Christof Sielecki (Chessexplained)
International Master of the 64 Squares
Meet Christof Sielecki, better known in the chess realm as Chessexplained, an International Master who treats the chessboard like a stage and every game like a dramatic play where pawns are the unsung heroes and queens do all the talking. Known for his sharp analytical mind and an enviable blitz speed, Christof has dazzled opponents across formats: blitz, bullet, rapid, and daily games – you name it, he's probably crushed it!
Chess Career Highlights
- Titles: International Master (FIDE)
-
Peak Ratings:
- Blitz: 2672 (October 2023) – That blinding speed and precision make his games exciting and downright nerve-wracking for opponents.
- Bullet: 2624 (October 2023) – Because who doesn’t love a player who can think at the speed of light?
- Daily: 2392 (February 2014) – When patience and depth rule the day.
- Rapid: 2226 (November 2014) – Quick thinking with enough time to carefully deploy a sneaky tactic.
Playing Style & Personality
Christof’s games are a chess buffet. Known for his high endgame frequency (over 70%) and a playstyle where he does not easily resign early (resignation rate about 3.3%), he enjoys turning what seems like lost causes into brilliant comebacks – with an impressive ~77% comeback rate! He loves to keep his opponents guessing, often winning more with the white pieces (around 67% success) but equally tricky with black (62.5% wins).
With an average of 64 moves per win and about 78 moves per loss, matches featuring Christof aren’t sprints – they’re epic marathons filled with tactical fireworks and strategic depth. His "tilt factor" is measured at 15%, so yes, sometimes even his inner calm guru faces a stiff challenge!
Blitz & Bullet Wizardry
When the clock ticks down, Christof truly shines. Over the years, he has played over a thousand blitz games with nearly a 50% winning rate in one of the most unforgiving formats there is. In bullet games, he boasts a phenomenal win rate of over 64%. His bullet performance often leaves opponents blinking in disbelief and scrambling to hit the clock fast enough.
Notable Streaks & Records
- Longest winning streak: 65 games – a veritable blitz beast unleashed!
- Lowest streak to fear: only a 15-game losing spiral (been there, done that, learned from it)
- Daily chess powerhouse with a win rate over 91% – truly a legend in the world of correspondence chess.
When Does Christof Play Best?
The gods of chess favor the early riser or the late-night thinker – his best time to play peaks at the wizardly hour of 3 AM. Perhaps the silence and darkness fuel his tactical brilliance or maybe the rest of us should just follow that schedule and learn a thing or two!
Recent Games Snapshot
Christof's recent wins showcase his impeccable technique and endgame mastery. One recent blitz victory involved a deft handling of the King's Indian Attack Sicilian Variation, ending with the opponent's graceful resignation after a relentless positional squeeze.
On the other side, even masters stumble sometimes: his most recent loss came against a strong opponent via the English Opening, proving once again that the 64 squares can be full of surprises every time.
Fun Fact
Despite his fierce competitive edge, Christof has an approachable online presence, sharing insights, laughs, and instructive content with thousands of fans worldwide under the alias Chessexplained. So no matter if you’re a beginner or aspiring chess ninja, he's just a video away from improving your game and brightening your day!
In chess, as in life, it’s not just about winning—it’s about explaining why the queen went for the squirrel. And Christof Sielecki, indeed, explains it all.
Overall sense of your recent rapid play
You show a flexible and creative style in rapid games, with a willingness to enter dynamic, unequal positions. Your openings often lead to active middlegames where you can generate practical chances. The balance between aggression and calculation is a strength, and your experience as a trainer shines through in sharp sequences and tactical awareness. To build on this, focus on turning those moments of initiative into clear, concrete plans and reliable conversions.
What you’re doing well
- Willingness to play dynamic openings that create imbalances and practical chances for both sides.
- Strong tactical instincts in complex middlegames, especially when you can activate pieces and create pressure on key files or diagonals.
- Good resilience in tight or tactical skirmishes; you keep fighting and look for active counterplay rather than retreating into passive structures.
- Ability to navigate sharp transitions and keep the momentum in favorable lines.
Areas to improve
- Time management in the middlegame: avoid getting the clock into critical zones too early. Develop a habit of budgeting time for key decision points and pre-screening obvious candidate moves.
- Endgame conversion and prophylaxis: practice rook endings and king activity so that favorable middlegame positions convert cleanly, reducing drawn-out endgames or missed wins.
- Calculation discipline: in very tactical positions, verify candidate sequences step by step and watch for hidden tactical resources your opponent may have. Use a structured approach: check, count material, evaluate king safety, and assess threats before committing to a line.
- Defensive planning in sharp openings: strengthen your defenses against sharp ideas by building a set of prophylactic responses and common resource ideas in your main repertoires.
Actionable training plan
- Weekly tactical focus: 2 short puzzle sets (15–20 minutes each) emphasizing motifs that appear in your games (forks, pins, discovered attacks, back-rank themes).
- Endgame mastery: dedicate two sessions per week to rook endings and king activity drills; review annotated rook endgames from master games and practice the key conversion ideas.
