John Bergstresser (jzing09) - Chess Adventurer Extraordinaire
John Bergstresser, known in the chess realms as jzing09, is a player whose journey through the 64 squares is as colorful as his wide repertoire of openings. While not a grandmaster just yet, John’s persistence and quirky style make him a formidable opponent and a beloved figure in the online chess community.
Rating and Stats Snapshot
- Peak Rapid Rating: 1012 (March 2021) – a milestone worthy of a celebratory pawn dance.
- Peak Blitz Rating: 1137 (May 2018) – lightning-fast moves, occasionally matched by lightning-fast coffee breaks.
- Peak Bullet Rating: 1101 (May 2021) – a realm where one blink equals two pawns lost or gained.
- Peak Daily Rating: 545 (March 2024) – proving patience is a virtue on the long game.
Playing Style & Personality
With an average moves per win hovering around 53 and a slightly longer average game length when losing (~64 moves), John is not one to rush through the middlegame. His 61.5% endgame frequency shows he loves the dramatic dance of the final phase – where a single pawn can be a hero or a villain.
An early resignation rate of just 2.6% means John usually fights till the end — or at least until his coffee gets cold. His come back rate is impressively high at 70.9%, so giving him a piece might just invite a thrilling comeback story!
John’s psychological resilience is evident with a modest tilt factor of 13, meaning he rarely lets a bad game cloud his judgment for long. His best time to play? Midnight hour at 23:00, apparently when his queen wakes up and becomes extra rebellious.
Opening Arsenal
John dives into a diverse set of openings, favoring strategies with bishops and king’s pawns. His top Rapid openings and win rates include:
- Bishop's Opening: Played 1064 games with a steady 51% win rate.
- Bishop's Opening Berlin Defense: With a 52%+ win rate from over 580 games, this is a signature line.
- King's Pawn Opening: 55% win rate – tackling the kingdom head-on!
- Scandinavian Defense: A trusty weapon with 54.97% success.
In Bullet and Blitz, John experiments with kinds of openings, showing a delightfully unpredictable approach that keeps his adversaries guessing.
Notable Recent Game: A Slaying in the Giuoco Piano
On June 3, 2025, in a Live Chess event, John (playing Black as jzing09) showcased tactical flair and dogged determination against "gyrrdfjngyvcb." After a complex battle in the Giuoco Piano - Pianissimo Variation, John won by resignation on move 34, executing lethal pressure and demonstrating strategic mastery.
The Human Behind the Moves
More than just numbers and games, John is a chess warrior who has logged thousands of games across formats, collected wins and losses with equal grace, and approached the game with a hearty blend of skill and humor. Whether grinding out wins in rapid fire or carefully navigating daily matches, John reminds us that chess is as much about passion and persistence as it is about rating.
“He plays the board like a grand symphony, with every pawn, knight, and bishop dancing to his tune... well, most of the time.”
