Coach Chesswick
Personalised Feedback for Tamas Vanczak
What you are already doing well
- Initiative-seeking play: In many Chess960 positions you claim space quickly with pawn thrusts such as
g4/g5orf4/f5. This often unbalances the position and creates winning chances (see your win vs. Tihomir Yanev – moves 12-20). - Tactical alertness: You spot intermediate moves and zwischenzugs (e.g. 16.Rxf5!! in the same game). Puzzle-like positions rarely scare you.
- Fighting spirit: Even when down material you continue setting problems, converting several inferior endgames to wins or practical chances.
Recurring themes to address
- Time management
Both recent losses to Havard Haug and Matvey Galchenko were on time in defendable positions. Try the 5 second rule: if a move does not change the evaluation you trust, play it quickly and bank time for critical moments. - King safety after flank pawn pushes
Your trademarkg/h-pawn storms sometimes leave holes (loss vs. Maksym Dubnevych, 24…Bxe3!). Before advancing a wing pawn, ask “How does this weaken the squares behind it?” ➜ Drill: play training games where you are forbidden to touch theg-pawn until move 10; you will feel the difference in structure awareness. - Over-reliance on tactics instead of structure
Several defeats originate from ignoring central pawn breaks by the opponent (e.g. 28…e4! in the same loss). Incorporate one quiet “solidifying” move every 5-6 moves to keep the position sound. - Endgame conversion
In the loss to Maksym Dubnevych you reached a drawn rook + pawn endgame but mis-co-ordinated your king (64.Ne4+?). Spend 15 minutes/day on the Silman endgame “endings you must know” list.
Opening & planning checklist (applicable even in Chess960)
- Castle before move 10 whenever feasible.
- Develop pieces toward the centre; strange start positions are no excuse to ignore activity.
- Complete development before launching pawn storms (especially wing pawns).
- If your opponent attacks a flank, hit in the centre (classical principle still works in 960).
Suggested training routine (4 weeks)
| Day | Focus | Tool | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon/Wed/Fri | 50 tactical puzzles | Puzzle Rush & higher-rated custom puzzles | ≥ 80% accuracy |
| Tue | Endgame drill | Rook & pawn v pawn, Queen v pawn | Win against engine at 15 seconds/move |
| Thu | Game review | Replay two of your losses without engine, write one improvement per mistake | Create a “mistake notebook” |
| Weekend | Slow 15 | 10 game | Live Chess | Apply checklist; annotate afterwards |
Your recent trend
Peak rapid rating: 2145 (2020-07-28). Use the charts below to spot “tilt-hours” or favourable days and adjust your playing schedule accordingly.
Illustrative example
Replay the critical phase of your latest win and ask yourself where Black could have equalised:
Key concept to internalise this week
“Loose pieces drop off” – evaluate every move by counting how many of your pieces are currently loose (undefended piece). Reduce that number to 0 before entering sharp lines.
Next milestone
Target a stable 1700 rapid rating by focusing on time handling and king safety discipline. You already have the tactical firepower; couple it with solid structures and you will leap forward.
Good luck, Tamas – and remember to enjoy the journey!