Lev Yankelevich (aka Kazan28)
Grandmaster Extraordinaire
Lev Yankelevich, known in the online chess realms as Kazan28, is no ordinary player — he’s a FIDE Grandmaster who’s been turning the 64 squares into a battleground of mind-bending strategy and tactical fireworks for over a decade.
A Career on the Rise
Starting from humble beginnings in 2012, Lev’s blitz rating was around the 1400 mark, but fast forward a bit, and he’s been crushing it with ratings soaring up to a stunning 2837 in blitz by late 2024! If speed chess were an Olympic sport, Lev would be bringing home gold — and maybe a few knight-shaped trophies to boot.
Playing Style & Stats
- Preferred time controls: Blitz and Bullet (because who has time for long games?)
- Tactical awareness: A comeback king with an 89% comeback rate — Lev turns losing positions into winning parties more often than you say "checkmate."
- Psychological resilience: Tilt factor is a mere 15, proving he rarely lets a lost game ruin his day. He’s a zen master with a chess clock.
- Longest winning streak: A jaw-dropping 14 games! Try to keep up.
Opening the Game Top Secret
Lev is tight-lipped about his favorite openings, but his signature moves are buried deep within the mysterious "Top Secret" category, where he’s played nearly 6000 games with a solid win rate of 48%. He dabbles expertly in the English, Catalan, and Queen’s Pawn openings, proving he’s a versatile strategist who loves to keep opponents guessing.
Recent Battles: Triumphs & Learning Curves
In one thrilling recent game (May/June 2025), Lev (as Kazan28) demonstrated his mastery over the English Opening against holmesplacekiryon, winning gracefully by resignation. Tactically precise from the start, Lev’s smooth coordination of queenside pawns and relentless pressure eventually forced his opponent to concede.
On the flip side, even chess gods stumble sometimes. A tough loss to SchroedingersTiger showed Lev’s human side; but given his high comeback rate, expect a grandmaster comeback worthy of cinematic applause soon.
A Friendly Rivalry
Lev’s foes find themselves tangled in a web of clever tactics and inventive combinations. He’s beaten many repeatedly — including queensandpawns and zigzag2002 — but his win rates show he sometimes likes to keep things spicy with close calls and unexpected twists!
Fun Facts
- Lev’s favorite hour to blaze the chessboard? Around 4:00 AM. Because why not conquer the world while it sleeps?
- He averages about 80 moves per winning game — endurance meets tenacity.
- Resignation is his signature move to close a win gracefully (over 2000 resignations by opponents, that is).
In summary, Lev Yankelevich is a top-tier chess tactician, lightning fast on the clock, and elegantly sly in strategy. Whether you call him Lev or Kazan28, one thing’s certain: keep an eye on this grandmaster — he’s still writing his legendary story, one brilliant move at a time.