Vadym Petrovskyi IM

Hi Vadym!

You’re playing at an elite level (current peak: 2836 (2021-05-05)), so the remarks below focus on the few areas that still give away half-points in Titled Tuesday. I’m using your most recent win (vs FairChess_on_YouTube) and loss (vs Duhless) as reference points, but the patterns show up in other games as well.

1. Clock Management ⏱️

• Four of the last six losses were on time. In each game you still had between +2 and +5 in the engine score when your flag fell.
• Consider a “red-zone” policy: at 30 s you switch to increment mode—move, hit clock, move, hit clock—avoiding long think spirals.
• Adopt a simple two-premove rule in clearly won positions (e.g. forced queen trades or pawn pushes). It’s low-risk at your tactical level and often saves 10–15 s.
• Practise ½-minute bullet streaks to sharpen the “play only forcing moves” reflex.

2. Opening Choices

a) As Black

• You score excellently with the Najdorf/…e5 Closed setups, yet occasionally drift into passive Scheveningen structures where …d6–…e6–…Qc7 feels cramped. Stick to the more dynamic …e5 lines that suit your tactical style.
• After 8.Ng3 in the Closed Sicilian (see your win vs FairChess_on_YouTube), …Nd4! was model play. Keep the bishop on g7 ready to land on h6; it converts kingside space into concrete threats.

b) As White

• The Scotch Gambit is yielding 56 % win rate but also 80 % of your recent losses. Opponents above 2700 know the defensive roadmap (…d5, …Be7/b4, …0-0). Mixing in 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 and Open Sicilian sidelines could reduce prep targets.
• Against 1…e5 you repeatedly allow …Nc5 hits on your e4–pawn (see loss vs Duhless). Two fixes:
  • Insert c3  d5 Bb5 ideas earlier, or
  • play 5.d4 exd4 6.0-0 when the immediate pawn sacrifice gives rapid development and avoids the long manoeuvres that cost you time.

3. Converting Advantages

• Material vs Mate: In the win over FairChess_on_YouTube you spent 40 s chasing the f-pawn instead of forcing mate with 31…Qe1+ followed by …Rd1. Train “checklist conversion”—look for (a) mate, (b) promotion, (c) material in that order.
• Endgame Habit: Even with queens on, start visualising the pawn ending. In several games you had an extra pawn yet left your king on the back rank. Walk it to the centre once the position simplifies; it saves you tempo later when every second matters.

4. Tactical Accuracy

Your calculation is superb, but two motifs deserve a quick refresher:

• Back-rank resources. In the loss to UmutErdemGunduz you missed 20…Qg4+ winning instantly after 19.Qd2. A 3-second scan for back-rank mates each move will net a few cheap points.
• Deflecting defenders. In multiple Najdorf games you had …Bxc3+ ideas deflecting the knight from d5 but did not pull the trigger. Remind yourself of the pattern: …Bxc3 bxc3 …d5.

5. Suggested Micro-Training Menu

1. 3 × 5-minute sessions of “flag-save” bullet (30 s + 1 s, start half-piece up positions).
2. Review 20 puzzles on deflections/back-rank each week.
3. Play one training game per day in the Scotch Gambit where you must castle before touching the f-pawn—build the habit of quick king safety.

6. Progress Tracking

Keep an eye on when the losses happen and whether they’re time-related:

Final Thought

You’re competing with 2800-level peers where every tempo and second counts. Tighten the time-management screws and sprinkle in an extra opening line or two, and you’ll convert those +2 positions into a few more match-winning points each Tuesday. Good luck in your next event—looking forward to seeing you in the podium screenshots!