Player Profile: ponekad
Meet ponekad, a formidable chess tactician who thrives in the fast-paced world of Bullet and Blitz chess. Known for their strategic depth and fighting spirit, ponekad has proven to be a relentless competitor on Chess.com, boasting peak ratings of 2196 in Bullet (December 2020) and a blistering 2274 in Blitz (July 2018).
Since rising through the ranks, they've played thousands of rapid-fire games, with a Bullet record surpassing 4,100 wins out of around 7,000 games. While the wins definitely stack up, losses and draws are no strangers to this player — but hey, even the best occasionally have to admire their opponent's wizardry.
If you glimpse their opening repertoire, it’s a masterclass in versatility and subtle aggression. They favor the Trompowsky Attack with a respectful win rate nearing 60% in Bullet games, and also wield variations like the Queens Pawn Opening Levitsky Attack and the King's Pawn Opening King's Knight Elephant Gambit with enviable success. A dash of the Old Benoni Defense spices up their defensive arsenal, keeping opponents guessing.
Strategy aside, ponekad’s style reveals a psychological warrior who embraces comebacks with an impressive 85.25% comeback rate and manages the pressure well, with a tilt factor of just 13 (because losing streaks are so last season). They know that the best moves can often come after losing a piece, with a solid 55% win rate in such tricky moments.
Fun fact: ponekad performs best when the day dawns bright and early, snagging most wins around 8 AM and showing remarkable tactical alertness at odd hours like 3 AM and 4 AM. So if you ever want to catch them napping (spoiler alert: good luck), maybe try a game at dawn!
Their longest winning streak is a cool 19 games, a testament to both focus and perhaps a little bit of chess magic. Conversely, they've survived a tough 13-game losing streak, which only fueled their drive to bounce back stronger.
In recent battles, ponekad has deftly outmaneuvered opponents using classic lines of the Trompowsky Attack — including an epic April 2021 victory sealed on the clock against "Rookh7." But, like any true competitor, they've also tasted defeat, learning and adapting with each loss (this time in a Queen’s Pawn Opening skirmish).
Whether playing Bullet or Blitz, with white or black, ponekad’s name is synonymous with resilience, sharp tactics, and a passion for chess that makes every game unpredictable and exciting. Play against them if you dare — just be prepared for a rollercoaster of cunning moves and timely sacrifices!
Hi ponekad!
Great run lately – your games show lively piece play and a fearless attitude. Below is a quick performance snapshot followed by concrete suggestions.
1. Quick snapshot
- Peak blitz rating: 2274 (2018-07-21).
- Typical session length: ~6–8 games, with clear energy drops in the last two ().
- Most-played openings: Trompowsky/Levitsky (Bg5 vs …Nf6), King’s Indian Saemisch as White; Slav / Benoni setups as Black.
2. What’s already working
- Active pieces from move 1. You rarely leave pieces undeveloped and you seize open files quickly (e.g. game vs Rookh7 where 21.Rfc1! kept the initiative).
- Tactical alertness. Multiple wins came from spotting tactics under time pressure, e.g. 27.Qxb4! in the second game of your match.
- Clock handling when ahead. You know when to simplify and let the increment finish the job. Many opponents flagged in roughly equal positions.
3. Main improvement targets
-
Endgame conversion
• Loss vs hasgs and others show unsure play in rook & pawn endings (e.g. 46…Ne3!! was missed)
• Action: 15 minutes/day of technical endings (Silman tablebases or Lichess trainer). Start with “rook + 2 pawns vs rook” and “rook activity vs passed pawn”. -
Pawn-structure discipline
• Frequent early f- and g-pawn pushes leave dark-square holes (see latest loss – 11…g5/35…f5).
• Action: After each pawn move ask, “Which square becomes weak and can it be occupied?” Annotate one of your own games per week only with pawn-move comments. -
Opening depth vs width
• Your Bg5 systems score well but opponents rated >2100 have started playing …f6/…h5 setups that you meet with routine plans.
• Action: Add one modern main-line (e.g. 3.Nf3/4.c4 Queen’s Gambit style) so you can switch when opponents prepare for Bg5.
