Roel Hamblok: FIDE Master and Bullet Chess Specialist
Who Is Roel Hamblok?
Roel Hamblok is a FIDE Master who competes online under the fittingly fiery username AsterPhoenix. While he has experience across faster formats, bullet is clearly his true habitat. He has played over 2,100 rated bullet games online, with more than 1,000 wins, and has pushed his bullet rating to an impressive peak of 2684 (2026-02-18). His blitz game is just as dangerous, with a peak of 2707 (2023-08-27).
Style and Signature Openings
AsterPhoenix is no one-trick pony. He is comfortable in sharp, offbeat lines and loves to drag opponents into deep, complicated endgames. His endgame frequency of 82.83 percent suggests he is rarely in a hurry to go home, and his average winning games stretch past 78 moves. He is also a nightmare to put away: even after losing a piece, his win rate remains a stubborn 46.71 percent.
In bullet, he has racked up hundreds of games in the Barnes Defense and has a strong record with the Nimzo-Larsen Attack. In blitz, he has shown real skill in the Ruy Lopez, while also taking on tricky positions from the French Defense and the Sicilian Defense. The chart below shows how his results break down by opening.
Rivalries and Resilience
Over the years, AsterPhoenix has built a number of recurring rivalries. He and carlson_85 have faced off ten times, with Roel owning a strong 8-2 record. He has also traded wins with Slave Trajkoski, holding a 7-2-1 edge in their ten-game series, and VibeSmasher has pushed him hard with a 5-4-1 record across ten meetings.
His resilience is also visible in his streaks. His longest winning streak is 11 games, but even his longest losing streak of 10 did not define him. With a comeback rate of 81.78 percent, AsterPhoenix simply refuses to stay down. He even seems to channel his inner night owl: his best time of day to play is 5 a.m., which is a warning to early morning opponents everywhere.
Milestones and Legacy
AsterPhoenix has grown from a modest starting rating in 2013 to becoming a regular presence in elite online speed chess. His bullet rating has climbed past 2,600, and his blitz rating has touched the 2,700 mark. This long climb can be seen in his bullet rating progression below.
Roel Hamblok may be the calm name behind the flaming screen name, but his play is anything but calm. Whether he is grinding out a 90-move endgame or launching a sharp opening surprise, AsterPhoenix plays with the confidence of a titled player who knows that the clock is just another piece on the board.