Broderick Bauml: The National Master with a Blitzing Spirit
Broderick Bauml, proudly sporting the prestigious title of National Master, is a chess force to be reckoned with, especially when the clock is ticking. Starting from modest beginnings with blitz ratings around 1500 in 2019, Broderick has blitzed their way up the ranks, smashing the 2500+ mark in 2025 — a rating that would make many seasoned players double-take!
Known for a predilection towards the Top Secret opening in blitz (a mysterious choice that has seen them battle through 750 games!), Broderick combines strategic depth with tactical fireworks. Their favorite weapon on the board? Turns out, they enjoy the Sicilian Defense lines, especially the Closed Sicilian Defense Traditional Line and the Pirc Defense, where they maintain win rates north of 60%. Rumor has it this player is not just about clever openings but also prefers to drag their endgames, with an impressive 75.6% frequency in endgame battles—no quick resignations here!
Broderick’s games reflect a comeback artist’s heart — boasting a staggering 87.2% success rate in comeback situations, and a knack for winning even after losing material. While their tilt factor is modest (a humble 9 out of 100), the player’s peak performances often come when others might be winding down, such as that magical 3 AM hour where they boast a perfect 100% win rate (seriously, who plays chess at 3 AM and wins consistently? Broderick does).
Despite a career peppered with losses (sometimes nine in a row), Broderick fights back with similar ferocity, matching that with an equally long winning streak in the double digits. Their overall blitz record reads like a thrilling rollercoaster: hundreds of wins mixed with hard-fought losses and a sprinkle of draws. Bullet chess hasn't quite captured their heart, but rapid games reveal quality too, with a peak rapid rating just over 2070.
Chess enthusiasts can often find Broderick testing the waters against familiar foes like ultracream and caio_buys, as well as a long list of players they’ve either dominated or respectfully battled. Some opponents have been utterly crushed (looking at you, fufitachess30 and beztdonut—100% win rate here), while others have proved to be tricky adversaries, adding spice to Broderick's competitive journey.
Notable Recent Battles
- Recent Win: A sharp victory against owl_towel in a Sicilian Najdorf variation, wrapping the game up by resignation before move 19. Tactical play and precision were on full display here!
- Recent Loss: A tough game against owl_towel also, ending in resignation after a complex middlegame tussle. Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn!
When not battling on the digital chessboards, one can only imagine Broderick sharpening the mind with puzzles, preparing opening novelties, or humorously blaming the lag monster for any unfortunate blitz blunders.
In all, Broderick Bauml stands as a shining example of perseverance, skill, and that unique spark that makes chess endlessly fascinating—proof that behind every rating point is a story of battles fought, strategies refined, and of course, the occasional lucky queen sacrifice.
Constructive feedback for Broderick Bauml
1. What you are already doing well
- Confident initiative-grabbing. Your wins against Michal Provaznik and pillsbury95 show a knack for seizing space on the a- and h- files and changing the pawn structure to your favour.
- Tactical alertness. Sequences such as 14…Nxe4 15.Nxg7+ Kf8!! (vs owl_towel) and the Ne7+/Nd5 fork combination against cmunda demonstrate steady calculation skills.
- Time-scramble poise. Several wins arrive with your opponent flagging while you still keep 15–30 s; your mouse-speed and pre-move discipline are assets.
2. Recurring problems that cost points
- Light-square sensitivity in the Accelerated Dragon. In the loss to Arman Geivondian the chain …g6, …Bg7, …d6 left the complex on d5-e4-f3 unprotected. After 18.Bh6! you had no comfortable answer to the pressure on light-squares. • Quick fix: After 10.Qd3 play 10…Be6 or 10…Qa5 to discourage Rac1/Rfd1. • Long-term: Add the “a6/b5” or “…e6 & …Qe7” set-ups to vary the structure and reduce static weaknesses.
- Over-extended flank pawns when facing slow systems. Against OneDebutPlayer (Mieses) the early …h5/…c5/…b5 left the king stuck in the centre and the queenside full of holes. Before launching both wing pawns, ask “what happens if the centre opens right now?” A single preparatory move such as …Be7 or …Nc6 would have kept the position flexible.
