Atousa Pourkashiyan WGM

Hi Atousa!

Great work competing in the latest Titled-Tuesday. Even against 2600–2800 blitz specialists you scored several wins – impressive! Below is a concise review built from your last 20 games.

What is going well

• Dynamic Sicilian play: Your …c5/…a6 setups (Kan & Closed-Sicilian structures) regularly gave you the bishop-pair and queenside space. In three of your wins the thematic …b5 break came with tempo and the initiative never left you.
• Striking with f-pawn pushes: As both colours you use f4/f5 to seize space and complicate. When timed well (e.g. vs Shuvalov) it ripped open files and yielded a kingside attack.
• Nerves in sharp positions: Even when under 10 s you still find tactical resources (see 45…Rb4+ against wgraif), proving your calculation is solid.

Main themes to address

1. Clock management – it’s costing points.
   You lost 7 of the last 10 games on time from roughly equal or better positions. Build a habit of pre-move in forced lines and use the opponent’s think-time to decide on “safe default” moves.
2. Converting extra material.
   In the loss to Marton Foldes you were a pawn up (diagram below) yet drifted into zugzwang and time trouble.
   
   
   
   Work on “single-target” thinking: once ahead, identify the passer or weak king and play ONLY moves that advance that agenda.
3. Technique in technical endgames.
   Endings vs Starozhil, Silversik & reevecanada were objectively drawable. Your rook activity was fine, but pawn structure decisions (45.h4?, 46…a5? etc.) let winning chances slip.
4. Early middlegame piece placement in the Caro-Kann Exchange (as White).
   You often reach the diagram after 4.Bd3/5.c3 but then spend tempi with Nc3-d2-f1-e3. Consider the Short Plan ( Nd2-f1-g3, h4-h5 ) which harmonises quicker.

Opening snapshot

Both repertoires are sound, but to reduce prep-time try Taimanov move-orders (…Nc6, …e6, …Qc7) – they transpose to many of your favourite structures while cutting out some Maroczy binds you faced.

Suggested training routine (4–6 hrs/week)

• Clock drills (15 min) – play 20 bullet games/week with the only goal of finishing with >10 s. Ignore result; train your rhythm.
• Conversion mini-sets (30 min) – starting from +1.5 to +3.0 endgame positions (lichess practice with computer), force yourself to win in <30 moves.
• Endgame study (45 min) – Dvoretsky “Tragicomedy in Rook Endings” chap. 3 will directly help the Starozhil/Silversik scenarios.
• Opening tune-up (30 min) – build a “Kan cheat-sheet”: main tabiya, 3 key plans, 3 typical tactics. Repeat until recall is instant.
• Tactics (15 min daily) – 10 high-rated puzzles; stop the timer at 2 min to simulate blitz pressure.

Progress tracker

Your current peak: 2661 (2020-10-02). Add a simple KPI: time left per move. Aim for >3 s average in the first 25 moves.

Motivational nugget

“When you’re ahead on the board, be ahead on the clock.” – Magnus

Keep enjoying your dynamic style, polish the technical side, and a 2600+ blitz rating is within reach. Good luck in the next event!