Mariya Kovanova WFM

Hi Mariya!

You have an attractive, dynamic style that consistently creates initiative and puts opponents under pressure. Below is some feedback based on your recent games, together with practical drills and study ideas.

Quick-glance stats

• Peak Blitz rating: 2748 (2019-05-27)
• Hourly performance:
• Win-rate by day:

Your key strengths

• Opening initiative. In wins like the Sicilian O’Kelly game you seized space, castled long and brought the rooks to the d-file at lightning speed. Great feel for activity!
• Tactical eye. Motifs such as the exchange sacrifice 20. Rxd7+ show confidence in calculating concrete lines.
• Pressure management. Against higher-rated opponents (e.g. pe-tro) you kept the position complex, forcing eventual errors.

Recurring themes to polish

• Pawn-storm timing. Several losses start with h- and a-pawn thrusts before your king is fully safe (see 2022 bullet vs. accountclosed64). Ask “What will my opponent do next?” before each pawn push.
• Prophylaxis in equal positions. In the Van-Geet loss you missed Black’s …c4 break and the a5/a4 clamp. Try adding one extra question to your candidate-move routine: “What is their most annoying plan?”
• Endgame clean-up. Even when clearly winning you sometimes rely on flagging. Convert a material edge methodically—centralise king, trade pieces, create distant passer.
• Clock discipline. Your bullet wins are impressive, but rapid/blitz show time trouble in critical moments. Budget: opening ≤25 %, middlegame ≤50 %, finish with ≥25 % for endings/tactics.

Opening lab

Pick one line each for White and Black and deepen them for a month:

1. White vs …c5: Your 4.d4 against the O’Kelly is strong. Add an anti-…f6 sideline so you’re comfortable when Black deviates.
2. Black vs 1.Nf3/1.b3 systems: In losses to MikeKorovin and CineMakro you entered passive structures. Study an active reply (e.g. …d5 setups) and memorise key ideas, not moves.

Tactical trainer

Replay this sequence until you can visualise every move blindfold:

Note how every piece joins the attack and the sacrifice on d7 is possible because all of Black’s back-rank resources are tied down.

Endgame micro-workouts

• Practise the Lucena and Philidor rook endings (search them or use Lucena position).
• Play out 4-rook vs. 4-rook rapid endgames starting from equal pawn structures, aiming to win in under two minutes.

Next steps

• Play one 15 | 10 game each day this week, annotating it immediately.
• Add five puzzles rated 2400-2600 tactical theme “deflection” to your routine.
• In every game, write one prophylactic thought in your notes; review after the game.

Keep enjoying the game, Mariya—your creativity is your edge. Fine-tune the discipline around it and you’ll break your next rating ceiling soon.