Jan Sodoma IM

Personalised Feedback for Jan “sodikus” Sodoma

Current peak rapid rating:  •  Keep aiming for the next milestone!

What You Are Already Doing Well

• Dynamic piece play. In several recent wins you voluntarily seized space and kept your pieces on active squares (e.g. 14.Ne5! and the rook lifts Rh3–g3–f3 in your win against zdenekdavidek). This makes life hard for your opponents right out of the opening.
• Tactical alertness. Your victory versus hnutt featured the nice …b4  …a3  …bxa2⁺ tactic that culminated in a quick mate. You spot combinations quickly and rarely miss straightforward forks, pins, and skewers.
• Opening variety. With White you alternate between flexible Nf3-d4 systems and direct 1.e4 lines, while with Black you handle both 1.e4 e5 and Sicilian structures. This versatility will pay off as you climb further.
• Pressure on the clock. Many opponents flagged or resigned in inferior positions. Consistent, steady moves force errors and time pressure—an underrated practical skill.

Main Improvement Targets

1. Time management in critical moments.
   Four of your five most recent losses were on time, sometimes from roughly equal or even favourable positions (e.g. the rapid loss to Cepamwa). Try:
   • Using a simple “30-second rule”: if you have >30 s on the clock, move when your candidate is safe rather than hunting for perfection.
   • Playing several 15 | 10 or longer games weekly to practise deeper calculation without severe time pressure.
2. End-game conversion.
   When the queens come off you sometimes struggle to convert extra pawns (see the 2021 game versus adziugan). Work on the “four rook + pawn” and basic rook-endgame techniques—especially the Lucena and Philidor positions (Lucena Position, Philidor Position).
3. Choosing principled lines against the Sicilian.
   In your last loss you employed the off-beat Bowdler Attack (2.Bc4). While creative, this gave Black easy equality and counter-play. Consider switching to one main-line you genuinely enjoy (e.g. the Alapin 2.c3 or Open Sicilian with 3.d4) and study the key pawn breaks so you play from a position of strength rather than surprise value.
4. Pawn-structure awareness.
   Repeated early h-pawn thrusts (11.h4 – 12.h5 vs zdenekdavidek) are powerful when timed correctly, but can also over-extend. Ask “What squares will be weak if this pawn moves?” before pushing flank pawns in the middlegame.

Illustrative Moment

From the recent defeat to Cepamwa you missed Black’s decisive rook infiltration. Replay the critical sequence and note how quickly the activity snowballed:

Action Plan for the Next 4 Weeks

1. Daily: 20–30 tactic puzzles focusing on intermediate moves and defensive resources.
2. 3× per week: Play a 15 | 10 game, save the PGN, and spend 15 minutes analysing without an engine, then 10 minutes with one.
3. Weekly: Study one thematic rook end-game video or chapter and recreate the position on a board.
4. Track progress: Use
   •
   to see if certain times of day correlate with blunders,
   •
   to spot fatigue patterns.

Final Thoughts

Your attacking instincts and tactical vision already place you above average in your rating bracket. By tightening your clock handling, solidifying an anti-Sicilian repertoire, and mastering a handful of fundamental end-games, you will be well-equipped to break through to the next rating tier. Keep the enthusiasm high, and good luck in your upcoming battles!