Przemyslaw Koc NM

Constructive feedback for Przemysław Koc (2346PL)

Current standing

• Peak blitz rating: 2730 (2024-07-17).
• Typical session performance: see

What you are already doing well

• Sharp “Bg5-systems” repertoire. Whether it is the Trompowsky, Torre or the Anti-Dutch with 2.Bg5, you consistently create early practical problems for your opponent and score well (e.g. your recent miniature versus pencizorno3131).
• Tactical alertness. Your wins often feature clean combinations (15.dxe5! vs. Pavel Vavric or 31…Rxg2!! vs. lucky13072012).
• Piece activity over material. In many games you correctly return material to keep the initiative, a key skill at your level.

Priority areas for improvement

1. Time management (recurring issue)

• Three of your last five losses were on the clock.
• You often reach move 25 with <10 seconds, even in quiet endgames.
• Your play becomes tactical but slower when you are winning, a classic form of Zeitnot.

Action plan

• Adopt a “2-second rule”: make a move every ≈ 2 seconds unless calculating a forcing line.
• Add a daily 5-minute “bullet drill” to train pre-move reflexes.
• Whenever you are +3 or more, switch to simple moves that trade pieces; perfection is no longer required.

2. King safety in the Dutch

In the loss to ShiningStar-07 your kingside dark squares collapsed after 19…g5?!.

Critical fragment:

• Both …g5 and …h6 appear in almost every Dutch game you lose.
• Consider the classical plan …d6–e5–Be6–Qe7 without pushing the g-pawn until you have castled long or traded queens.

3. Over-committing pawns when playing Bg5 systems

Early h- and g-pawn storms (e.g. 8.h4/10.g4 vs. Raymond Gao) sometimes backfire, leaving weak squares that opponents exploit once the queens come off.

Action plan

• Before advancing a wing pawn, ask: “If this attack is ignored, is my pawn weak or strong?”
• Replay model games by Jobava and Rapport, noting when they launch h-pawn attacks—usually after castling or when the centre is closed.

4. Closing out technical endgames

The timeout versus bufingleb occurred in a trivially drawn K+R vs. K+R position. When you are two pawns up, reduce complexity instead of hunting more material.

Opening repertoire suggestions

• Add one solid line as Black against 1.d4 (e.g. the Slav or Queen’s Gambit Accepted). It will balance the risk-heavy Dutch and broaden your skill set.
• Against 1.e4, your Scandinavian is fine, but learn the 6…Nf6 main line to avoid the slow positions that cost you on the clock.
• As White, complement Bg5-systems with a mainstream choice (Catalan or London) so opponents cannot prepare exclusively for early pins.

Training menu for the next 30 days

1. 10 minutes/day of increment blitz (3 + 2) focusing only on playing faster, not necessarily better.
2. 2 annotated master games/week in the Dutch featuring solid kingside setups.
3. 30 tactical puzzles/day, but stop the timer at 1 minute—even if unsolved—to mimic real blitz pressure.
4. Endgame drill: play K+P vs. K and R+P vs. R+P against an engine until conversion feels automatic.

Motivational snapshot

Your current form is already strong enough to beat 2600-rated opposition, as the miniature below shows—keep polishing the rough edges and the next plateau will follow naturally.

Keep in touch

Feel free to send me any game that raises questions; together we will turn those “almost wins” into routine victories.