About FIDE Master Leonid Starozhilov
Leonid Starozhilov, known online as Leonid_Starozhilov, is a FIDE Master whose chess life runs on Blitz. With tens of thousands of online games played, Leonid has built a reputation as a relentless speed chess competitor. Their longest winning streak reached 26 games, and their comeback rate sits near 87 percent, meaning Leonid rarely goes down without a fight.
Blitz Journey
Since early 2017, Blitz has been Leonid's main battleground. The rating climb has been steady and impressive, moving from the 2500s into serious 2800 and beyond territory. Leonid eventually reached a peak Blitz rating of 2933 (2026-09-10), proving that volume of play and consistency can go hand in hand.
Leonid also shines in Bullet, where a peak rating of 2996 shows just how dangerous they are when the clock is flying. That versatility makes Leonid a tough opponent in any time scramble.
Opening Repertoire and Style
Leonid's opening tastes lean toward flexible and hypermodern systems. The Nimzo-Larsen Attack appears throughout their games, while the Modern Defense and Caro-Kann Defense are regular companions. This willingness to explore offbeat lines keeps opponents uncomfortable from the very first moves.
- High endgame frequency near 87 percent
- First capture tends to arrive around move eight
- White win rate of 52.74 percent and Black win rate of 50.49 percent
- Rarely one-sided losses, with a comeback rate above 87 percent
Notable Rivalries
No opponent has faced Leonid more often than caliban112, with more than 600 head to head battles. Leonid holds the edge in that duel, winning 429 of those games. Regular rivals also include zuraazmai, yushko_olga, and coachjkane, forming a competitive circle of online battlers.