Roman Kozelov NM

Roman Kozelov - National Master Extraordinaire

Meet Roman Kozelov, a chess maestro who proudly holds the title of National Master. Whether it’s blitz or bullet, rapid or daily games, Roman has navigated more chess battles than most atoms in the universe have danced. Starting from modest beginnings in 2012 with a blitz rating just above 1300, Roman has skyrocketed to a blazing peak blitz rating of 2589 in July 2024 — a level of sharpness that could slice through the toughest openings!

Roman is a fan of the mysterious and uncharted, with an opening repertoire cheekily labeled "Top Secret" — probably because Roman's moves leave opponents scratching their heads and Googling chess theory frantically. But don’t be fooled: the Sicilian Defense, French Defense, and Caro-Kann variations have also felt the sting of Roman’s onslaught, especially the Sicilian Defense Canal Main Line and various French Defense flavors, demonstrating a well-rounded versatility.

With a win rate flirting just under 47% in blitz chess over tens of thousands of games, Roman knows how to keep the tension alive, often trudging through long, grueling endgames — on average, a victory takes about 77 moves, proving that patience is truly a virtue. Speaking of comebacks, Roman has an impressive “come back from behind” rate of nearly 89%, which means don’t count this player out even when the tide seems absurdly against them.

When not dazzling opponents with cunning strategies, Roman also shows a surprisingly human side — an honest tilt factor of 13 means every once in a while the chessboard throws a tantrum, but hey, who doesn’t? Plus, Roman’s best time to play is around 1PM, perfect for a chess-fueled lunch break (extra points for style).

And let’s not forget the spirit of resilience: Roman’s longest winning streak hit a solid 16 games, and even the longest losing streak capped at 13, showing that this player rides the roller coaster of chess life with grit and gusto.

The most recent showdowns? Roman’s latest triumph came with a slick victory in June 2025 against Art10ECHR using the Sicilian Defense Nyezhmetdinov Rossolimo Fianchetto Variation, showcasing tactical wizardry and supreme time management. Sometimes losses happen (after all, even legends stumble), but with a track record like this, Roman Kozelov’s journey through the 64 squares keeps us all on the edge of our seats.