Week 55: two time losses after reaching 1300

Between January 20 and 23, 2025 I played 17 rapid games, with 5 wins and 12 losses, and my rating fell from 1334 to 1288 (−46). My average accuracy was 80.6%, higher than the week before. Two time losses after reaching 1300 are the main thread here, with their recorded clock use and key positions below.

Two time losses after reaching 1300: the week in numbers

Every game here is 10 minutes per player with no increment. Two games ended on time, both losses, and 10 of my 50 blunders were played with less than a minute on my clock, more than in any of the six weeks before. The opponents were the strongest of the winter, averaging 1339; 13 of the 17 had a higher rating than mine and I went 2–11 against them. The week finished with five straight losses (games 1342 to 1346).

Two games, same pattern

Game 1344: winning by five pawns, then the clock

With Black against bonjours (1365) in a Pirc Defense (game on Chess.com), my opening was excellent: 93.9% accuracy in the first twelve moves. In the middlegame I got a winning position and kept it for a long time. Here is what my clock and the evaluation looked like along the way (negative numbers mean Black, me, is better):

Between moves 42 and 43 my clock went from 127 seconds to 68: almost a minute on one move, in a position I was winning. From there the game became a coin toss played at a few seconds per move. I made 13 blunders in total, seven of them with less than a minute left, my peak winning chance had been 96.7%, and I lost on time on move 65.

Game 1346: the same story with White

The last game of the week, a London System against deni-sergeev (1291) (game link). At move 29 I was at +6.47 with 123 seconds left. At move 25 I had already spent 57 seconds on a single move. With under a minute, I played 34.g5 (+2.95 became +0.62) and 36.Ra1 with 49 seconds left (+3.25 became −5.47). My flag fell before I made another move.

The engine's key positions

The three moments the engine picked this week are all early-game mistakes, and none of them was about the clock. Two of them show how I lost the games that didn't go to the wire.

Game 1332: a rook move into a capture

r . . . k . . r
p p . b . p p p
. . n P p n . .
q . . p . . . .
. . . . . . . .
. Q . . P N . .
P . . N . P P P
. . R . K B . R

With White against athleticmint371 (1311) in a London System (game), I was already worse, −1.45. Rc5 attacks Black's queen and knight, but the queen on a5 can just take the rook; the engine's answer is 12...Qxc5, and the evaluation becomes −8.86. My opponent played 12...Qb6 instead, but two moves later I blundered twice more and spent the rest of the game around −7 until I was mated on move 57, with 34 seconds left.

Game 1331: the pawn that protected my king

r . b q k . . r
p p p . p p b .
. n . . . . p p
. . . . N . . P
. . . P . P . .
. . N . . . . .
P P P . . . P .
R . . Q K B . R

With Black against natesway (1356) in an Indian Game, Tartakower Defense (game), the game was about equal, +0.44. f6 attacks White's knight, but the engine's reply is Nxg6: the knight takes the pawn protecting my king and attacks my rook in the corner. +0.44 became +4.40. The engine wanted g5, attacking White's undefended f4 pawn. My opponent played exactly 12.Nxg6, and I lost by checkmate on move 40 with 34 seconds on my clock.

The lesson of the week

In 10-minute games without increment, a winning position with two minutes left is not a won game yet. Both time losses had the same shape: a long think when I was clearly better, then a sprint where every move was a gamble. The practical rule I wrote down after this week: once I'm winning and under two minutes, I stop looking for the best move and play the safest one I can find quickly: trade pieces, protect my king, push the passed pawn. No single move gets more than ten seconds. The engine will find a faster win later; I only need a win.

All games this week

Go back to week 54 to see the +96 that came before this, or ahead to week 56. Every week is on the journey hub, and the clock data comes from the same review Chess Coach does for your games.

For a general method beyond this week's games, see the clock-review guide.