Introduction
Oliwia Kiolbasa, known to online chess fans as kanzaww, is a Polish International Master with a sharp, energetic style. While she spends plenty of time in blitz and bullet, her preferred time control is rapid, where she can let her ideas develop at a human pace. Her rise up the online rating ladder has been steady and impressive, with her blitz rating climbing past 2600 by 2026.
Style and Openings
Kiolbasa is a devoted 1.e4 player. As White she is happy to take on the Caro-Kann Defense, the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, or the Scandinavian Defense, and she has found particular success in the sharp Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Cobra Variation, where she scores over 67 percent. As Black, she is a dangerous counterpuncher in the Ruy Lopez: Closed and thrives in the open play of the Scotch Game, winning more than 64 percent of her Scotch encounters.
Her games are rarely quick draws. With an endgame frequency of 83 and an average decisive game length around 75 to 80 moves, she is happy to outlast opponents. When she loses material, she still wins 45.83 percent of the time, and her comeback rate of 85.64 percent shows a player who never stops creating problems.
Rivalries and Grinding Mentality
No online career is complete without rivals. Kiolbasa's most played opponent is Julia Antolak, with 77 battles that have swung back and forth, a true test of nerves. Against Igor Janik she has faced 40 games, and her series with Marcin Smolka has also produced plenty of drama. These long running feuds have helped shape her resilient mindset.
Her numbers show a player who punishes lower rated opponents ruthlessly, winning 65.46 percent of those games, while remaining dangerous even against stronger opposition. She also performs best in the early morning, with a peak win rate around 06:00, which suggests a player who likes to start the day with the board.
Milestones
2641 (2026-06-09) represents her best blitz rating, while 2546 (2022-03-01) and 2352 (2020-05-25) show her range across time controls. The chart below tracks her blitz development from her early online days to her 2600 plus peak.
Conclusion
Oliwia Kiolbasa is a fierce competitor with a broad opening repertoire and an unbreakable will to fight. Whether she is navigating a closed Ruy Lopez or trading blows in a Sicilian, she plays every game with the mentality of a champion. Fans of kanzaww know to expect long, tense battles and plenty of creative chess.