Nelson Castaneda - The FIDE Master with a Top Secret Arsenal
Known in the chess realm also by the enigmatic username andante, Nelson Castaneda is no ordinary player. They proudly bear the title of FIDE Master, a testament to their dedication and skill on the 64 squares.
Nelson's journey through the chess ratings is a tale of steady progress sprinkled with impressive peaks. From a humble Rapid rating of 1765 in 2013, they surged to a high of 2507 by 2020 — quite the leap for someone who probably still loses more pens than games. Their Blitz play is even more dazzling, climbing to a max rating of 2347 with over 4,500 games played using their top secret openings (which, as the name suggests, remain a mystery).
When it comes to Daily chess, Nelson demonstrates consistent prowess, often hovering around the 2100s, proving patience is more than just a virtue—it's a winning strategy. And don't blink when they switch to Bullet mode; with a peak rating over 2100, it's clear this speedster can blitz tactics and jokes alike.
Playing Style & Personality
Nelson's games average around 68 moves for wins and a longer contemplation averaging 75 moves in losses. Their endgame frequency hits an impressive 77.4%, showcasing a love for grinding down opponents to the bitter end.
Known for their tactical awareness, they boast a comeback rate near 84% and a perfect 100% win rate after losing a piece. Clearly, Nelson relishes turning the tables — probably while mumbling “you called it!” under their breath.
Champion of Streaks and Opponent Enigma
Nelson holds a jaw-dropping longest winning streak of 43 games with a current streak of 2, showing they can dominate like a grandmaster in a cafe.
Facing opponents like hersco, aquilesboy59, and still_the0ry, Nelson sports a mixed bag of outcomes but often turns out the victor, boasting perfect 100% win rates against some foes, while graciously letting others slip through the cracks—because even FIDE Masters have their “off days.”
Fun Facts
- Nelson's early resignation rate is a mere 0.26% — proving they're the kind of fighter who only folds when checkmated... or when the coffee runs out.
- Most effective playing hours are between 5 AM and 9 AM, suggesting mornings truly are the best time to school the chessboard.
- They maintain a calm tilt factor of 10 — high enough to get passionate, low enough to keep winning.
In the grand theater of chess, Nelson Castaneda is a mysterious but formidable actor, wielding "Top Secret" openings and an indomitable spirit. Whether in blitz, bullet, rapid, or daily matches, they keep opponents guessing — and often checkmated.
Hi Nelson, here’s some personalized feedback based on your recent games.
What you’re doing well
- Tactical alertness. Your wins against players such as hersco and aquilesboy59 show you can spot combinations like 27.Nf7# and resource-grabbing ideas (e.g. 19…Nxe4!).
- Pressure on open files. In several Ruy/Italian wins you doubled rooks quickly and kept them active, a key reason you convert middlegame advantages into full points.
- End-game resilience. The conversion versus still_the0ry demonstrates solid technique with rook + pawn end-games—good practical skill.
- Rating trend. Your 2507 (2020-03-20) shows steady upward movement—evidence that study is paying off.
Key areas to focus on next
-
Choice of lines in the Two-Knights/Italian as Black.
In the loss to shritans you played …Ng4 and later …Nh6/…f4, giving White tempi and dark-square control. Consider:- Learning the main line 8…d5! 9.exd5 Na5 10.Bb5+ c6.
- If you prefer solid play, study the modern Polerio-Hungarian set-up with …Be7 instead of …Ng4.
-
French Tarrasch structures.
Two French games slipped away after early …c5 followed by exchanges that left weak dark squares (example: vs VladaSviridova). Work on:- Typical pawn breaks …f6 and …c5 timing.
- Keeping the bad bishop active by delaying …Be7 until the center is clarified.
-
Anti-Slav middlegame tactics.
Against 1.d4 you reach reasonable positions but tactics on f5/f6 or the c-file hurt you (loss to Pantata007). Spend a session on pattern recognition: minority attack ideas, e3 sacrifices, and typical e4-e5 break motifs. -
Clock management in blitz.
Three losses were on time with playable positions. Simple habits help:- Use increments to “buy back” 10–15 seconds after every tactical sequence.
- Adopt a move/second benchmark (e.g. never below 15 s before move 20).
Suggested study plan (4-week cycle)
| Week | Focus | Tasks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italian as Black | Build a forced-line flashcard deck; play 10 training games using only prepared lines. |
| 2 | French Tarrasch | Review 15 GM games; annotate your two recent losses looking for pawn-break moments. |
| 3 | Slav middlegame tactics | 100 tactics featuring …c5, minority attack, Bxh7+/e4 breaks. |
| 4 | End-games & time-management | Daily 10-min rook-pawn drills; play 20 blitz games with the goal “finish with 30 s on clock”. |
Progress dashboard
Use these to track improvement:
Motivation
“Small, targeted improvements compound quickly. Sharpen one opening and one end-game per month, and you’ll outgrow your current rating bracket before you notice.”
