Jakub Pochwała

Jakub Pochwała — Also Known as Kubasiek

Meet Jakub Pochwała, affectionately known in the chess world as Kubasiek, a versatile player with a flair for the Caro-Kann Defense and a penchant for turning time trouble into triumph! With a peak blitz rating of 1694 achieved in April 2020 and a rapid peak soaring to 1626 in January 2023, Jakub has proved he's no stranger to speedy, tactical battles. His bullet skills peaked at a respectable 1323, revealing a player who enjoys the adrenaline rush of fast play but doesn't shy away from deeper strategic fights.

Playing Style & Strengths

Jakub’s style is a thoughtful mix of endurance and tactical awareness. He rarely resigns early (only about 3% of games), loves the grinding endgame (with over 70% of his games reaching that phase), and enjoys long, meaningful fights — his wins average 62 moves, and losses stretch even longer. He has an uncanny ability to bounce back with an impressive 80.4% comeback rate after setbacks. A true fighter at heart who thrives under pressure and sometimes even turns losing pieces into opportunities with roughly a 50% win rate post-capture.

Favorite Openings

Jakub shines brightest when wielding the Caro-Kann Defense, especially the Marshall Defense variation of the Queen’s Gambit Declined — boasting an exceptional 83% win rate there. He also likes to dip his toes in the Slav Defense and the Queens Gambit Declined, proving he’s not a one-trick pony. Less known but intriguingly brave, he has experimented with the Englund Gambit — perhaps to catch opponents off guard — though that one comes with a modest win record.

Recent Highlights

In his latest online escapades, Kubasiek secured a thrilling bullet victory on June 2, 2025, defeating KatilFaruk with a crafty time win in the Caro-Kann Defense - Breyer Variation. (Classic Kubasiek: outwit the opponent, then outlast them on the clock!) Despite a recent loss on the same day against thienooi in the Queen’s Gambit Declined, Jakub maintains an iron will and usually scores well against frequent rivals, demolishing players like ponczollo and krzychu3 with win rates above 90%.

Psychological & Time Preferences

Kubasiek’s best brainwaves strike bright and early, with his peak time to play being 5 AM — perfect for those who enjoy a bit of dawn chess meditation. Although he occasionally battles a tilt (rated at about 10), his resilience keeps him in the game. He’s got a quirky habit of winning more games by timeout than by checkmate (184 wins by timeout vs 143 by checkmate), suggesting a knack for exhausting his opponents both on and off the board!

In a Nutshell

Jakub Pochwała is a chess player who blends solid openings, patient endgame skills, and impressive comeback capabilities into an entertaining and sometimes unpredictable playstyle. Whether wielding his trusted Caro-Kann or switching to a new gambit to spice things up, Kubasiek keeps opponents guessing and the chess gods smiling. Here's to many more swift victories, clever defenses, and maybe a few more timeout wins in his future!