About Rebecca Selkirk
Rebecca Selkirk is a titled chess player and a dedicated streamer whose calm calculation and quick wit light up both boards and chat. They earned the Woman Candidate Master title from FIDE, a badge they wear with pride as they navigate blitz marathons, анализа streams, and the occasional victory dance after a tough finish. When Rebecca isn’t plotting noisy tactics, they’re sharing game analysis and friendly banter with a growing online audience.
Preferred time control: Blitz. They blend sharp tactical flair with stubborn endgame play, often turning small advantages into memorable wins. For a glimpse into their rating journey, see the Blitz chart below.
Follow their profile and updates here: rebeccaselkirk
Career Highlights
- Titled player: Woman Candidate Master (FIDE).
- Peak Blitz rating reached 2299 on 2020-03-10, a moment often cited in their streams as the “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” climb.
- Notable endurance: a longest winning streak of 16 games in Blitz, with a penchant for turning the tide in tough positions.
- Consistent presence across major formats, with substantial contributions to opening repertoires and endgame finesse.
Openings and Repertoire
Rebecca’s Blitz practice features a robust and occasionally surprising mix of defenses and systems. A snapshot of opening performance includes:
- Caro-Kann Defense — a steady backbone with dominant results in long games.
- Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation — active piece play and clear structural aims.
- Unknown — a broad, adaptable approach that keeps opponents honest.
- London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation — practical, often scored well in dynamic positions.
- Scandinavian Defense — solid counterpunch opportunities and good piece activity.
- French Defense — a balanced choice with room for both strategic and tactical fights.
In addition to these, Rebecca has showcased versatility across rapid, blitz, and bullet with a broad opening toolkit. For a quick PGN taste of a typical approach, you can peek at a sample line:
Playing Style and Community
Rebecca leans into endgames—endgame frequency sits high at around 69.8%—where patience and technique often decide the result. They balance aggressive tactical shots with disciplined maneuvering, earning a reputation for resilience in tight spots. On stream, they blend thoughtful analysis with lighthearted commentary, inviting viewers to learn, laugh, and occasionally cringe at surprising blunders.
Time control preference: Blitz. Their approach is well known for practical decision-making under pressure, aided by deep study of endgames and timing tricks.
Streaming and Community
As a streamer, Rebecca builds community through live analysis, game reviews, and approachable explanation of ideas behind the moves. Fans tune in for scholarship, humor, and a sense that every game is a story being told move by move. Whether you’re a seasoned competitor or a curious observer, Rebecca’s streams offer something for every chess fan.
Notable Moments and Quick Facts
- FIDE title: Woman Candidate Master (WCM).
- Peak Blitz rating: 2299 (2020-03-10).
- Streaks: Longest Winning Streak = 16; Current Winning Streak = 1.
- Commonly played openings in Blitz include Caro-Kann family lines, London System variants, and Scandinavian setups.
- Playing style emphasizes strong endgame technique and practical decision-making under time pressure.
Hi Rebecca!
Below is a personalised review of your recent blitz (3 | 0) performance with
practical action-items you can use right away.
Keep an eye on the live widgets – they will update automatically as new games come in.
What you are already doing well
- Active piece play in the centre. Your two recent victories over juniorvik and Cool_principle show crisp central expansion (e4+d4 vs the Caro-Kann and Sicilian) that quickly opened lines for tactics.
- Spotting tactical shots. 20.Qxf6! in the Panov game exploited an overloaded queen and netted material in a single stroke. [Pgn|15.Qf3 Qd8 16.Rfe1 Bg4 17.Qg3 Rxe1+ 18.Rxe1 Qb8 19.Qh4 g6 20.Qxf6 Qc8|fen|r1q3k1/pp3p1p/5Qp1/3p4/6b1/P1PB4/3B1PPP/4R1K1 b - - 0 20]
- Wide opening repertoire. You comfortably alternate between 1.e4 and 1.d4, and handle both sides of the Caro-Kann, Slav and French. This flexibility is a long-term asset.
Key improvement themes
- Time management. Four of the last eight losses were on time in still-playable positions. • Aim to reach move 20 with >60 s on the clock. • Practise “chunking” – make three-move plans instead of searching for a perfect move every turn.
- King safety when launching pawn storms. In the Alekhine (loss vs farelnusa) 24…d5! opened files toward your own king while your back rank was stiff. Pause and ask: “Whose king gets weaker if I push this pawn?”
- Piece co-ordination in cramped structures. Games vs Chess_Knight9 (Advance Caro-Kann) and Bodiejumper1 (Colle/Zukertort type) show knights stepping in circles while bishops stayed passive. Rule of thumb: if a pawn is on e5/c4 you usually need a knight in front of it (Nd3/Ne4) not behind it.
