About Beniamin Kasztanowiec (HikaruNiekaru00)
Beniamin Kasztanowiec, also known online as HikaruNiekaru00, is a fast-talking, faster-moving chess player who prefers the adrenaline-rush of Bullet chess. A grinder by night and an opening experimenter by day, Beniamin has climbed from casual club skirmishes to triple-digit peak ratings that would make a coffee-fueled speedster smile. He’s best known for quick tactical swerves, stubborn endgames and an almost suspiciously consistent comeback ability.
- Preferred time control: Bullet — the blitz of breathless knights and hurried queens.
- Peak highlights: 2344 (2026-01-20), 2272 (2026-02-02), 2347 (2026-02-26).
- Active and growing: rating activity shows big gains in 2024–2026 with intensive play across formats.
Career Highlights & Totals
Beniamin’s career reads like a long, entertaining series of quick finishes and marathon comeback wins. Here are some tallies that tell the story at a glance:
- Blitz record: 1,576 wins / 1,328 losses / 244 draws — a tireless presence on the 3–5 minute battlefield.
- Rapid record: 658 wins / 483 losses / 74 draws — measured play with surprising tactical bursts.
- Bullet record: 623 wins / 468 losses / 80 draws — preferred arena and often where the magic happens.
- Daily/Correspondence: 607 wins / 481 losses / 11 draws — solid, patient play when the clock is kind.
Playing Style & Strengths
Beniamin mixes stubborn endgame endurance with sharp tactical instincts — think marathon stamina wrapped in a speedster’s reflexes. He often drags opponents into long endgames and is surprisingly hard to finish off once into a technical phase.
- Endgame frequency: high — many battles go the distance (EndgameFrequency ≈ 63%).
- Average moves per win: ~63; per loss: ~68 — games tend to be substantive, not one-move flukes.
- Tactical grit: Comeback rate ≈ 75% — turns losing positions into wins more often than most.
- Psychology: Best time of day to challenge him is around 09:00; TiltFactor suggests emotional swings after long streaks.
Favorite Openings (and where he shines)
Beniamin is a devoted student of the French Defense family and several quirky sidelines, depending on whether he’s in a measured Rapid game or a knife-fight Bullet.
- French Defense (various lines) — a staple in Blitz/Bullet: French Defense.
- Australian Defense — surprisingly positive results as White and Black: Australian Defense.
- English Opening — effective in Bullet, often used to steer games into familiar middlegame structures: English Opening.
- Amar Gambit & Amazon Attack — flavourful choices; used as surprise weapons in faster time controls.
Curious about trends? See a compact Bullet rating trend:
Memorable Streaks, Records & Opponents
Every player has highs and lows; Beniamin’s are dramatic and memorable.
- Longest winning streak: 35 wins in a row — the kind of run that breaks keyboards (and opponents’ morale).
- Longest losing streak: 134 — painful, humbling, and the scene of many future comebacks.
- Current streaks: currently on a brief 1-loss skid (streaks update frequently with play).
- Most-played opponent: earlybird2012 — head-to-head includes dozens of clashes (Stanisław Korszański). See one of their classic encounters: View Game.
Notable Metrics & Quirks
A few interesting numbers that give insight into Beniamin’s habits and competitive DNA:
- Early resignation rate: about 6% — stubborn enough to play on, merciful sometimes.
- Win rate as White: ≈ 53.5%; as Black: ≈ 51% — comfortable with both colors.
- Best hours: 09:00 and mid-afternoon — avoid him at his peak unless you enjoy surprise forks.
- Win-after-losing-piece rate: ≈ 49% — danger: he fights on even when material down.
Sample Game & Study Tools
Want a quick puzzle or to study his style? Play through a short illustrative game in the embedded viewer below.
Example PGN (short tactical thematic position):
And for a full showdown replay, try: View Game.
Want to Follow Beniamin?
If you enjoy fast chess with hidden depth—clever endgames after hectic middlegames—keep an eye on HikaruNiekaru00. He’s most active in Bullet, occasionally unleashes a surprising Amar Gambit, and always seems to have one more trick in reserve.
- Study his French Defense play: French Defense
- Explore his Bullet peak trend:
- Peak performance quick stats: 2344 (2026-01-20), 2272 (2026-02-02)
Fun fact: Beniamin’s comeback rate is so strong that some opponents now preemptively apologize—online etiquette or superstition? You decide.