Hafiz Ezmal

Hafiz Ezmal (knight89150)

Hafiz Ezmal, known in the chess realms as knight89150, is a rapid chess enthusiast whose rating rollercoaster could rival any thrill ride. Starting off with a humble first-month rapid rating of around 536 in 2023, Hafiz catapulted to a peak rapid rating of 1069 by April 2025. If consistency were a chess piece, Hafiz might have lost it somewhere in a frantic middlegame.

Chess Journey and Style

With over 1800 rapid games played, Hafiz has snatched victory 937 times, proving he's no easy target despite a nearly equal number of losses. His draw count is modest, showing he prefers to settle matters decisively — usually involving at least one dramatic queen sacrifice or an impromptu pawn storm.

Doors open early for Hafiz with an Early Resignation Rate of just 3.8%, meaning he rarely quits even when the situation looks grimmer than a blundered queen on move 5. His endgames are his playground, engaging in them more than half the time, and his average moves per game hover around 56 moves whether he wins or loses – talk about stamina!

Favorite Openings: The Usual Suspects

• Scotch Game: Played 141 times with a win rate just above 51%, proving he's comfortable mixing simple development with tactical fireworks.
• King's Pawn Opening (King's Knight Variation): About 104 games, showing his love for classical and flexible starts.
• Englund Gambit & Italian Game: These openings showcase Hafiz's playful side — gambits and sharp lines where calculated risks often pay off.

Tactical Flair & Psychological Quirks

Hafiz has an impressive Comeback Rate of 81.4%. Playing as if every lost piece is just a minor setback, he can flip games around with flair. However, his tilt factor of 9 suggests that sometimes after a loss he might stomp the board — or at least his mouse — in frustration.

Interestingly, his best hours to play are between 18:00 and 23:00, where his win rate approaches a solid 58%. Perhaps he's more of a night owl surprise attacker than a morning strategist.

Most Recent Games

His latest victory was a thrilling checkmate using the Philidor Defense—after weaving through complex middlegame tactics with the white pieces. The game ended with a classic queen promotion and mates in style.
Not all battles end in triumph; his recent losses show tough fights against opponents wielding the French Defense and Italian Game, reminding us that even knights like Hafiz fall sometimes but always learn.

Summary

Hafiz Ezmal is a spirited rapid player who mixes grit, tactical sharpness, and a dash of unpredictability. From gambits to grind-it-out endgames, his chess journey is anything but dull. Whether clawing back from a lost piece or playing until the last pawn falls, Hafiz’s games are a testament to the heart and hustle behind every move on the 64 squares. And if chess taught us anything, it’s that every knight deserves their moment to shine—even if it means a few bumps and blunders along the way!