Igor Kowalski: International Master of the Bullet Board
Igor Kowalski, who competes online as Igor_Kowalski, holds the FIDE title of International Master, but his most spectacular work is done at lightning speed. With more than 13,000 recorded bullet games and a peak bullet rating of 3201, he has turned the fastest time control on the site into a personal playground.
- Title: International Master (FIDE)
- Preferred battleground: bullet chess
- Known for: relentless volume, wild openings, and dramatic comebacks
A Bullet Career in Numbers
Igor's bullet resume reads like a video game save file. His 3201 (2026-03-21) of 3201 was reached in March 2026 after years of steady climbing from a starting bullet rating near 2383. He has 8,042 bullet wins against 4,362 losses, plus a longest winning streak of 80 games. The rating journey is a story of relentless volume and growth:
.The blitz board is nearly as kind. He peaked at 2988 in blitz in late 2025, and his rapid and daily records are comically clean: 213 rapid wins without a single recorded loss and a perfect 6-0 mark in daily chess.
Opening Repertoire
As White, Igor practically lives on 1.Nf3, setting up the Nimzo-Larsen Attack. He has played it more than 700 times in bullet and wins 73.84% of those games. His favorite Black weapon is the Modern Defense, with over 1,400 bullet games and a 63% score. His single most-played line overall is the Colle Rhamphorhynchus Variation, appearing in more than 1,550 bullet games, and he is also fond of unorthodox tries like the Amar Gambit and the Australian Defense.
With a median preparation depth of only three to five moves, Igor trusts his instincts and tactical sharpness over book memory. He delivers checks early and often, and his first capture typically arrives around move eight.
Fierce Rivalries
No opponent has tested him more than Petros Trimitzios. Their 521-game rivalry is perfectly balanced at 243 wins apiece with 35 draws. Aakash Sharadchandra Dalvi and Riley are the next most frequent visitors to the Igor gauntlet, with 510 and 462 games respectively, though Igor holds the clear edge in both series. The long battles with these familiar names have helped shape his attacking style and his knack for grinding out wins under time pressure.
Numbers, Habits, and Comebacks
The data paints a picture of a resilient night owl. Igor wins back 79.92% of games in which he trails, and he still wins 57.74% of games even after losing a piece. His endgame frequency is 82%, meaning he rarely lets opponents off the hook early. His best hour to play is 3:00 AM, where his sample win rate is a perfect 100%, and Friday is his strongest day at 64.69%.
Even his longest losing streak of 26 games is dwarfed by that 80-game winning streak. He tilts, he recovers, and then he wins again. For Igor Kowalski, the bullet board is not a sprint. It is a marathon with a clock.