Opening pointers
| Opening | Quick win | Critical loss | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caro-Kann (Panov) | vs juniorvik (W) | — | Add 11.Bd3 Re8+ 12.Ne5 repertoire notes; you know the plans! |
| Alekhine’s Defence | — | vs farelnusa (L) | Memorise the 4…exd6 mainline ideas; avoid early c4 when behind in development. |
| Ruy-Lopez d3-system | — | vs chessterohide (L on time) | Accelerate queenside play with a4 before Bg5 to stop …b5. |
Concrete training plan (2-weeks)
- Daily 15-minute clock-blitz exercise: play 3 | 0 but premove nothing; focus on intuitive rhythm.
- Review 5 self-chosen losses with the question “Where did my pieces stop working together?” – tag them in your database.
- Solve 50 Intermediate Tactics puzzles filtered for clearance sacrifices and zwischenzug.
- Study the model game Karpov–Miles 1984 for Caro-Kann structure plans; compare with your own Panov win.
Motivation corner
Your current personal best is 2299 (2020-03-10). At your present win-rate an extra 0.5 point/day pushes you +100 Elo in roughly one month. Stay consistent, keep the king safe, and see you on the leaderboard!
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Recent Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Alexandra | 2W / 0L / 0D | |
| Chess Lover | 1W / 0L / 1D | |
| thetirelessquoter | 1W / 1L / 0D | |
| tinnarik | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| alexs_28 | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| catalanbishop96 | 1W / 1L / 0D | |
| romanianluck | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| drcasahonda | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| rajuprasad1405 | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| sergpriborserg | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| polko14 | 144W / 59L / 2D | |
| Jesse February | 63W / 78L / 12D | |
| miriah32 | 72W / 27L / 1D | |
| Gokul | 21W / 60L / 10D | |
| eccentrichorse11 | 43W / 36L / 8D | |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1709 | 1859 | 2005 | |
| 2024 | 1749 | |||
| 2023 | 1790 | 1875 | 2005 | |
| 2022 | 1901 | 1810 | 1905 | |
| 2021 | 1935 | 1923 | 1772 | |
| 2020 | 1689 | 1768 | 1691 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28W / 22L / 1D | 27W / 23L / 0D | 72.4 |
| 2024 | 17W / 20L / 0D | 16W / 21L / 0D | 68.2 |
| 2023 | 163W / 138L / 22D | 158W / 145L / 20D | 69.3 |
| 2022 | 266W / 231L / 18D | 257W / 244L / 22D | 65.8 |
| 2021 | 866W / 694L / 62D | 834W / 710L / 71D | 68.7 |
| 2020 | 688W / 617L / 55D | 667W / 640L / 51D | 62.5 |
Openings: Most Played
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caro-Kann Defense | 435 | 243 | 175 | 17 | 55.9% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation | 301 | 159 | 126 | 16 | 52.8% |
| Unknown | 291 | 155 | 136 | 0 | 53.3% |
| London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation | 211 | 108 | 84 | 19 | 51.2% |
| French Defense | 176 | 88 | 78 | 10 | 50.0% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 175 | 99 | 71 | 5 | 56.6% |
| Amar Gambit | 155 | 81 | 67 | 7 | 52.3% |
| Barnes Defense | 134 | 73 | 56 | 5 | 54.5% |
| Center Game: Berger Variation | 130 | 70 | 55 | 5 | 53.9% |
| Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation | 127 | 69 | 55 | 3 | 54.3% |
| Rapid Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caro-Kann Defense | 28 | 12 | 15 | 1 | 42.9% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation | 13 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 38.5% |
| Barnes Defense | 11 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 9.1% |
| French Defense | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 54.5% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 40.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Sherzer Variation | 9 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 22.2% |
| London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 22.2% |
| Sicilian Defense | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 44.4% |
| Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Exchange Variation | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 37.5% |
| Slav Defense | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 37.5% |
| Bullet Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caro-Kann Defense | 152 | 83 | 68 | 1 | 54.6% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation | 139 | 63 | 74 | 2 | 45.3% |
| Amar Gambit | 133 | 58 | 69 | 6 | 43.6% |
| French Defense | 96 | 45 | 49 | 2 | 46.9% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 77 | 32 | 43 | 2 | 41.6% |
| London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation | 67 | 30 | 32 | 5 | 44.8% |
| Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation | 57 | 30 | 26 | 1 | 52.6% |
| French Defense: Exchange Variation | 43 | 25 | 18 | 0 | 58.1% |
| Barnes Defense | 41 | 24 | 16 | 1 | 58.5% |
| Czech Defense | 38 | 22 | 15 | 1 | 57.9% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 16 | 0 |
| Losing | 32 | 2 |