Overview — Steven O'Donoghue, the Rapid Specialist
Steven O'Donoghue is a seasoned online chess competitor known for an affinity for Rapid play, relentless endgames and a sense of humor that survives even when the clock doesn't. A tactician who stages comebacks (Comeback Rate: 90.31%), Steven mixes fierce Bullet marathons with carefully timed Rapid strikes — and, occasionally, experimental openings just to keep things spicy.
Preferred time control: Rapid — where patience meets speed.
Career Highlights
- Peak Rapid rating: — a milestone that reflects his Rapid-focused strengths and preparation.
- Peak Bullet rating: — proof he can blitz with the best when needed.
- Remarkable resilience: long winning streaks (longest = 50) and the kind of comeback percentage coaches write about.
- Extensive game collection across time controls — from furious Bullet duels to marathon Daily encounters.
Playing Style & Psychology
Steven blends tactical sharpness with a tendency to see games through — Endgame Frequency is high (75.95%) and his average decisive game length is substantial: he isn't afraid of long struggles. He resigns early sometimes (EarlyResignationRate ~0.53), but when the chips are down he often fights back.
- Avg moves per win: ~69.5; per loss: ~86 — he grinds and often drags opponents into long, technical fights.
- Win after losing material: ~49.65% — tricky defender who capitalizes on opponent overconfidence.
- Best times of day: statistically shines in mid-afternoon hours (14:00 flagged as BestTimeOfDayToPlay).
- Psychology tip: a TiltFactor of 22 — sometimes the keyboard feels personal.
Openings & Preferences
Steven experiments widely but shows consistent success with certain choices, especially in faster formats. He often leans on flexible responses that lead to middlegame complexity rather than dry theoretical lines.
- Rapid standouts: Italian Game: Two Knights Defense and Ruy Lopez: Bird's Defense Deferred — both with strong win rates in Rapid play.
- Bullet favorites: Caro-Kann Defense, Amar Gambit and the trusty Australian Defense — used often and with solid results.
- Fun experimental pick: Barnes Defense — surprisingly effective in Bullet skirmishes.
Notable Rivalries & Records
Steven has faced certain opponents dozens or even hundreds of times — forming rivalries that are part endurance test, part sitcom. Below are the most-played adversaries and their rough head-to-head impressions.
- Most-played opponent: joshuagarry — long history (644 games) with many swingy battles.
- Other frequent rivals: Jack Rodgers (365 games) and Kent Slate (358 games).
- Notable record blips: against "zuko" Steven has a strong edge (158–59–16), showing how matchups can be very personal.
Memorable Game (example)
A typical Steven Rapid game often starts quietly and ends in fireworks. Here's a compact illustrative game — feel free to load into a viewer:
Fun Facts & Trivia
- He has played tens of thousands of games across formats — an online chess workhorse with surprising variety.
- Strength-adjusted win rates: Rapid is a personal highpoint (about 59.6% adjusted), where his preparation and pacing pay dividends.
- Long streaks: longest winning streak = 50; longest losing streak = 22 — epic swings, epic stories to tell.
- SEO nugget: Steven O'Donoghue chess, Rapid chess specialist, openings, comebacks — great search terms if you want to find his games.
Where to Watch & Follow
Look up recent activity in Rapid time controls and sample his peak games (Rapid and Bullet peaks are standout moments). If you want to study his lines: check the openings mentioned above, and review mid-to-late middlegame transitions — that's where Steven usually wins (or entertains).
Quick links to frequent rivals: joshuagarry, Jack Rodgers, Kent Slate