Avatar of Dmitry Zilberstein
Player Profile

Dmitry Zilberstein IM

dzil San Francisco Since 2010 (Active) Chess.com ♟♟♟♟♟
42.8% W 48.2% L 9.0% D
Bullet
2496
2153W 2441L 351D
Blitz
2763
1758W 1961L 468D
Rapid
1752
7W 2L 4D

Dmitry Zilberstein (dzil) Chess Biography: International Master Profile

Bio Snapshot

Dmitry Zilberstein, playing online as dzil, is a FIDE International Master with a profile that mixes title-level chess experience with a lively queue presence. The preferred time control on the profile is Rapid, although the bulk of the visible game history leans toward faster chess and the kind of rapid fire decision making that keeps the opponent guessing.

  • Display name: Dmitry Zilberstein
  • Username: dzil
  • Chess title: International Master
  • Profile tempo: Rapid, with a strong record in faster formats

Playing Style

The archive suggests a practical, combative style. Dzil is comfortable entering sharp middlegames, exchanging material early, and surviving long enough to steer the position into an endgame where every small pawn or active piece can matter. The games often feel like a test of calculation, nerve, and the ability to keep finding resources under pressure.

There is also a playful edge to the profile. The handle dzil sounds like a keyboard slipped for half a move, but the game history shows a player who is very much in control of the clock, the pieces, and the occasional tactical spark.

A simple sample idea from the opening world can be shown here:

Opening Palette

The opening repertoire is broad and not afraid of the unusual. With Black, dzil has used the Caro-Kann Defense, the King's Indian Defense, the French Defense: Burn Variation, and the Australian Defense, giving the position a range of moods from solid to spicy. With White, the record shows classical setups, flank ideas, and a willingness to steer the game into positions where the opponent must answer immediately.

The variety is one of the more interesting parts of the profile: this is not a player who relies on one safe system. The openings change, the plans change, and the opponent rarely gets a predictable rhythm.

Win Rate by Opening0%25%75%100%50%Caro-Kann Defense: 35.2% over 210 gamesColle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation: 40.8% over 201 gamesFrench Defense: 41.2% over 194 gamesAustralian Defense: 43.8% over 160 gamesFrench Defense: Burn Variation: 37.2% over 148 gamesAmar Gambit: 39.4% over 142 gamesCaro-Kann Defense35%Colle System: Rhamphorh…41%French Defense41%Australian Defense44%French Defense: Burn Va…37%Amar Gambit39%

Repeat Opponents

A few rivals show up often enough to feel like regulars in the online chess world. Among the most frequent opponents are Paul Rohwer and Oscar Ardila, both of whom appear repeatedly in the game history and add a familiar rivalry flavor to the profile.

Bio last updated 2026-08-25