Dragan Ilic (ddragann): The Blitz Marathoner
Dragan Ilic, better known to opponents as ddragann, is a Blitz specialist with an enormous appetite for games. Since his first rated battles in 2016, he has played more than 14,000 games, with Blitz as his true home. His rating climbed from the 1300s to a Blitz peak of 2360 (2026-04-14), and he remains a persistent threat in any late-night lobby.
Career Trajectory
Ilic's path to the top is a story of volume and resilience. The rating chart below captures the long climb, the swings, and the eventual breakthrough into the 2300s.
His most productive stretch came between 2022 and 2026, when he regularly logged hundreds of Blitz games per month and pushed his ceiling from the 1900s to 2360. Even in quieter months, the game count never stops.
Playing Style
Ilic is a practical fighter who makes opponents earn every point. His early resignation rate is barely over one percent, and one-sided losses are rare. With an endgame frequency above 80 percent and an average decisive game lasting about 71 moves, he has no fear of complex technical endings.
His streaks tell the full Blitz story: he has won 12 in a row, and also lost 12 in a row. That chaotic balance is part of the charm. He is especially dangerous after midnight, with his strongest historical hours coming around 1:00 a.m.
Opening Repertoire
As White, Ilic is an almost religious 1.e4 player. The Sicilian Defense and Caro-Kann Defense show up constantly, alongside the Giuoco Piano: Tarrasch Variation, where he scores well over 54 percent in Blitz and 73 percent in Bullet. As Black, he favors the flexible Sicilian Kan and fights through the Alapin lines with typical stubbornness.
His opening stats reveal a clear identity: he looks for active piece play in open games and is willing to outlast opponents in well-trodden main lines.
Rivalries and Results
Regular opponents know the ddragann workload. lars_bt has faced him more than anyone, holding a narrow edge in 13 meetings. tonibell and hbrasil-resurrection have had a much tougher time, with Ilic winning nine of their first eleven battles. Tom Borvander and Devin Townsend have also traded blows with him over extended mini-series.
Fast Facts
- Over 13,400 Blitz games played, with 6,258 wins and 6,670 losses.
- Adjusted Blitz win rate of 49.7 percent against a demanding schedule.
- Wins 69.4 percent of games against lower-rated players, but still tests himself against stronger fields.
- Comes back from losing positions at an 86 percent rate, making him dangerous until the final move.
- Longest winning streak and longest losing streak are both 12 games, the perfect Blitz rollercoaster.