Keep up the good work, Nelson, and enjoy the journey!
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| dres1 | 222W / 156L / 44D | View Games |
| tigal | 59W / 20L / 2D | View Games |
| thegreatsettembrini | 19W / 32L / 0D | View Games |
| Henrik Dalsgaard | 22W / 17L / 0D | View Games |
| thisoneisnottaken | 29W / 6L / 3D | View Games |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2014 | 1928 | ||
| 2020 | 2027 | 1922 | 2137 | |
| 2019 | 2302 | 2120 | ||
| 2018 | 2271 | 2146 | ||
| 2017 | 2057 | 2220 | 2095 | |
| 2016 | 2057 | 2135 | 2122 | |
| 2015 | 2057 | 2119 | 2141 | |
| 2014 | 2149 | 1978 | 2107 | |
| 2013 | 2049 | 1994 | 1765 | 2091 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 58W / 10L / 2D | 64W / 11L / 1D | 62.9 |
| 2020 | 85W / 19L / 6D | 88W / 20L / 4D | 70.2 |
| 2019 | 23W / 8L / 2D | 20W / 13L / 3D | 72.7 |
| 2018 | 75W / 28L / 10D | 68W / 41L / 6D | 69.2 |
| 2017 | 679W / 538L / 47D | 697W / 522L / 69D | 73.2 |
| 2016 | 155W / 143L / 19D | 182W / 120L / 23D | 76.6 |
| 2015 | 174W / 154L / 22D | 167W / 165L / 20D | 73.0 |
| 2014 | 448W / 289L / 47D | 377W / 348L / 52D | 72.8 |
| 2013 | 588W / 291L / 39D | 568W / 298L / 58D | 71.5 |
Openings: Most Played
| Rapid Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackburne Shilling Gambit | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 75.0% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fegatello Attack, Leonhardt Variation | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Czech Defense | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Italian Game: Two Knights Defense | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Sicilian Defense | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.0% |
| Ruy Lopez: Brix Variation | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Italian Game: Classical Variation, Ghulam-Kassim Variation | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Defense | 151 | 99 | 50 | 2 | 65.6% |
| Czech Defense | 141 | 87 | 50 | 4 | 61.7% |
| London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation | 110 | 60 | 43 | 7 | 54.5% |
| Australian Defense | 96 | 55 | 35 | 6 | 57.3% |
| French Defense: Advance Variation | 90 | 53 | 32 | 5 | 58.9% |
| French Defense: Exchange Variation | 85 | 44 | 39 | 2 | 51.8% |
| Sicilian Defense | 84 | 51 | 32 | 1 | 60.7% |
| French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation | 84 | 38 | 41 | 5 | 45.2% |
| Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation | 82 | 39 | 40 | 3 | 47.6% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 80 | 43 | 34 | 3 | 53.8% |
| Daily Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation | 71 | 34 | 29 | 8 | 47.9% |
| Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack | 58 | 27 | 25 | 6 | 46.5% |
| French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation | 49 | 37 | 11 | 1 | 75.5% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 41 | 30 | 5 | 6 | 73.2% |
| Sicilian Defense: Closed | 38 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 50.0% |
| Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation | 32 | 22 | 7 | 3 | 68.8% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation | 28 | 19 | 6 | 3 | 67.9% |
| Gruenfeld: Exchange Variation | 26 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 61.5% |
| King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 25 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 44.0% |
| King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Aronin-Taimanov Defense | 25 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 44.0% |
| Bullet Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Defense | 65 | 37 | 26 | 2 | 56.9% |
| French Defense | 57 | 29 | 26 | 2 | 50.9% |
| Modern | 49 | 31 | 17 | 1 | 63.3% |
| Amar Gambit | 44 | 26 | 18 | 0 | 59.1% |
| Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation | 41 | 26 | 15 | 0 | 63.4% |
| London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation | 41 | 22 | 18 | 1 | 53.7% |
| Czech Defense | 37 | 19 | 16 | 2 | 51.4% |
| French Defense: Exchange Variation | 34 | 19 | 14 | 1 | 55.9% |
| QGD: 3.Nc3 Bb4 | 28 | 13 | 15 | 0 | 46.4% |
| Modern Defense | 27 | 14 | 12 | 1 | 51.9% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 43 | 2 |
| Losing | 10 | 0 |