From 1300 to Grandmaster
Maciej Klekowski, known online as maciek_92, is a FIDE Grandmaster who started his online chess journey in 2013 with a modest blitz rating and then did the online chess equivalent of a rocket launch. By 2016 he was already competing in the 2600s, and he has since reached a peak of 3126 (2026-02-17) in blitz and 3126 (2026-01-11) in bullet. His rise is all the more remarkable because it was built on thousands of games, not just a lucky streak.
His opening taste is unmistakable: he loves to push 1.c4 with White and steer the game into the rich, positional waters of the English Opening. With Black, he is a lifelong student of the Sicilian Defense, especially the Taimanov and Alapin lines.
Playing Style
Klekowski is a marathoner in a sprinter's world. His games often stretch past 80 moves, his favorite time control is rapid, and he seems allergic to early resignation. A 90% comeback rate and a 1.5% early resignation rate tell you exactly what kind of opponent he is: annoying, resilient, and always looking for a swindle.
- Favorite first move: 1.c4, heading into the English Opening
- As Black: a fearless Sicilian Defense repertoire
- Streak credentials: 27 straight wins, with only a 10-game losing streak to humble him
- Best time of day to face him? Apparently not 1:00 AM, where he plays like a different animal
Rivalries and Familiar Faces
No player defines Klekowski's online career quite like Kamil Dragun, his most frequent opponent with 468 meetings. Their head-to-head is almost comically balanced: 208 wins, 209 losses, and 51 draws. Every match is a coin flip, which is either a beautiful rivalry or a shared curse.
Against elite talents like Daniel Naroditsky and Nihal Sarin, Klekowski has losing records, but he keeps showing up for more. He also has a solid career mark against Oskar Wieczorek, and his 63 games against polish_fighter3000 prove that even grandmasters can have a personal bogey player.
Rapid and Beyond
Although the volume of games is heavily weighted toward blitz and bullet, Klekowski's preferred time control is rapid, and his rapid peak of 2575 (2024-01-31) reflects that preference. In daily chess, his adjusted win rate is even stronger, suggesting that when he is allowed to think, he becomes a considerably more dangerous creature.
The data paints a portrait of a grandmaster who simply loves to play: thousands of games, a favorite opening, a lifelong rival, and a refusal to resign. If you meet maciek_92 on the virtual board, bring patience, a good endgame, and maybe a snack. You will be there a while.