• Black side: versus 1.d4 you juggle Slav, Benoni, Benoni-Modern. Specialise in one for a month to learn typical plans instead of “winging it”. -
Calculation depth
• Several tactics were half-calculated (34…f5? in the Benoni) – good ideas but one ply short.
• Action: 3 times per week solve 10 puzzles at a depth of two moves beyond the first winning shot. Use a board and record variations aloud to enforce clarity.
4. Opening drill example
Below is your most recent Trompowsky win with two critical moments marked – a perfect study file for the week:
5. Mini-glossary to revisit
- zwischenzug – an in-between move; practice spotting them in tactical puzzles.
- prophylaxis – thinking about your opponent’s ideas before executing yours.
6. Four-week training outline
| Week | Main focus | Side task |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rook endings (Lucena, Philidor) | Create a Benoni repertoire file |
| 2 | Dark-square strategy & pawn breaks | Solve 30 intermediate puzzles |
| 3 | Calculation speed (3-minute puzzle rush) | Play 10 blitz games with 15-move self-analysis |
| 4 | Switch-up openings in rated games | Review progress via |
7. Final thoughts
Your attacking flair is already at an 1800+ tactical level; polishing endgames and tightening pawn moves will push you firmly into the 2200 zone. Keep the games coming, stay curious, and enjoy the journey!
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Henrik Dalsgaard | 53W / 81L / 10D | |
| bata_bg | 53W / 31L / 32D | |
| eugenio2691 | 44W / 39L / 7D | |
| mkapho73 | 38W / 38L / 3D | |
| XPawnMasterX | 29W / 33L / 3D | |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2112 | |||
| 2020 | 2088 | 2164 | ||
| 2019 | 2000 | 2240 | ||
| 2018 | 1897 | 2223 | ||
| 2014 | 1988 | |||
| 2013 | 1971 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 346W / 168L / 42D | 293W / 199L / 63D | 83.7 |
| 2020 | 1041W / 466L / 167D | 996W / 550L / 153D | 82.2 |
| 2019 | 524W / 266L / 85D | 504W / 297L / 80D | 82.4 |
| 2018 | 522W / 358L / 95D | 483W / 412L / 84D | 83.0 |
| 2014 | 16W / 12L / 3D | 19W / 9L / 4D | 83.2 |
| 2013 | 61W / 16L / 13D | 48W / 30L / 13D | 83.3 |
Openings: Most Played
| Bullet Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack | 1032 | 613 | 325 | 94 | 59.4% |
| Elephant Gambit | 705 | 415 | 227 | 63 | 58.9% |
| Amazon Attack | 467 | 304 | 124 | 39 | 65.1% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 322 | 175 | 106 | 41 | 54.4% |
| Australian Defense | 218 | 149 | 49 | 20 | 68.3% |
| Benoni Defense: Old Benoni | 214 | 117 | 79 | 18 | 54.7% |
| Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit Accepted | 180 | 99 | 57 | 24 | 55.0% |
| Döry Defense | 174 | 98 | 60 | 16 | 56.3% |
| Sicilian Defense | 133 | 82 | 42 | 9 | 61.6% |
| Czech Defense | 132 | 83 | 39 | 10 | 62.9% |
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack | 218 | 116 | 80 | 22 | 53.2% |
| Elephant Gambit | 156 | 91 | 52 | 13 | 58.3% |
| Amazon Attack | 97 | 51 | 38 | 8 | 52.6% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 74 | 40 | 28 | 6 | 54.0% |
| Benoni Defense: Old Benoni | 65 | 33 | 26 | 6 | 50.8% |
| French Defense: Burn Variation | 39 | 29 | 7 | 3 | 74.4% |
| Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit Accepted | 33 | 20 | 9 | 4 | 60.6% |
| Döry Defense | 32 | 17 | 12 | 3 | 53.1% |
| Modern | 32 | 18 | 12 | 2 | 56.2% |
| Dutch Defense | 31 | 19 | 7 | 5 | 61.3% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 19 | 0 |
| Losing | 13 | 0 |