Bánk Szalay-Őcsák FM

Meet Bánk Szalay-Őcsák

Bánk Szalay-Őcsák, known online as Idiioteque, is a Hungarian FIDE Master who has turned blitz chess into his personal playground. Despite a username that suggests otherwise, his play is sharp, ambitious, and anything but foolish. He has pushed his blitz rating to a towering 2823 (2026-09-25) and cracked 2801 (2026-09-19) in bullet, proving he can handle speed in any flavor.

Style and Openings

Bánk is a practical, tactical fighter who leans on solid structures and sharp counterplay. His opening repertoire mixes classical foundations with a healthy dose of chaos. He regularly plays the Caro-Kann Defense and the French Defense, but he also enjoys the Amar Gambit and the London Poisoned Pawn Variation. The Hungarian Opening shows up often in his games, which feels appropriate for a player from Hungary.

• Over 200 games in the Caro-Kann Defense
• More than 100 games in the French Defense Exchange Variation
• A surprising 100 plus games in the Amar Gambit
• A healthy win rate with the Modern Defense

Grit and Comebacks

What makes Bánk dangerous is his refusal to fade. His comeback rate sits near 90 percent, and he wins nearly half of his games even after dropping a piece. His longest winning streak reached 15 games, while his longest losing streak hit 25, which suggests he is willing to grind through rough patches without losing his love for the game.

Rivalries

Every online warrior has a cast of recurring foes, and Bánk is no exception. He and Rushan Bogaudinov have battled 22 times and sit perfectly balanced at 10 wins each. He has enjoyed the upper hand against pzsombor90, winning 9 of their 14 meetings. But there is one name that haunts him: Sim Estallo has beaten him 13 times without a single loss. Even FIDE Masters have nemeses.

Habits and Quirks

Bánk is at his best in the early morning, with 05:00 showing up as his strongest hour. His tilt factor is a modest 25, which is remarkable for someone with thousands of blitz games under his belt. He favors rook checks, delivers the first check more often than not, and wins more when he does. His win rate is nearly identical with white and black, making him a nightmare to prepare against.

If you want the full picture of his climb, check out his blitz rating journey below.