- Endgame technique & conversion speed. The 86-move grind vs owl_towel shows good persistence yet also hints at missed faster wins (e.g. 38…Kg8! 39.Kg8?? forced mate in 15 was available earlier). • Drill rook-and-pawn endgames for 10 minutes each session – Lichess “R-P vs R” tablebase trainer is ideal.
3. Opening tune-ups (next 2 weeks)
| Colour | Current main line | Suggested micro-goal |
|---|---|---|
| White | Closed Sicilian 3.Bb5/3.Bd3 | Add the 3.Bb5+ Nc6 4.0-0 sideline vs 2…Nc6 to keep opponents guessing. |
| Black | Accelerated Dragon | Learn the anti-Maroczy “…a5 & …a4” plan (see Caruana-Carlsen, 2015). |
| Black | French-type setups (…e6/…d6) | Study one complete game with …c5 held back until the centre is clarified. |
4. Middlegame focus points
- Prophylaxis drills. Spend 15 minutes/day with exercises where the task is “find opponent’s threat & stop it”. This will cut down losses to Bh6/Qh6 motifs.
- Exchange evaluation. In several games you played …Bxc3 or …Nxe4 reflexively. Before trading, do a blunder check on the squares you leave behind (c5/e5/g6). A 5-second habit here will save rating points.
5. Practical & psychological tips
- Use your mouse-speed advantage to gain time, not to spend it. Cash in the extra seconds to verify candidate moves instead of posting instant replies.
- Insert a short mental checklist when facing a rating-favourite (>+300 elo). In the amelia91 game you played accurately for 10 moves, then rushed with …a6/…b5. Slowing down for one move often breaks the opponent’s prepared line.
6. Measure your progress
• Your current peak blitz rating: 2517 (2025-05-27)
• Watch how the following charts evolve after you implement the plan:
7. Study references
- “Chess Structures – A Grandmaster Guide”, Chapters 6 & 7 (Maroczy & Hedgehog).
- Any 5 random rook-endgames from Capablanca annotated – aim to summarise each in one key sentence.
Keep playing dynamically, but add a dash of prophylaxis and endgame polish – that recipe should push you decisively past the next rating plateau. Good luck!
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Recent Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Volen Dyulgerov | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| ahnaz84 | 2W / 0L / 0D | |
| arlan_mirzhanov | 0W / 0L / 1D | |
| Gianmarco Leiva | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| Nenad Purić | 0W / 2L / 0D | |
| qwerty_cool_123 | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| mik0_ch4n | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| yamz79 | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| konsky-handlir | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| gvolynskiy | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Caio Victor Brandts Buys | 1W / 2L / 2D | |
| ultracream | 1W / 3L / 1D | |
| zpen | 2W / 3L / 0D | |
| arcl1ght | 2W / 2L / 0D | |
| mnyuyu | 1W / 3L / 0D | |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2394 | 2071 | ||
| 2024 | 2452 | |||
| 2023 | 1656 | |||
| 2020 | 1485 | |||
| 2019 | 1570 | 1525 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 49W / 56L / 9D | 41W / 66L / 12D | 75.8 |
| 2024 | 149W / 162L / 21D | 140W / 175L / 22D | 80.1 |
| 2023 | 1W / 0L / 0D | 0W / 0L / 0D | 37.0 |
| 2020 | 0W / 0L / 0D | 0W / 1L / 0D | 31.0 |
| 2019 | 8W / 6L / 1D | 8W / 10L / 0D | 62.8 |
Openings: Most Played
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Closed | 76 | 36 | 38 | 2 | 47.4% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 34 | 15 | 17 | 2 | 44.1% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation | 32 | 10 | 16 | 6 | 31.2% |
| Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack | 31 | 12 | 14 | 5 | 38.7% |
| Scotch Game | 30 | 12 | 15 | 3 | 40.0% |
| Amazon Attack | 30 | 14 | 11 | 5 | 46.7% |
| Benko Gambit | 23 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 73.9% |
| Amar Gambit | 23 | 8 | 14 | 1 | 34.8% |
| Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation | 22 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 36.4% |
| Sicilian Defense | 21 | 7 | 11 | 3 | 33.3% |
| Rapid Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Bullet Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Indian Defense | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Barnes Defense | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| English Opening: Anglo-Grünfeld Defense | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Blackburne Shilling Gambit | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 9 | 0 |
| Losing | 9 | 0 |