ISHTIAQ E ALAM

Ishtiaq E Alam – Chess.com Alias: ishtiaqfiam

Ishtiaq E Alam is a fierce chess warrior who has been battling on the 64 squares since at least 2014, steadily climbing the ranks in blitz, rapid, and bullet chess. With a peak blitz rating of 2101 (achieved in July 2023), a rapid rating topping out at an impressive 2278 in June 2024, and a bullet high of 1592 in 2019, Ishtiaq clearly knows their way around all time controls—even if bullet can sometimes be a little "bulletproof" with those highs and lows.

Career and Style

Adept at the sweet chaos of blitz chess, Ishtiaq has played over 31,000 blitz games, winning a respectable 15,000+ and holding their own with a win rate hovering around 45%. Known for an impressive comeback rate of over 80%, they're the type of player who never throws in the towel easily—so think twice about an early sacrifice against them!

Their chess style is an intriguing mix; they tend to engage in long battles lasting around 73 moves per game, showing great endurance and endgame prowess (almost 80% of their games see an endgame). Ishtiaq prefers to test opponents to the very last move rather than resign early, with an early resignation rate just above 1%. This means if you see them hanging on, they probably have a trick or two up their sleeve.

Opening Preferences

Among their favorite opening weapons are some classics and a dash of mystery: the Sicilian Defense Bowdler Attack yields their highest win rate at about 53%, while more commonly seen openings like the “Unknown Opening” and “Top Secret” (no doubt confidential strategies) keep opponents guessing. Ishtiaq’s love for well-studied openings shines through in their competitive repertoire, ranging from the Ruy Lopez Cozio Defense to the Caro Kann Advance Variation.

Recent Battles

In May 2025, Ishtiaq showcased sharp tactical skills in several Live Chess battles. Notably, one of their recent wins was executed with the black pieces against johann003, clinching victory on time after a strategic tussle involving English Opening and Kings' English variations.
They are not without setbacks, though. In a recent encounter, they suffered a loss by resignation to Sachingarg1 in a calculated Giuoco Piano game – proving even chess warriors have challenging days.

Psychology & Rhythm

Ishtiaq might be a bit of a night owl (or early bird)—their best time of day to play is at the unusual hour of 5 AM. Their tilt factor is modest, showing decent emotional control over the board chaos, but if you catch them at 1 AM, don’t be surprised if the win rate drops (it’s the witching hour, after all).

Fun Facts

• Longest winning streak: 12 – That’s almost a fortnight of dominance!
• Favorite time control? Blitz, no doubt – with more than 30,000 games played.
• Known to wield the mysterious “Top Secret” opening – what could it be? Probably a winning surprise!
• Has a psychological edge — bouncing back from lost pieces with a 43% win rate.

In short, Ishtiaq E Alam is not just another chess player—they are a tenacious tactician, a resilient strategist, and a time-pressure czar who keeps opponents on their toes from opening to endgame. So if you ever face ishtiaqfiam online, prepare for a battle that could last well into the night (or the wee hours of the morning)!