About Etienne Bacrot
Etienne Bacrot is a French chess Grandmaster known for his impressive skills and competitive spirit, especially in blitz chess. Born with a knack for the game, Bacrot climbed the ranks swiftly and has maintained a formidable presence in the chess world ever since.
Playing Style & Tactics
Primarily a blitz enthusiast, Etienne combines sharp tactics and resilience. He has a notable comeback rate of over 85% and a strong ability to win even after losing a piece. His games often stretch into long endgames (played in 82% of his matches), showing his stamina and deep understanding.
- Early Resignation Rate: 0.74% - patience is key!
- Average moves per win: 76.4; per loss: 84.2
- White pieces Win Rate: 61.15%, Black: 57.29%
Notable Openings
Etienne’s opening repertoire includes some classics and tricky lines, with rather impressive results in blitz:
- Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with e6 - ~70% win rate
- Caro-Kann Defense (2.Nf3) - over 70% success rate
- Reti: King's Indian Attack - nearly 66% wins
- Queen's Pawn Game - solid overall
- Semi-Slav Defense - about 66% wins in rapid games
Performance Highlights
Etienne boasts peak ratings that reflect his prowess across different time controls:
- Blitz peak rating: 3026 (May 2025) - Yes, he perched above the 3000 mark!
- Bullet peak rating: 2846 (Nov 2022)
- Rapid peak rating: 2807 (June 2020)
His longest winning streak on record includes an impressive 23 consecutive victories, while his grit is shown by a tough recovery after a losing streak of 17 games.
Playing Preferences & Trends
Etienne performs best when playing blitz, with a slight edge over rapid and bullet in strength-adjusted win rate. His psychological edge is noticeable during the early evening hours, especially around 3 AM - perhaps the best time to challenge him (or avoid him if you want your king safe!).
- Best days to find his winning form: Tuesdays and Saturdays
- Sharpest in the evening: 6 PM to 9 PM hours
- Iron will with a tilt factor of 17 - even grandmasters have their off moments!
Head-to-Head & Notable Opponents
Etienne has faced many strong opponents and boasts high win rates against a plethora of players, including some nicknames that you might recognize:
- He has a respectful but challenging record against Hikaru with a tough battle: 1 win and 13 losses
- Impressive victories against up-and-comers and seasoned players alike
- He’s battled titans and still manages to showcase tremendous resilience and skill
Fun Fact
With an average decisive game length hovering around the mid 70s moves, Bacrot is not one to rush; he enjoys a good fight on the board. His opponents must be prepared for long duels—both mentally and tactically.