About Frode Urkedal
Frode Urkedal is a chess Grandmaster known for his solid and tactical playing style. Hailing from Norway, he blends classical chess understanding with a sharp eye for tactics and endgame mastery. With a highest blitz rating soaring up to 2893, Frode proves lightning-fast decisions are his specialty. Don't blink during his games – his moves are as quick as his wit!
Playing Highlights
- Title: Grandmaster (awarded by FIDE)
- Preferred Time Control: Rapid and Blitz, with a slight edge in Blitz based on performance
- Strong daily and online presence with a near-perfect winning streak – once won 45 consecutive games!
- Known for stellar opening preparation, especially in the Sicilian Defence, English Opening, and Italians such as Giuoco Pianissimo.
- Recorded peak ratings:
- Blitz: 2893 (January 2022)
- Rapid: 2691 (August 2019)
- Daily: 2407 (November 2023)
- Bullet: 2634 (April 2024)
Style and Strategy
Frode tends to favor deep strategic battles combined with tactical awareness. He frequently opens with d4 or Nf3, showing a versatility in classical openings. His win rates with White hover near 73%, and even with Black, he's over 68%, showcasing his all-around game strength.
His favorite openings include:
- Sicilian Defence (with an 100% win rate in several variants)
- English Opening including the Anglo-Indian Defense
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo
- Queen's Pawn and Reti Systems
- In blitz and bullet, he’s very effective with sharp and classical lines like Two Knights Defense and Modern Defense.
Noteworthy Stats & Trivia
- Has an uncanny comeback rate, winning nearly 74% of games where he faced adversity.
- Lowest tilt factor, indicating a calm and focused mindset even during tense matches.
- His best hour to play is bright and early at 6 AM – a real morning strategist!
- Holds a near-perfect record against the username "dropshot8" with over 120 games won.
- Despite being a formidable opponent, he has faced a loss to Magnus Carlsen in recorded matches.
- Loves grinding out long endgames, with an average of over 62 moves per win in daily games.
Fun Fact
Frode's blitz games reached a fever pitch once, peaking at an eye-popping 2803! Clearly, when the clock is ticking fast, he's built to shine. If chess had a sprint event, he’d definitely be on the podium!