kireet panuganti NM

Kireet Panuganti (aka kkpanu9)

National Master of the 64 Black-and-White Squares

Meet Kireet Panuganti, a National Master who proves that patience and strategy beat brute force (and sometimes, pure luck). Starting from humble beginnings with a blitz rating shy of 1000 back in 2010, Kireet's relentless work ethic and the occasional lucky knight fork have propelled them to a peak blitz rating of 2166 in July 2023. Not bad for someone who probably still loses a pawn or two to sneaky traps.

Known online by the mysterious handle kkpanu9, Kireet's chess journey reads like a thrilling rollercoaster, complete with streaks of brilliant wins (a longest winning streak of 16 games!) and some gut-wrenching losses (hey, even National Masters have off days with an 18-game losing streak). But the real charm lies in their fighting spirit—boasting an impressive 85.77% comeback rate, Kireet is the embodiment of “never give up,” even when down a piece or two.

Style & Highlights

• Master of Openings: Kireet has a fondness for the Sicilian Defense, particularly the Najdorf Adams Attack, where they hold close to a 60% win rate in blitz games. Opponents beware: the Open Dragon in blitz is also a favorite, with over 60% wins!
• Time Control Tactician: Whether in bullet (peak rating 2306 in 2021) or rapid (peak rating 2264 in late 2020), Kireet adapts seamlessly, combining lightning-fast calculation with sneaky positional squeezes.
• Endgame Enthusiast: With over 80% frequency of endgames, Kireet clearly loves grinding out wins in the final phases, proving that pawns and kings can do almost anything with the right mindset.
• Psychological Warrior: Despite an 18% tilt factor (chess angst anyone?), the player shines brightest around 10 AM, perhaps fueled by a fresh cup of coffee and a dash of daylight brilliance.

Fun Facts

• Kireet's average moves per victory hover around 71, giving their opponents ample chances to mess up (and trust us, some do).
• When playing White, Kireet wins nearly half the games, proving that even the first move can be full of surprises. Black pieces? Don't count them out—almost 48% win rate.
• Notorious for resigning early only about 2% of the time, proving Kireet is a fighter till the last bishop drop or time scramble.

From dozens of epic battles against familiar foes like "just2krazy" to high-stakes duels on chess.com, Kireet has carved a name as a dependable and tough adversary. Win, lose, or draw, expect games full of creative tactics, hilarious blunders, and a never-ending love for the game.

Whether you want to learn from someone who’s rated over 2100 in multiple formats or just want a good challenge, Kireet Panuganti is your player. But be warned: they may just beat you on time!

“Chess isn’t just a game, it’s a way to confuse your opponent until they accidentally hang their queen.” – Probably Kireet