Checks before snacks
Before grabbing material, run the forcing-move scan: checks → captures → threats. The top card literally had mate available.
2 verified mates missedThis pass is framed like a coach watching tape: board-first moments, clear correction lines, and tiny repeatable drills instead of a dump of engine labels.
The coach layer turns engine output into repeatable habits. Each theme is countable, so a future agent can track progress automatically.
Before grabbing material, run the forcing-move scan: checks → captures → threats. The top card literally had mate available.
2 verified mates missedWhen Stockfish says winning/clearly better, the job is not “find a nice move” — it is keep initiative and remove counterplay.
lost-opportunity stackSeveral collapses are king-move decisions under pressure. Treat king moves as high-risk: ask what line you are entering.
recurring K-move blundersRed is what happened. Green is the coach line. These are the moments worth replaying before the next block of games.

Coach line: queen to f3 Qf3#
Verified board mate. Highest-value habit: checks first before any attacking “natural” move.
open source game →
Coach line: queen to e2 Qe2#
The attack was already decisive. The drill is to stop and find the forcing queen move.
open source game →
Coach line: queen to f2 Qf2+
When already winning, prioritize forcing moves and king pressure over “useful” pawn pushes.
open source game →
Coach line: queen to e2 Qe2+
Pattern: grabbing material when the opponent king is the target. Make the king answer first.
open source game →Kept, but demoted. Labels are supporting evidence; the coaching theme is the product.
Engine agrees. Notice what good quiet moves look like.
Small drift. Useful only when repeated across games.
Real swing: next-time alarm bell.
Big collapse, usually tactical or king-safety related.
You were better, but let the attack cool off.
A winning route was available, not necessarily mate.
Only used after board-verified checkmate.
Not perfect, but no real damage.
Latest games, compressed into coachable reps instead of notation soup.
Played king to g5 Kg5; coach wants queen to f3 Qf3#.
Played pawn to d2 d2+; coach wants queen to e2 Qe2#.
Played pawn to b3 b3; coach wants queen to f2 Qf2+.
Several big eval drops are king moves under pressure. Treat every king move as a forced-line calculation, not a vibes move.
next drill: after every candidate king move, find opponent’s strongest checkDirection for the “eye” agent: make this feel like a serious chess coach, not a data report.
Replace GIF-only cards with a move-stepper board, arrows, and coach voiceover copy.
Film-room language, habit tags, progress counters, and “homework before next game” should drive the UI.
Every deploy needs screenshot review for hierarchy, mobile fit, text collisions, and whether the page feels chess-native.