Igor Wilk (HeroWilczek) — Candidate Master & Bullet Specialist
Igor Wilk, known online as HeroWilczek, is a FIDE-titled Candidate Master and a force to be reckoned with on fast time controls. A modern tactician with a taste for chaos, Igor made his name blitzing through the ranks — especially in Bullet — where lightning-fast decisions separate the brave from the bewildered.
Igor combines practical aggression with deep tactical awareness. He favors short, sharp games and thrives when the clock becomes an opponent. His endgame frequency is high, and he is known for long wins (average winning games are often very long), showing patience when the position requires it.
Preferred time control: Bullet — lightning reflexes and rapid tactics.
Psychological edge: strong comeback rate and resilience after material losses.
Style notes: plays for complex middlegames and long endgames; early resignations are rare.
Career Highlights & Notable Peaks
As a Candidate Master, Igor has pushed peak performances across online Bullet and Blitz. He reached career highs that earned attention from the fast-chess community and keeps refining craft with tens of thousands of online games.
Title: Candidate Master (FIDE).
Peak Blitz highlight: 2755 (2025-09-17) — a marker of Igor’s explosive rise in rapid online play.
Longest winning streak: 66 games — yes, really. Opponents were advised to check their clocks and their openings.
Most Trusted Openings
Igor experiments widely, but certain lines keep returning in his repertoire. In Bullet he leans into tactical, sharp choices; in Blitz he mixes solid defenses with surprise gambits.
Amar Gambit — a Bullet favorite for swarming play. Amar Gambit
Caro-Kann Defense — reliable and often used as a graftable late-game tool. Caro-Kann Defense
French Defense (and Exchange/Tarrasch variations) — a frequent practical choice. French Defense
Scandinavian Defense — aggressive counterplay from move one. Scandinavian Defense
Notable Opponents & Rivalries
Igor has faced many regulars online. His most-played opponent is jakub8828 (202 games) — an eyebrow-raising scoreline that reads like a comedy sketch for the opponent.
Most-played: jakub8828 — 202 games (a lopsided record in Igor’s favor). jakub8828
Other frequent rivals: marcello1011, kazik100, malakismayil.
Notable Game (Viewer Placeholder)
A short illustrative game to study Igor’s opening instincts and tactical finishing. Use the viewer below to replay move-by-move.
Fun Facts & Offbeat Trivia
Nickname online: HeroWilczek — a handle that sounds like a comic-book hero who prefers knights to capes.
Best time of day: early morning (around 06:00) — when opponents are still finding their coffee and Igor is finding tactics.
Endurance: Igor’s average winning games can be marathon-length — he’s as happy pressing in the final phase as he is blitzing in the opening.
Study tip from Igor: “Learn one gambit until it becomes your friend; it will annoy everyone else.”
Quick Stats Snapshot
Preferred: Bullet (fast, furious, and unforgiving).
All-time strengths: strong adjusted win rates in Blitz and Bullet; Rapid shows deep positional chops.
Reliable openings: see above list — practice them until your mouse is an extension of your intuition.
Want to Explore More?
Dive into Igor’s games, study his opening choices, or replay the PGN above. For focused practice, try borrowing one of his go-to gambits for a week — you’ll either learn a trick or lose gloriously (both count).
