Chess Player Profile: Helios TR (aka BishopZen)
Meet Helios TR, a tenacious and steadily improving chess enthusiast who has refused to let slow starts define his legacy. Starting with a modest blitz rating of 613 in early 2021, Helios has soared to a peak blitz rating of 953 by March that year and, as recently as May 2025, flaunts a blitz rating near 900, showing no signs of slowing down.
Style and Strengths
Known online as BishopZen, Helios has a flair for creative and aggressive openings, with a particular affection for the Bishop's Opening—boasting an impressive win rate of 87.5% there—and the Sicilian Defense Old Sicilian Variation, where he’s undefeated so far. His rapid games tell a story of a calculated tactician, peak rapid rating hitting 1283, and winning over 83% of his rapid "Top Secret" opening games.
Game Habits and Psychological Profile
With a tilt factor sitting comfortably low at 6, Helios is as cool as a cucumber during tense matches. He's a comeback artist, managing to snatch victory in nearly 80% of games where he's on the back foot after losing a piece. He rarely quits early (early resignation rate ~3.14%), preferring to slug it out deep into the endgame—over half of his matches reach these intense concluding phases.
Performance Highlights
- Blitz: 206 wins out of 374 games, showcasing consistent performance.
- Rapid: Stellar win-to-loss ratio with 19 wins to just 5 losses.
- Bullet: Still warming up, but learning fast with notable competitive efforts.
Interestingly, he's a night owl strategist, performing best between 9 PM and 11 PM with win rates over 60% at those hours. Saturdays through Wednesdays tend to be his winning sweet spot, where he maintains a win rate above 54% daily.
Recent Battles
Helios’s recent victories often end with a flourish—lastly outmaneuvering opponents like thallusphx and mr1878 in thrilling blitz and rapid games featuring precise attacks around the Indian Game and Bishop’s Opening. While losses happen (he’s only human, despite his username), they usually come after fierce bouts where he doesn’t shy from risking everything.
Fun Facts
- Average moves per win hover around 52, proving patience and persistence.
- When playing White, Helios wins nearly 60% of games, showing his love for the initiative.
- Helios has a cheeky habit of blitzing out opponents with a perfectly timed Bishop’s gambit, punishing those who underestimate him.
All in all, Helios TR aka BishopZen is a formidable player blending thoughtful strategy with bursts of tactical brilliance. Whether you're facing him late on a weeknight or sparring on the weekend, he's one opponent who brings the heat and a fair bit of zen to the chessboard.
