Coach Chesswick
Hi r c! Here’s some personalized, constructive feedback based on your recent games.
1. What you’re doing well
- Consistent Opening Strategy. As White you reliably reach English-type positions (c4, g3, Bg2). As Black you stick to Modern/Pirc setups (g6-Bg7-d6). Having an identifiable repertoire is great for confidence and pattern recognition.
- Tactical Alertness when you have time. Your wins often come from spotting combinations such as the Nxd5 shot in your latest victory and the mating net in the Pirc game. tactics remain a clear strength.
- Endgame Conversion. In several daily games you simplified to rook + minor-piece endings and converted with good technique, showing patience and basic endgame knowledge.
2. Key areas to improve
- Clock Management. Seven of the last ten losses were on time in otherwise playable or even better positions. Practise a “move-every-10-seconds” rule during the opening & early middlegame in blitz, and reserve your deep think for critical choices.
- Handling Counter-play on the b- and c-files. Many defeats feature …b5/b4 or …c5/c4 hitting your queenside structure (e.g. 2025-01-19 bullet loss, move 19 …Nxb6). Study games in the English where White controls these breaks with a4, Rb1, b4 and piece pressure on d5.
- Piece Coordination in Closed Structures. When pawn chains lock (e.g. Pirc with …e5-d6 or English with c4/e4 vs …e5), your minor pieces sometimes compete for the same squares (see 2025-01-19 blitz: 14 f4?! 14…Nc5!). Work on rerouting plans: knight to g3–f5, bishop to h3-g2, etc.
- Prophylaxis. A common theme in the losses is ignoring the opponent’s threats for one move too long (…Nc4 fork, …Qb6 dual attack, …Na6-c5 hitting b3). Before every move ask “What does my opponent want?” prophylaxis
3. Opening-specific tips
English with g3 (White)
- Against …e5 & …Nc6 (Reversed Sicilian), remember the thematic break d4 or the Botvinnik setup (e4, Nge2, h3). Delaying d3–e4 can leave the center undefended.
- Versus …g6-Bg7 & …c5, adopt the Maroczy bind plan: play e4, Nge2, d4 quickly, grabbing space before Black completes …Nc6 & …Nd4.
Modern / Pirc (Black)
- Mix in the …c5 break earlier; many games show you drifting with …b5/…a6 while White builds a center. The classical plan is …c5 followed by …Nc6 and pressure on d4.
- Study move-order traps: after 6.Be3 in the Austrian, 6…Ng4!? is critical and yields active play.
4. Practical training plan
- Daily “10-minute tactics” on intermediate themes (double attack, interference, deflection). Aim for 80 % accuracy. double attack
- Weekly endgame session. Work through rook-and-pawn endgames; this will also boost confidence when you simplify in daily games.
- Opening review. Build a 10-page personal file with key English & Modern tabiyas, typical plans, and recent GM games. Revisit before playing rated sessions.
- Time-management drill. Play 5 blitz games forcing yourself to move within 15 seconds for the first 15 moves. Review only the critical positions you spent extra time on.
5. Game spotlight
Your recent win featured a nice central tactic:
Well calculated – keep looking for these intermediate moves that overload your opponent’s queen or king.
6. Stats & Motivation
Your peak blitz rating: 1816 (2025-01-19) – let’s aim to beat it by +50 in the next three months!
Activity charts for quick self-diagnosis:
7. Next steps
- Analyse two of your recent time-forfeit losses without an engine; annotate where you started to “think but not move.”
- Schedule a training game with a longer increment (15 | 10) and practise the new time discipline.
- Reach out to strong opponents like the_king_is_dead for post-game chat – discussing key moments accelerates learning.
Keep enjoying the journey, r c. Small, steady adjustments will convert those time scrambles into confident wins!