Who Is Krishna Nathan?
Krishna Nathan, known online as kripri, is a National Master who has spent more than a decade turning online chess into a full-time hobby. He started his climb in 2013 with a sub-1000 blitz rating and rose to a peak of 2766 (2026-04-27). His preferred battlefield is bullet, where quick hands and quicker instincts matter most.
The Climb
Krishna's blitz trajectory shows heavy volume: he has played more than 14,000 rated blitz games, with thousands more in bullet and rapid. The chart below tells the story of a player who kept improving year after year.
Style and Openings
Krishna is an aggressive and creative opener. His signature weapon is the Amar Gambit, which he has played over 1,200 times in blitz alone. He also enjoys the solid Caro-Kann Defense, the classical French Defense, and a healthy dose of the Sicilian Defense when facing 1.e4. He delivers first check about half the time and wins 57 percent of games when he does.
Do not count him out early. Krishna has an 85.1 percent comeback rate and his longest winning streak reached 15 games. He also tends to play his best chess around 10:00 in the morning, so schedule your match accordingly.
Rivalries
Every strong player needs a familiar foe. Krishna's most frequent dance partner is lord_hammer, with 167 encounters and 116 wins for Krishna. He has also enjoyed lopsided success against ajjupri, winning 26 of their 29 meetings.
Numbers and Quirks
- Longest winning streak: 15 games
- Longest losing streak: 13 games, survived like a true grinder
- Best time of day to play: 10:00
- More than 7,100 rated blitz wins and counting