Alexandru-Bogdan Banzea is a chess figure who wears multiple hats: a titled player and a popular streamer. He earned the International Master title from FIDE and has built a following by sharing his games and ideas online. On stream, he blends fast, practical blitz sessions with insightful commentary, delivering both entertainment and lessons for fans and fellow players alike.
Career & Style
Banzea is known for a dynamic blitz style and a playful, high-energy presence. His preferred time control is Blitz, and he has reached a peak blitz rating in the 2700s, with a notable peak of 2764 in August 2023. His blitz repertoire is wide and aggressive, featuring lines like the Amazon Attack and the Siberian Attack, while also respecting solid defenses such as the Caro-Kann and flexible London System setups. He treats every game as a learning moment, even when the timer is against him.
OpeningsPerformance for Blitz shows a diversified and ambitious approach, with frequent use of aggressive lines like the Amazon Attack and Siberian Attack, complemented by practical defenses when needed. This blend reflects a player who enjoys initiative and sharp positions even under time pressure.
Hi Alexandru-Bogdan, here’s some tailored feedback to help you climb to the next level!
What you’re already doing well
Consistent opening repertoire. As White you trust the Nimzowitsch-Larsen (1 b3) and as Black you steer toward French structures or ...g6 Benoni setups. Knowing where the pieces belong gives you early comfort on the clock.
Tactical alertness. Your recent wins show you’re not afraid to calculate long forcing lines (e.g. 24…Rxf2!! in the win vs DirtyKabab). This keeps practical pressure on opponents around 2700 blitz.
Good feel for dynamic pawn breaks. Pushes such as c4–c5, f3-f4 or a5–a4 appear at the right moments and often create winning chances.
Key areas to improve
Time management & conversion.
Eight of your last ten losses were on time, several from equal or better positions (see the diagram below).
You enter severe zeitnot after move 20 far too often. Quick win: set a “no think” rule for obvious recaptures and book moves; aim to keep ≥60 % of the initial clock at move 15.
Simplifying when ahead.
With material advantage you sometimes chase more pawns instead of trading queens.
In the loss to DeyanKostov you were up a pawn and activity, but queens stayed, tactics appeared and the clock ticked down.
Work on the mindset: “Convert, don’t embellish.”
Handling the French …Qb6 lines.
Multiple defeats as Black feature the early queen sortie (…Qb6, …Qxd4, …Qb6) dropping pawns or falling behind in development.
Recommendation: switch to the solid …cxd4 …Nc6 plan, or study how players like MVL balance the queen excursions.
End-game technique vs opposite-coloured bishops.
Games against zurital and Casablanca show difficulty in converting pawn majorities or holding theoretically drawn endings.
A weekly dose of 10-15 composed end-game exercises will sharpen this.
Illustrative moment
The position below (from your loss vs DeyanKostov) was objectively equal, yet you were down to 8 seconds.
Instead of the forcing 24…Rc8! followed by a queen trade, the slower 24…Nd7 let White’s pieces regroup and you flagged.
Action plan for the next 30 days
Focus
How
Goal
Clock discipline
Play 10 games at 5|0 forcing yourself to have ≥1 min on move 20. Abort if you fail & start again.
Cut average time loss resignations by 50 %
French defence refresh
Watch one GM model game/day with …Qb6 declined lines; build a mini-file with safe queen retreats.
No early queen blunders for a week
End-game drills
Use Chess.com “Endgame” trainer or set up 20 opposite-colour bishop studies.
Score 80 % within 3 minutes each puzzle
Practical trading
During analysis ask: “If queens come off, is the position easier?” Make this question a habit.
At least 3 deliberate queen trades in winning positions next session
Stats & Trends
Peak blitz rating: 2764 (2023-08-07)
Your activity graphs:
Final encouragement
Your tactical eye and fearless style already put you in the 2700 blitz conversation.
Solve the clock issue and tighten the conversion screws, and 2800 will come sooner than you think.
Good luck, keep the games coming, and feel free to ping me after your next milestone!
