Anna-Maja Kazarian — Dutch WIM, Blitz specialist, and streamer
Anna-Maja Kazarian is a Dutch Woman International Master (WIM) and high-energy chess streamer known for razor-sharp instincts in Blitz and a sense of humor that can turn a tense time-scramble into a highlight reel. When she isn’t entertaining viewers as a chessfluencer, she’s busy squeezing points in classical French structures, teasing out practical chances, and occasionally sending Harry (the h-pawn) down the board like it’s a sprint final.
Title: Woman International Master (FIDE). Preferred time control: Blitz. Streamer: yes, and proudly “on brand” for fun, instructive, and occasionally cheeky swindles.
Peak power-ups: 2562 (2022-09-25) and 2707 (2025-10-01) — proof that her speed-chess ceiling is as real as it gets.
Playing style and opening fingerprint
Kazarian’s repertoire is a crowd-pleaser: tons of French Defense (yes, including the Exchange, Advance, and Burn flavors), reliable Caro-Kann Defense structures, and a healthy appetite for dynamic positions that reward precise calculation and quick hands. She’s comfortable steering into endgames, but never shies away from a timely tactic, especially when opponents forget that LPDO — Loose pieces drop off.
- Repertoire vibe: sound, solid… then suddenly tactical. Classic “practical chances” approach.
- Signature themes: outposts, rock-solid pawn chains, and the occasional brash rook lift when the initiative calls.
- Streamer flair: a tasteful dose of Botez Gambit jokes (strictly for the memes).
Career highlights and fun facts
- Speed-chess specialist: Blitz is her home turf, with Bullet mode available when coffee and confidence are both at peak.
- Streak stories: once rattled off a 29-game heater; also survived a 20-game ice bath. Resilience level: endgame fortress.
- Time wizardry: best results tend to appear around sunrise — a true clock ninja at 05:00.
- Rivalries and friendlies: frequent clashes with creators and titled peers, including alexandrabotez.
Blitz journey snapshot:
Memorable encounters and streamer lore
If you watch her streams, you know the pattern: opening principles, a clean middlegame, and then the camera cuts to a grin as a tactical resource lands — a fork, a pin, a deflection — take your pick. She’s played content-creator derbies against alexandrabotez and squared off with a long list of regulars, turning “flag-fall” into an art form and “mouse slip” into a cautionary tale.
- Style tagline: active pieces, king safety first, then flip the switch and attack.
- Stream buzzwords: “initiative,” “Swindle potential,” and “don’t leave that knight en prise.”
- Community vibe: educational, interactive, and allergic to the dreaded “patzer sees a check, patzer gives a check.”
Try a tiny tactic
A classic coffeehouse bite — catch an overeager knight and deliver the quick finish. Warning: do not try this every game against booked-up opponents!
What to expect when you face annamaja
- Openings: expect a sturdy French or Caro-Kann shell, then a timely pawn break and piece activity.
- Middlegame: pressure on weak squares, centralization, and a nose for tactical shots.
- Endgame: calm technique — the kind that turns “should be equal” into “technical win.”
- Clock strategy: crisp time management with bonus points for clean Flagging in mutual Zeitnot.
Verdict: a balanced attacker with excellent practical sense — a modern blend of structure and speed that plays great on stream and over the board alike.
Keywords for fans and searchers
Anna-Maja Kazarian biography, Dutch WIM, chess streamer, blitz specialist, French Defense expert, Caro-Kann player, speed chess, bullet chess, practical chances, endgame technique, creator battles, community teaching, brilliancy moments.
Hi Anna-Maja!
Great run of games today – your tactical vision is shining through. Below is some targeted feedback drawn from your last session.
What is working well
- Sharp tactical awareness. Your wins against architect_haydar and NomadKnights show you spotting mating nets in < 25 seconds. Example:
- Opening variety. You’re comfortable switching between the Italian, French Wing Gambit and Queen’s Gambits, forcing opponents out of prep.
- Practical decision-making. When short of time you simplify accurately (e.g., …Qxf2+ against hristos03) rather than chasing perfect moves.
Recurring issues to address
- Time management – the single biggest leak
• Four of the last seven losses were on the clock.
• You averaged ≤ 1 sec/move in the critical final phase of every lost game.
Action: Train with 1 | 1 or 2 | 1 so every move gives you the +1 s “oxygen”. Spend the increment on calm blunder-checks.
(See your dip on the late-night segment of .) - King safety in gambit structures
• In the loss vs the Scandinavian (…f5 …Ne3 fork) your own king never left c2 files.
• In several French Wing Gambits you pushh-pawns before castling and get counter-attacked.
Action: Add one “reminder” to your pre-move list: “Have I secured my king?” Consider short-side castling sooner or playing 0-0-0 more cautiously. - Handling counter-sacrifices
• Opponents broke open the centre with …e5 or …d4 while your pieces were on the rim. Study model games on central strikes vs flank attacks.
• Include drills on the motif Zwischenzug to refine calculation when opponents throw intermezzos.
