Nguyễn Quang Kiên

Profile: Nguyễn Quang Kiên (aka ken881)

Once upon a chessboard, in the kingdom of pawns and knights, there emerged a fighter known as Nguyễn Quang Kiên—though the chess world more often calls him ken881. Not your stereotypical grandmaster, ken881’s journey has been a rollercoaster of daring openings, mysterious blunders, and brilliant checkmates.

Rise (and occasional falls) in Ratings

From a humble Rapid rating of 161 in early 2024, our hero battled through a mere 1 game per month until 2025, when the real action started. In the first half of 2025, ken881 soared up to a peak Rapid rating of 464—a number that made opponents tremble and keyboards sweat.

Style & Strategies

With an engaging endgame frequency of ~64% and an average 57 moves per win, ken881 doesn't rush. Like a slow-cooker meal, he simmers his strategy patiently, savoring every move until the perfect moment to strike. Early resignations are rare (only 3%), proving he fights until the very end—even if sometimes checkmated 50 times (yes, those tough losses build character!).

Favorite Openings:

• Vienna Game: 3 wins out of 3 games, perfect 100% record. Clearly, a trusted weapon.
• Pirc Defense Modern Defense Geller System: A strong 75% win rate, wielded with precision.
• Bishop’s Opening: Not bad either, with a solid 70% win rate.
• King’s Pawn Opening Leonardis Variation: Ken881’s go-to trickery — unbeaten with 71.4% wins and 2 draws.

Battle Stories

One legendary match took place on June 5, 2025, when ken881 unleashed a dazzling checkmate against manolo31600 in just 11 moves—proving speed sometimes seals destiny. Another thrilling victory was gained by resignation when the opponent realized there was no escape from ken881’s relentless pressure.

Yet, even the best have their shadows. Recent defeats to players like aoijsdpqun and JCW2 remind us that chess is a humbling master, and every loss is just a setup for a grand comeback.

Personality & Quirks

Known for a modest tilt factor of 4, ken881 keeps cool under fire, bouncing back with a remarkable 69% comeback rate after losing a piece. His best time to play? Midnight owl hours at 22:00, when the board comes alive and ideas flow like midnight snacks.

His win rates fluctuate by day—from a solid 52% on Mondays to a cunning 33% on Thursdays and Fridays, perhaps indicating a need for extra coffee on those days.

Overall

Nguyễn Quang Kiên, a.k.a. ken881, is a chess warrior with a fighting heart, mastering varied openings and enduring battles that stretch long into the night. Whether you face him across the board or study his famed games, one thing is certain: ken881 doesn't just play chess—he performs an intricate dance of strategy, patience, and occasional surprise attacks. Watch out, pawns!