Evgeny Degtiarev IM

What You're Doing Well

Evgeny, your bullet games show some solid strengths worth highlighting:

• Your overall win rate is just over 50%, which indicates a balanced capability to convert games and hold your own in fast-paced situations.
• You have a particularly strong record in the Modern Defense, with a win rate above 60%. Your comfort in this opening likely provides reliable positions early on.
• Your knowledge and use of a variety of openings, including the Scandinavian Defense and London System Poisoned Pawn, give you flexibility to adapt against different opponents.
• You demonstrate the ability to maintain pressure and keep up with opponents who have similar or even higher ratings, as seen in your recent games against 2200+ and 2300+ rated players.

Areas to Improve

There are some key points to focus on to elevate your bullet game further:

• Time Management: Several losses involved running out of time, which suggests a need to improve clock awareness and faster decision-making. Practice bullet-specific tactics to reduce your thinking time on routine moves.
• Opening Consistency: Your performance with the Slav Defense and Benoni Gambit Accepted is roughly even or below 40%. Strengthening your understanding and preparation in these can help reduce early disadvantages.
• Endgame Technique: Review your endgames carefully, as some games with materially balanced positions ended in losses due to inaccuracies. Improving your basic endgame skills will help you convert or hold better under pressure.
• Handling Pressure Moves: In some games, opponents successfully challenged your kingside and center. Work on recognition of common tactical motifs in your favored openings to improve your defense and counterattacks.

Practice Recommendations

To maximize your improvement, consider these approaches:

• Drill fast tactical puzzles daily to increase your calculation speed under time constraints.
• Analyze your recent losses, focusing on turns where you spent too much time or made inaccuracies.
• Deepen opening preparation in the Slav and Benoni systems by studying model games and typical plans.
• Work on simple endgames like king and pawn vs king, rook endgames, and basic checkmates to secure more draws and wins in close endgames.
• Play rapid or blitz games to experiment with slightly more thoughtful move choices without the extreme time pressure of bullet.

Looking Ahead

Your rating trend shows a recent leveling off and a slight dip, but the consistent slope of increase in the longer term indicates you have strong potential to return to and surpass your previous peak. Maintaining steady study and bullet practice, coupled with improved time management, will help you regain momentum.

Keep focusing on your strengths and sharpening key weaknesses — this balanced approach will continue to advance your bullet chess skills.