Dmitry Frolyanov GM

Constructive Feedback for Dmitry Frolyanov

What you are already doing well

• Opening versatility. You are comfortable in both 1.e4 and 1.d4 structures, switching between the Petroff, Giuoco Piano, Queen’s Indian and Semi-Slav setups with ease. This keeps opponents guessing and gives you practical chances.
• Piece activity. In the win against Zachary Tanenbaum you generated consistent pressure with …d5 and the …Rd8/Rac8 battery, converting a pleasant Italian position into a powerful central break.
• End-game technique (when time permits). The 3-minute Petroff game versus Mihailo Djokic showed clean technique: you centralized the king, created a protected passed a-pawn and forced resignation without giving counter-play.

Key areas for improvement

1. Time-management.
   Two of the last five losses (e.g. vs. Aditya Mittal, Four Knights, and Khagan Ahmad, Zukertort) were on the clock with drawable or even promising positions on the board.
   Action plan:
   • Adopt a simple quota such as “40 % of the time for the first 20 moves”. Force yourself to move when the quota is met.
   • Use the opponent’s time to list candidate moves so you rarely spend more than 30 seconds on a single decision.
   • Practise 3 + 2 games: the increment trains you to “surf” on the last seconds safely.
2. King safety in sharp pawn storms.
   The Semi-Slav loss to Sanan Sjugirov pivoted on the premature pawn thrust h5. After 12…Ng4 13.Qd2 0-0-0 your minor pieces were undeveloped and the king stuck on b8.
   Action plan:
   • When advancing flank pawns in queen-side fianchetto structures, verify: a) All minor pieces are out, b) The king is already castled to the other side, c) You have at least one open file for counter-play.
   • Add the critical position to a tactics deck and rehearse “search for opponent counter-punches first”.
3. Handling the Four Knights as Black.
   In the loss to vinniethepooh your 4…Nd4 followed by 6…Qe7, 8…Bg4 produced an imbalanced but difficult position to navigate under time pressure.
   Action plan:
   • Consider the modern main line 4…Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 (or 5…d6) which keeps the structure symmetrical and easier to steer.
   • Memorise the critical forcing variation up to move 12 with a model game; rehearse with engines on “in-depth” for tactical traps.
4. Conversion technique with an extra pawn.
   Against Klementy Sychev you were a pawn up (move 19) yet drifted after 21…Rf7–22…Nc6. The bishop pair and passed c-pawn became unstoppable.
   Action plan:
   • Whenever +1 pawn, ask “What is my easiest plan to trade pieces?”. Default: exchange queens, rooks, then convert.
   • Study two classical endings per week (e.g. Rubinstein, Karpov) focusing on piece exchanges and pawn structure.

Opening snapshot

Your recent repertoire at a glance:

• 1.e4 as White: Italian/Giuoco Piano → quiet central pressure.
• 1.d4 as White: Queen’s Indian & Catalan-style setups with g3.
• As Black vs. 1.e4: Petroff and Four Knights (work needed).
• As Black vs. 1.d4: Semi-Slav & QGD; early …c6/e6/d5 systems.

Keep the Petroff (scores well) and polish the Semi-Slav move-order so that you avoid the premature pawn hits that hurt you last session.

Tactical checkpoints

Use the following critical moments for self-review (import into your favourite trainer):

• Italian, BeanScreen – Frolyanov_D: After 16…Qh4 (diagram below) find why 17.Ne4  was best for White and how you punished the alternative.
  
  
• Semi-Slav, Sjugirov – Frolyanov_D: Examine 15…Kb8? and propose an improvement that keeps the queenside closed.
  
  

Measurable goals for the next 30 days

Useful references inside Chess.com

• Drill “Minor-Piece Endings” in the Lesson section twice a week.
• Analyze auto-generated “Mistakes & Blunders” lists after every rapid game – focus on moves tagged ?? that drop >1 pawn.
• Track progress with
  and
  .
• Compare your current ceiling to historical best: 2686 (2023-03-13).

Final thoughts

You are already performing at an impressive level. By tightening the practical aspects—clock usage, converting small edges and avoiding self-inflicted king exposure—you can easily add 50-70 Elo in rapid play. Stay disciplined with the training plan above and good luck in your next tournament!