Early king safety. You usually castle by move 9, often well before your opponents.
3. Active use of open files. Rooks frequently reach the 7th rank (e.g. 22.Re6+ above), converting pressure into mating nets.

Main areas to improve

1. Sound openings vs stronger players.
   Many quick wins arise from aggressive queen forays (Wayward Queen, early Qxf7#). Against higher-rated opponents (see loss vs gmluisprata1, Caro-Kann) this backfires. Build a repertoire based on the four opening principles: development, centre, king safety and piece activity.
2. Queen over-extension.
   In the same loss, 10.Qa4 looked active but left her offside after …Bd7 …Ne5. Before advancing the queen, ask: “Where does she go next move if challenged?”
3. Calculate forcing lines to the end.
   15.Bxa8?! won material yet surrendered the initiative and opened lines toward your own king. Add a “blunder check”: after choosing a move, spend five seconds looking only for the opponent’s strongest reply.
4. Endgame resilience.
   Several older defeats were decided deep into endings (e.g. vs Joseph Levine). Strengthen king activity, pawn play and basic rook endings.
5. Time management.
   Your clock often falls below 30 s while complications remain. Use the three-question scan (Checks, Captures, Threats) to speed up routine positions.

Action plan for the next two weeks

1. Adopt a solid main-line opening (Italian Game or Queen’s Gambit). Play 10 blitz games starting from these lines and review the first 15 moves afterwards.
2. Daily 10-minute tactic drill focusing on double attacks and defensive motifs.
3. Play one 15 + 10 rapid game per day, annotate it briefly, then compare with an engine.
4. Study Lucena & Philidor rook endings; set them up against the computer until you can convert/draw reliably.

Quick reference

Glossary: zwischenzug, tempo, opposition