Elena Orshonova – Woman FIDE Master Extraordinaire
Meet Elena Orshonova, also known online as foxmanoban, a chess player whose skills have earned her the prestigious title of Woman FIDE Master. Elena's journey through the 64 squares is nothing short of a rollercoaster filled with brilliant victories, challenging losses, and a dogged determination that keeps her climbing the rating ladder.
A Rising Star in Blitz and Bullet
Elena shines particularly bright in blitz and bullet chess, with peak ratings soaring to 2360 in blitz and an impressive 2355 in bullet. These ratings reflect her lightning-fast tactical awareness and superb endgame skills—she averages over 70 moves per win in blitz, showing she’s not just a speed demon but also a strategic thinker who loves a deep fight.
Playing Style & Psychological Edge
Known for resilience, Elena boasts a remarkable 77% comeback rate after falling behind in a game and a knack for winning even after losing material. But don’t mistake her grit for recklessness—her early resignation rate is a modest 9%, proving she knows when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. Her best time to play? Bright and early at 9AM, so morning matches might just be the secret to unlocking her chess wizardry.
A Record to Brag About (and Laugh About)
Elena’s combined record in blitz reveals she’s won 219 games but also learned plenty from 235 losses and a handful of draws — because every loss is a setup for a comeback. She once held a winning streak of 9 games, proving she can be unstoppable, though like all mortals, she’s endured a tough patch with a longest losing streak of 10 games. Hey, even champions have their off days!
Memorable Moments
One of Elena’s recent shining moments was a clipped victory by resignation against ExeterPrez in a complex battle featuring the nimble Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack. Not one to shy away from tricky positions, she demonstrated her positional and tactical prowess with grace under pressure.
The Opponents List – A Mixed Bag of Conquests
Against some opponents, Elena boasts a perfect 100% winning rate, proving she can be merciless when she's on form. Against others, the scoreboard is tougher, but it’s all part of the adventure in competitive chess. Her strategic patience pays off, especially on Thursdays to Sundays when her win rates peek above 50%.
In Conclusion
Elena Orshonova is a player who mixes grit, skill, and a splash of humor into every game. Whether you’re a fan of bullet's breakneck pace or the intense calculations of blitz, Elena’s games are an entertaining saga of wins, losses, and come-from-behind thrillers. Keep an eye on foxmanoban—this Woman FIDE Master is a fierce competitor who knows how to turn a chessboard into her personal stage.
Hi Elena, here’s your personalised post-match review!
Quick Stats
- Peak blitz rating so far:
- Typical winning hours:
- Best day of the week:
Your Recent Highlight
You defeated dragunito with Black in an English/Anglo-Indian structure. You gradually neutralised White’s pressure, then converted the opposite-side pawn majority with instructive rook activity.
What You’re Doing Well
- Piece activity. In both wins and losses you consistently seek activity (…Rc8, …Re8, pawn breaks like …f6/…f5). That’s a big plus at blitz time-controls.
- Practical endgame decisions. Your wins vs Burak Ozalp and Ruben Akhayan show you aren’t afraid to simplify when ahead. Good instinct!
- Time usage. You rarely dip below 15 seconds while still keeping complexity on the board. This balance wins many games on the clock.
Main Growth Areas
- Catalan / English structures as Black.
In the loss to imlittinsane you mixed plans: …c5 without having king-side development finished, then delayed …a6/…b6 breaks. Study the classical plan: …dxc4 → …a6 → …c5 only after completing …Bb7/…Be7. - Pawn-break calculation.
Several defeats (e.g. vs Maxim Omariev) came after premature …b5 or …e4 pushes that weakened squares. Before launching a pawn, force yourself to verbalise: “What is my worst-placed piece and does this break help that piece?” - Handling the zwischenzug.
In the Caro-Kann Two Knights (vs Maurizio Brancaleoni) 22 …Nxd5? missed White’s Nc4! intermediate leading to pressure. Spend 10 minutes daily on tactic sets filtered for “between move” themes. - Conversion vs strong resistance.
Your winning positions sometimes drift (see 35…Bb6? in the Old-Indian loss). Practice technique drills: rook + minor piece vs rook, rook endgames with an extra pawn, etc.
Three-Week Action Plan
| Week | Focus | Daily Micro-Drill (10-15 min) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalan/English repertoire tune-up | Replay 3 model games by Kramnik (as Black) and note pawn lever timing. |
| 2 | Zwischenzug & deflection tactics | 20 puzzles on Chess.com theme filter “in-between move”. |
| 3 | Rook-and-pawn technique | Play out 5 Lichess table-base drills vs engine set to 2500. |
Opening File Suggestion
Create a mini-file with:
- Vs Catalan: 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 g3 d5 4 Bg2 dxc4 5 Nf3 Nc6!?
- Vs Caro Two Knights: After 5 Ng3 ‑ choose 5…h4 (sharp) or the calmer 5…c5, but avoid early …Nc6/…Be7 combinations.
Next Coaching Call Preparation
Bring two positions where you felt strategy wasn’t clear. We’ll build plan-recognition checklists.
Keep the energy and creativity, Elena. Small tweaks in structure understanding will push you through the 2400 blitz barrier soon!
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Recent Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| juantonamera | 0W / 0L / 1D | |
| ghostoftal27 | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| keciga | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| tyraegor | 2W / 0L / 0D | |
| tatamachine | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| silentdoubt | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| carlosargueta150 | 4W / 2L / 0D | |
| xhsindjdndjdndhsjndidjfu8 | 2W / 3L / 1D | |
| mehrshadlm1030 | 0W / 5L / 0D | |
| sodramas | 2W / 3L / 0D | |
| svakako | 4W / 1L / 0D | |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2117 | 2276 | 2116 | |
| 2024 | 2163 | 2247 | ||
| 2023 | 1965 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 62W / 67L / 6D | 53W / 74L / 12D | 64.2 |
| 2024 | 113W / 119L / 8D | 123W / 114L / 9D | 68.6 |
| 2023 | 6W / 5L / 0D | 7W / 2L / 1D | 74.3 |
Openings: Most Played
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 64 | 36 | 27 | 1 | 56.2% |
| Czech Defense | 22 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 68.2% |
| Scotch Game | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 54.5% |
| Italian Game: Two Knights Defense | 21 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 33.3% |
| Amar Gambit | 15 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 46.7% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 15 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 60.0% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 42.9% |
| Blackburne Shilling Gambit | 13 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 30.8% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 54.5% |
| Philidor Defense | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 80.0% |
| Bullet Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Defense | 36 | 25 | 9 | 2 | 69.4% |
| Philidor Defense | 20 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 65.0% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 50.0% |
| Amar Gambit | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 53.9% |
| Nimzo-Larsen Attack | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 81.8% |
| French Defense: Exchange Variation | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 44.4% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 62.5% |
| Modern Defense | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 28.6% |
| Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 16.7% |
| Scotch Game | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 33.3% |
| Rapid Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Defense | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 9 | 0 |
| Losing | 10 | 1 |