Coach Chesswick
What you're doing well in blitz
- You show curiosity and flexibility with your opening choices, mixing Reti, Sicilian, and English setups. This helps keep opponents guessing and broadens your practical choices in fast time controls.
- You play actively in the middlegame when the position opens up, aiming for concrete plans rather than passively waiting for static improvements.
- You’re comfortable trading into rook-and-pawn endgames when you’re ahead, which is a valuable skill in blitz where clean conversion can decide many games.
Key improvement areas to boost your results
- Repertoire focus for blitz: You use several major openings, but results vary by line. Pick 2–3 openings you enjoy and study their key middlegame plans and typical endgames deeply. This will speed up decision-making and reduce risk in time trouble.
- Strategic planning in the middlegame: Strengthen your ability to form a simple, clear plan after the opening phase (for example, target a specific pawn break, seize a half-open file, or activate a minority attack). In blitz, a crisp plan often beats long, meandering play.
- Tactical awareness and blunder avoidance: Blitz rewards fast, accurate calculation. Increase your exposure to short tactical puzzles (10–20 minutes daily) to sharpen pattern recognition and reduce missed combinations in practical games.
- Endgame technique under time pressure: Practice common rook endings and basic king-and-pawn endgames so you can convert advantages quickly or hold draws when behind.
- Time management and clock discipline: Develop a habit of quick checks after each move (two to three candidate moves and a quick assessment of tactics). If a position becomes unclear, don’t chase complexity—switch to a simpler plan or reduce complexity by simplifying.
Structured four-week training plan
- Week 1:
- Choose two openings you’ll focus on (one White repertoire, one Black response) and write down 3 common middlegame plans for each.
- Do 15–20 tactical puzzles daily and review each solution briefly, focusing on missed ideas.
- Analyze one recent blitz game deeply to identify where a simpler plan or a better tactic existed.
- Week 2:
- Continue puzzles; add 1 focused endgame drill (rook endings or basic king-pawn endings) 3–4 times this week.
- Study 2 model games from your focused openings, noting typical structures and plan transitions.
- Week 3:
- Play 3 blitz sessions with live commentary to articulate your plan aloud or in notes after each game.
- Review a pair of games with an engine at low depth to confirm sound plans and pinpoint overreach or miscalculations.
- Week 4:
- Consolidate your opening knowledge into a compact cheat sheet (pawn structures, typical moves, and common tactical motifs).
- Do a final blitz session focusing on applying the improved plan, time management, and endgame technique.
Next steps and quick questions
- Would you like me to tailor the plan to your preferred openings or target rating?
- If you share two or three openings you enjoy most, I can provide a concise, practical plan with typical middlegame ideas and common traps to watch for.
- Want me to provide a short, device-friendly drill pack (puzzles and a 15-minute opening study) you can start using today?