Johann Hjartarson GM

Hi Johann, here is some constructive feedback based on your latest blitz session.

What you are already doing very well

• Dynamic opening choices. With White you vary between 1.e4 main-lines (Italian, Vienna) and off-beat ideas such as 1.Nc3 (Van Geet). As Black you handle everything from the Pelikan-Sveshnikov to the King’s Indian, showing broad theoretical knowledge.
• Kingside initiative. Your victories frequently start with early pawn storms (…g5 / h4-h5). Once the g-file opens you coordinate pieces quickly and convert initiative into material or mating nets.
• Resourcefulness in messy positions. In the win vs olkarchess you navigated a crazy middlegame (…b4 break, exchange sacs) and kept finding forcing moves under 30 s.

Key themes that cost points

1. Time pressure collapses. Four of the six recent losses were on time in roughly equal or even better positions. Blitz will always be fast, but repeated flagging at move 35-45 suggests a structural issue (over-thinking in early middlegame).
   ➔ Action: set a soft limit of ≤20 s per move until move 20. If the candidate move isn’t clearly bad, play it and save time for conversion.
2. Over-extension of pawn storms when initiative fizzles out.
   Example: against Levanzovsky you pushed f- and h-pawns, but once material was exchanged you were left with weak kingside squares and no shelter for your own king.
   
   
   ➔ Action: before playing a third pawn in front of your king, ask “What if the queens come off?”; if you cannot keep the attack, consider a quieter improvement move.
3. Conversion technique in won endgames.
   In the loss vs mbojan you were a pawn up but allowed the white rook to invade and resigned in a theoretically drawn R+P vs R endgame.
   ➔ Action: dedicate 10-15 min per day to drill technical endgames (R+P vs R, opposite-colour bishops with passer, basic RB vs R). Even 15 positions a day on a trainer will quickly bear fruit.

Opening tweaks worth testing

Training menu (next two weeks)

• ⏱ Clock discipline drill: play three 3|0 games daily where you must make the first 15 moves with ≥2:00 still on the clock. Review only your move times afterwards.
• ⚙️ Endgame routine: 20 minutes of composed rook-endgame puzzles every second day.
• 🧩 Tactics sprint: 25 tactics at 30 s each on themes you missed in the losses (clearance, intermediate checks, back-rank).
• 📚 Mini-repertoire check: one hour Sunday deep-dive with engine on 6.c3 Giuoco & Pelikan sidelines 6.Nd5.

Stats & progress trackers

Peak blitz rating: 2714 (2022-06-07)
Hour-by-hour win rate:

Mindset tip

“When the position is equal, your opponent’s clock is also material.”
Use your tactical eye to pose problems quickly; don’t search for 100 % solutions in blitz.

Keep enjoying the fight, and good luck in the next Titled Tuesday!