Calin Gheorghiu: FIDE Master and Online Chess Warrior
Calin Gheorghiu, known on Chess.com as CalinGheorghiu, is a FIDE Master with an online career as impressive as it is entertaining. From his first blitz games in 2016 to a peak blitz rating of 2757 (2023-05-21), he has grown into a relentless competitor who is equally comfortable grinding out an endgame or racing the clock in bullet.
Rating Journey
Calin started his blitz journey in March 2016 with a rating near 1480. He climbed steadily through the 2100s by 2017 and then broke through to the 2400s in 2020. His highest blitz rating came in May 2023, when he touched 2757. Since then, he has consistently played in the 2500 to 2600 range, proving that his success is no flash in the pan. The chart below shows his long term blitz progression:
Playing Style and Opening Repertoire
Calin is a fighter who enjoys a real game of chess. He has deep experience in the French Defense, the Caro-Kann Defense, and the Sicilian Defense. As White, he likes flexible and aggressive setups such as the Amar Gambit and the Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack. As Black, he often meets 1.e4 with the French or the Sicilian Najdorf.
His opening statistics are especially strong in rapid play, where he scores near 100 percent with the Nimzo-Larsen Attack and the Blackburne Shilling Gambit. He also has excellent results in the Scandinavian Defense and the Barnes Defense. For a visual summary of his opening strengths, check the chart below:
Rivalries and Notable Opponents
With thousands of blitz games under his belt, Calin has built some intense rivalries. His most frequent opponent is Alexandru-Bogdan Banzea, with 75 games and a narrow edge for alex_banzea. He also faced LordElChess 75 times and dominated with 70 wins. Another notable rival is thestephen, whom Calin defeated 29 times without a single loss.
- Alexandru-Bogdan Banzea: 75 games, 30 wins, 40 losses, 5 draws
- LordElChess: 75 games, 70 wins, 4 losses, 1 draw
- thestephen: 29 games, 29 wins
- SintMaartenCB: 48 games, 29 wins, 16 losses, 3 draws
Tactical and Psychological Edge
Calin is not just a grinder. His tactical awareness is elite. He has a comeback rate of 86.39 percent and wins 47.56 percent of games after losing a piece, which shows he never gives up. His longest winning streak is 23 games, and even a 13 game losing streak could not keep him down. He reaches the endgame in 76.93 percent of his games, making him a dangerous opponent when the board clears.
His time performance data shows his best hour to play is 06:00, and his most successful day is Monday. He is slightly stronger with the white pieces, with a 52.42 percent white win rate versus 46.82 percent with black.
Daily Chess and Preferred Time Control
Although Calin has played more than 5,000 blitz games, his preferred time control is Daily chess. His Daily record is impressive: 38 wins and only 5 losses, with a strength adjusted win rate of 69.23 percent. He has perfect 100 percent records in Daily games featuring the Barnes Defense, Alekhine Defense, Scandinavian Defense, and the Nimzo-Larsen Attack. His Daily rating peaked at 1622 in March 2025.
For players who want to study his approach, his Daily games are a masterclass in patience and preparation. He is the kind of player who will beat you in the endgame, then beat you again in bullet at 6 a.m.