Xavier Bedouin IM

Feedback Report for Xavier Bedouin

Great job maintaining a strong Blitz rating of 2327 (2022-06-01) and an impressive overall win-rate! Your victories against players such as svilson23 (2200) and your clean tactical conversion in the 2021 Reti game show excellent attacking instincts and creativity. Below you’ll find focused, constructive advice to help you convert even more of those promising positions into full points.

1. Key Strengths

• Opening Versatility. You comfortably handle both sides of 1.e4 and 1.d4, employing the French, Scandinavian, Dutch-Stonewall and flexible Reti/KIA set-ups.
• Tactical Alertness. Sequences such as 29.Rxe6! and 32.Rf8+ in your 2021 win show sharp sight of forcing lines.
• Practical Fighting Spirit. Even in inferior positions you keep pieces active and create chances, often inducing time-pressure mistakes.

2. Opportunities for Improvement

2.1 Opening Refinement

• Dutch move-orders. In the recent Bird game you achieved equality, but 8…b6 9.b3 Bb7 10.Bb2 Nbd7 11.Rc1 allowed White long-term queenside pressure. Consider modern Dutch plans with …d6–e5 in one go or the Leningrad set-up to avoid a slightly passive light-square bishop.
• Classical French. In the 2015 loss you drifted after 15…dxe5? and never regained the dark-square grip. Review plans in the Steinitz (…c5 + …Nc6, …f6 breaks) to keep counterplay alive.

2.2 Middlegame Planning

• Piece Coordination. In the 2019 C20 game you reached the following position with Black:

[[Pgn| [FEN "2r2rk1/ppqn2pn/p1p1n1p1/P3p3/2Q1P1B1/2P1NP2/1P4K1/7R b - - 0 23"] 23... Qxc4!? 24.Qxc4+ Kg7 ]]

Instead of 23…Qxc4?! (which weakened the back rank), 23…Nf6! would centralise your knight and hold the position together. Train with “find the best defensive move” puzzles to sharpen such decisions.

• Prophylaxis. Several losses stem from underestimating slow pawn storms (e.g., White’s g-pawn march in the 2015 Grob). Periodically ask “What is my opponent’s next threat?” before committing to your own plan.

2.3 Endgame & Technique

• Conversion Skills. You often reach winning endgames but let the clock decide (two losses on time while still objectively ahead). Incorporate 15-minute sessions of rook-and-pawn endings into your weekly routine.
• Time Management. Adopt a “Bronstein rule”: aim to have ≥50% of the starting time left after move 20. Blunder-check only when the clock shows <30 seconds.

3. Training Recommendations

1. Thematic Puzzle Batches. Focus on French-structure tactics and Dutch defensive resources.
2. Model Game Study. Annotate one top-level Dutch or French game each week. Pay particular attention to pawn-break timing.
3. Time-Pressure Drills. Play 3 + 2 vs the computer starting from a slightly better endgame; aim to convert with >10 seconds remaining.

4. Progress Tracking

Review these charts monthly to spot when you play your best (and worst) chess; schedule serious sessions in your peak windows.

5. Next Steps

Pick one opening idea, one middlegame theme, and one endgame drill from above and commit to them for the next two weeks. Small, consistent improvements will quickly translate into Elo gains.

Keep up the creative play, Xavier, and enjoy the journey!