The Man Behind the Username
Christopher Pace, better known to the chess world as ItalianMachine, is not just a clever handle. The National Master has built one of the most entertaining blitz libraries ever compiled: more than 30,000 online games, a 41-game winning streak, and a style that mixes Renaissance flair with modern machine-like precision.
He makes quick time controls look like a home game, but do not let the smile on the clock fool you. Losing to Christopher usually starts with small mistakes and ends with a very fast exit.
The Joy of Blitz
His preferred time control is blitz, and the numbers back it up: nearly 25,000 blitz games, a 14000-to-9000 win-loss ledger, and a rating journey that climbs with the kind of confidence usually reserved for movie villains. His blitz path is best seen than described:
He has reached 2608 (2026-01-15), and if you check his record after losing a piece, you will find he wins more often than he should. With an 83% comeback rate and a 74% endgame frequency, he is the player who an expects to resist and reloading.
Pet Openings & Defensive Cheer
As White, the ItalianMachine often opens with ambitious central play, seeing the Caro-Kann Defense rise up and immediately choosing a sharp counter.
As Black, he is no softer. Against the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense he is full of resources and has a quietly excellent score. He also enjoys offbeat lan lines such as the Modern, the Scandinavian Defense, and the Closed Sicilian, aggressively reallocating the traditional map with practical hunches.
His opening results can be sliced by defender or attacker:
Rivalries & Habits
No profile is complete without a fearsome rival. Christopher has faced the same opponent more than a thousand times: italian-stallion1, with over 1,100 wins against the fated stallion. For a while he also tested his blade against the streamer Rogelio Jr Antonio, a rare scoreboard where the Machine accepts that the GK, Joey, has indeed had his number.
He plays early mornings. If you meet ItalianMachine at 8:00 AM, prepare for the highest win rate of the day; if you meet him at 1 PM after lunch, the wires may bend the other direction.
Still, the biography of Christopher Pace is not about the rating ticker. It is about love of blitz, a hidden endgame wallet, and a well-known track record of turning losing positions into online records. He is called the Italian Machine for a reason: feed him a chess clock and he will produce a route to the score.