The Banana Baron of Online Chess
Stefan Maltezeanu, better known to the internet as GrossenBananenSaften, is a FIDE Candidate Master who has turned online chess into a high volume contact sport. With more than 15,000 analyzed games and a blitz rating that has touched the stratosphere, this is a player who believes the best defense is a very high game count.
A Marathon Mind in Blitz and Bullet
Stefan's online career began with a splash in mid-2023, when he rocketed from the low 2000s into the mid-2400s within weeks. By November 2023 he had already posted a staggering 627 blitz games in a single month, an early sign of his marathon mentality. His blitz rating peaked at 2725 (2025-08-27) in August 2025, while his bullet rating soared to 2742 in 2026. He has played more than 7,700 blitz games and over 7,300 bullet games, making him one of the most prolific speed chess aficionados around.
Opening Repertoire
Stefan is not shy about stepping into the lion's den. He regularly opens with e4 and has also made the English Opening a central weapon in his arsenal. As Black, he gravitates toward the fighting Sicilian Defense, while as White he is happy to face the Caro-Kann Defense, the Scandinavian Defense, and a wide range of offbeat setups. His opponents quickly learn that he is comfortable in sharp tactical battles from move one.
Rivalries
Every hero needs a foil, and Stefan has two. He has an almost mythical hold over fitzii0, having beaten that opponent 49 times with only 2 draws and zero losses. Then there is LadyCockroach, the rival who gives him nightmares; against ladycockroach, Stefan has managed just 3 wins while suffering 46 losses. In the banana juice universe, some opponents taste sweet and others leave a bitter rind.
The Night Owl Mindset
Stefan's statistics reveal a player who thrives in the small hours. His best time of day to play is 01:00, and his win rate jumps when the rest of the world is asleep. His comeback rate of 86.99 percent shows that he never stops fighting, even after a blunder. He resigns early only sometimes, mostly when the cause is lost, but on other nights he will drag a game into a long endgame just to remind everyone that bananas are patient too.