Opening micro-tune-ups
| Line | Suggestion |
|---|---|
| French Wing Gambit | Insert 7. a4 before g4 to restrain …b5. |
| Italian (Black) | After 5…d6 consider the modern plan …h6, …Ba7, …Be6 only after White commits c3. |
| Scandinavian (White) | Versus …Qd8 pick the calmer 8. Be2/O-O instead of early h3-g4. |
Structured training plan (2 weeks)
- Bullet with increment: 20 games/day at 1 | 1 → goal: < 5 % time losses.
- Tactics: 50 puzzles focusing on defensive themes (pin-breakers, perpetuals).
- Model game study: one classical QGD and one Italian each evening – annotate why central breaks work.
- Endgame refresh: 10 rook-and-pawn endings (side-checks & bridge building) to convert advantages calmly.
Motivation corner
You’re already performing at 2680 (2025-06-20) strength; ironing out clock control alone could add 50-80 rating points. Keep the attacking flair – just back it with a few extra seconds and a safer king and you’ll be lethal!
See you climbing again soon – good luck!
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Recent Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| coachhappychess | 1W / 0L / 0D | View |
| meandmybirdie | 0W / 1L / 0D | View |
| broskistrovski | 1W / 0L / 0D | View |
| nickkz | 1W / 0L / 0D | View |
| white31 | 1W / 0L / 0D | View |
| askandiwillblunder | 2W / 2L / 0D | View |
| roadtoimaster | 1W / 0L / 0D | View |
| speedy_unicorn | 1W / 0L / 0D | View |
| Vahan Nalbandyan | 2W / 5L / 1D | View |
| Kayden Troff | 1W / 2L / 0D | View |
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Alessia Santeramo | 68W / 49L / 7D | View Games |
| SomeFMkid007 | 50W / 24L / 7D | View Games |
| Anastasios Koukas | 22W / 27L / 7D | View Games |
| Alexandra Botez | 27W / 22L / 1D | View Games |
| Mika | 40W / 9L / 1D | View Games |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2600 | 2466 | 915 | |
| 2024 | 2615 | 2426 | 2169 | |
| 2023 | 2525 | 2501 | 2186 | 2186 |
| 2022 | 2447 | 2331 | 2031 | |
| 2021 | 2444 | 2317 | 2025 | |
| 2020 | 2418 | 2291 | 1989 | |
| 2019 | 2105 | 2102 | ||
| 2018 | 1897 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 453W / 360L / 47D | 414W / 407L / 37D | 81.9 |
| 2024 | 222W / 165L / 22D | 243W / 160L / 16D | 82.0 |
| 2023 | 704W / 380L / 50D | 623W / 450L / 46D | 79.4 |
| 2022 | 586W / 480L / 55D | 576W / 477L / 58D | 82.6 |
| 2021 | 530W / 376L / 72D | 516W / 416L / 37D | 78.5 |
| 2020 | 915W / 652L / 79D | 881W / 690L / 80D | 80.5 |
| 2019 | 50W / 31L / 4D | 50W / 29L / 6D | 75.3 |
| 2018 | 0W / 1L / 0D | 0W / 1L / 0D | 0.5 |
Openings: Most Played
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Defense: Exchange Variation | 554 | 322 | 201 | 31 | 58.1% |
| French Defense: Burn Variation | 437 | 231 | 191 | 15 | 52.9% |
| French Defense | 287 | 158 | 117 | 12 | 55.0% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 260 | 143 | 106 | 11 | 55.0% |
| French Defense: Advance Variation | 231 | 131 | 95 | 5 | 56.7% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 187 | 92 | 84 | 11 | 49.2% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation | 165 | 95 | 61 | 9 | 57.6% |
| London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation | 162 | 102 | 51 | 9 | 63.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Sherzer Variation | 143 | 73 | 60 | 10 | 51.0% |
| Blackburne Shilling Gambit | 138 | 95 | 34 | 9 | 68.8% |
| Bullet Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Defense: Exchange Variation | 359 | 203 | 129 | 27 | 56.5% |
| French Defense | 234 | 134 | 94 | 6 | 57.3% |
| French Defense: Burn Variation | 206 | 99 | 100 | 7 | 48.1% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 174 | 104 | 59 | 11 | 59.8% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 159 | 89 | 60 | 10 | 56.0% |
| Modern | 139 | 66 | 61 | 12 | 47.5% |
| Amar Gambit | 125 | 73 | 45 | 7 | 58.4% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation | 90 | 53 | 34 | 3 | 58.9% |
| Amazon Attack | 90 | 40 | 46 | 4 | 44.4% |
| London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation | 89 | 39 | 40 | 10 | 43.8% |
| Rapid Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Defense: Exchange Variation | 28 | 22 | 5 | 1 | 78.6% |
| French Defense: Advance Variation | 18 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 83.3% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 13 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 69.2% |
| French Defense: Burn Variation | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 66.7% |
| London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 45.5% |
| French Defense | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 60.0% |
| Blackburne Shilling Gambit | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 88.9% |
| Amar Gambit | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 85.7% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 66.7% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 50.0% |
| Daily Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Alekhine Defense | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 29 | 1 |
| Losing | 20 | 0 |