- Opening consolidation: pick 2–3 core lines you’re comfortable with (for example, a dynamic Grunfeld/Grünfeld-leaning setup and Nimzo-Indian/English alternatives). Study typical middlegame plans, typical piece maneuvers, and common endgame transitions for those lines.
- Post-game review routine: after each rapid game, write 3 bullets: what went well, what could be improved, and a concrete 1–2 step plan for the next game.
Opening notes
Your openings indicate comfort in handling dynamic structures and creating practical chances. Consider tightening preparation around 2–3 main lines to deepen quick decision-making and reduce early uncertainty in rapid time controls. For example, reinforcing typical middlegame ideas in the lines you favor can help you convert more games from the opening into favorable middlegame positions.
References and quick links
Profile: christofsielecki
Opening ideas: KGD: Classical, 3.Bc4 Grünfeld Defense: Counterthrust Variation
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Recent Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| frostym | 2W / 0L / 0D | |
| hzmc92 | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| ralfwin | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| smalltownhero | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| smile2005 | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| Victor Plotkin | 1W / 1L / 0D | |
| corbissimesque | 0W / 0L / 1D | |
| rip-danielnaroditsky | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| robertmissher | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| acatsdad | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| gaurav sharma | 31W / 0L / 1D | |
| Rogelio Jr Antonio | 15W / 16L / 1D | |
| loosefoot007 | 13W / 10L / 5D | |
| Philofive | 14W / 9L / 3D | |
| Alina Kashlinskaya | 9W / 11L / 4D | |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2634 | 2148 | ||
| 2024 | 2614 | |||
| 2023 | 2624 | 2586 | ||
| 2022 | 2545 | |||
| 2020 | 2413 | 2530 | ||
| 2018 | 2406 | |||
| 2017 | 2357 | 2351 | ||
| 2016 | 1803 | |||
| 2015 | 2312 | 2317 | 2283 | |
| 2014 | 2290 | 2302 | 2156 | 2299 |
| 2013 | 2328 | 2354 | 2343 | |
| 2012 | 2342 | 2319 | 1769 | 2173 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 78W / 46L / 27D | 66W / 64L / 19D | 80.5 |
| 2024 | 8W / 6L / 2D | 6W / 7L / 4D | 82.0 |
| 2023 | 69W / 43L / 14D | 54W / 52L / 20D | 83.2 |
| 2022 | 14W / 14L / 7D | 17W / 10L / 5D | 89.6 |
| 2020 | 58W / 32L / 7D | 50W / 31L / 12D | 82.6 |
| 2018 | 1W / 0L / 0D | 1W / 0L / 0D | 76.5 |
| 2017 | 2W / 1L / 2D | 5W / 2L / 1D | 60.2 |
| 2016 | 7W / 11L / 0D | 9W / 7L / 1D | 23.1 |
| 2015 | 16W / 5L / 0D | 11W / 4L / 3D | 78.9 |
| 2014 | 309W / 30L / 23D | 303W / 41L / 35D | 63.2 |
| 2013 | 107W / 12L / 9D | 103W / 11L / 10D | 59.6 |
| 2012 | 100W / 34L / 6D | 91W / 33L / 15D | 78.3 |
Openings: Most Played
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation | 70 | 32 | 25 | 13 | 45.7% |
| Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack | 39 | 22 | 12 | 5 | 56.4% |
| Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation | 37 | 15 | 15 | 7 | 40.5% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation | 29 | 19 | 7 | 3 | 65.5% |
| Unknown | 25 | 15 | 10 | 0 | 60.0% |
| Australian Defense | 23 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 65.2% |
| Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, American Attack | 22 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 59.1% |
| Ruy Lopez: Closed | 21 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 66.7% |
| Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Anderssen Variation | 20 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 50.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation | 20 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 45.0% |
| Bullet Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 78.6% |
| Amar Gambit | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 83.3% |
| Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 58.3% |
| Indian Defense: Przepiorka Variation | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 54.5% |
| Hungarian Opening: Wiedenhagen-Beta Gambit | 11 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 72.7% |
| Döry Defense | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 60.0% |
| King's Indian Attack: French Variation | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 80.0% |
| Modern | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 66.7% |
| Barnes Defense | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 62.5% |
| King's Indian Attack | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 57.1% |
| Daily Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caro-Kann Defense | 22 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 90.9% |
| Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation | 18 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 94.4% |
| Petrov's Defense | 17 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 94.1% |
| Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Blackburne Shilling Gambit | 16 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 93.8% |
| Czech Defense | 15 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Dutch Defense | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation | 12 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 83.3% |
| Barnes Defense | 12 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 91.7% |
| Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack | 12 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 91.7% |
| Rapid Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KGD: Classical, 3.Bc4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.3% |
| Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Grünfeld Defense: Counterthrust Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Nimzo-Indian Defense | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Benoni Defense: Modern Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Vienna Gambit: 3...d5 4.exd5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit Accepted | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Bird Opening: Dutch Variation, Batavo Gambit | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 65 | 1 |
| Losing | 5 | 0 |