Jamie Farrugia (aka Maltaqueen)
Meet Jamie Farrugia, proudly holding the title of Woman FIDE Master, a chess player who has navigated the 64 squares with both grit and grace. Whether known as Jamie or by their online handle Maltaqueen, they have demonstrated a fierce passion for the game and an impressive tactical awareness that's only rivaled by their ability to strategically timeout opponents.
Jamie’s chess journey is a rollercoaster of impressive peaks and strategic comebacks. Their peak rapid rating hit a stellar 2100 in September 2024, proving that patience and practice pay off. And for those who prefer a quicker dance of pieces, Jamie’s bullet peak rating soared to 1575 back in December 2014. With a strong win rate of nearly 60% in bullet games, it’s clear Jamie doesn’t just survive the time pressure—they thrive under it.
Ever the resilient warrior, Jamie’s comeback rate sits at an admirable 63%, meaning if they lose a piece, don’t count them out just yet. Their endgame skills shine brightly, featuring in over half of their games and often lasting an average of 55 moves per victory—chess fans know that’s a battle well fought, not just a quick skirmish.
Jamie's favorite time to strike? The early hours around 5 AM, when most players are still dreaming of checkmates. Their psychological fortitude is summed up in a tilt factor of just 7, showing they keep calm even when the heat is on. And if you ever play Jamie on a Friday or a Sunday afternoon, be warned—their win rates on those days hover above 60%, making those times prime for challenging matches.
Known for a rather secretive opening strategy (appropriately labeled "Top Secret" in their statistics), Jamie keeps opponents guessing and pawns sweating. With a longest winning streak of 15 games, they can chain victories like beads on a string. However, every hero faces trials—Jamie’s longest losing streak stands at 7, reminding us that even masters have off days.
Outside the numbers and ratings, Jamie’s playstyle is a delight blend of boldness and patience, boasting a White win rate of 58.67% and Black win rate of 56.33%—quite balanced for a player who can wield either color with equal flair.
The most recent triumph saw Jamie delivering a swift and deadly checkmate against a 1780-rated opponent, showcasing the elegant cruelty of their tactical prowess. It’s safe to say, Jamie isn’t just playing chess—they’re orchestrating performances worthy of grandmaster applause.
In the chess cosmos, Jamie Farrugia (Maltaqueen) is a rising star with a hint of mystery, a dash of humor, and a ton of strategic brilliance. When Jamie’s at the board, it’s not just a game—it’s a thrilling adventure where pawns fight, queens conquer, and opponents learn respect.
Hi Jamie, here is some constructive feedback based on your latest games.
1. Openings – build a reliable framework
• Your recent loss with 1.a3 (see mini-game below) shows how an unclear opening choice can leave you struggling for harmony and king safety.
• Compare that with your latest win against milly_s where you followed a French-/Pirc-like setup and quickly seized the initiative.
• Recommendation: pick one main system with White (e.g. 1.d4 London or 1.e4 Italian) and one vs 1.e4 (e.g. French, Pirc) & one vs 1.d4 (e.g. Queen’s Gambit Declined) and stick to them for 20-30 games. The goal is to spend less time in the opening and reach middlegames you know.
Costly example
2. Use your tempo wisely
• In that same game you moved the c-knight four times within seven moves (Nc3-a2-c1-e2). Each extra move costs a tempo and allowed Black to develop smoothly.
• Goal: during the first ten moves ask yourself “Is this my third move with the same piece?” If yes, look for a developing move instead.
3. Tactical sharpness – your biggest asset
• The Bxh3 sacrifice in your win was excellent: it opened lines, exploited pins and converted swiftly.
• Leverage this strength by solving 15–20 timed puzzles daily (rating 200-300 points above yours) to sharpen calculation speed.
4. Convert the initiative – cut the waste
• Even in the game you won, you spent two tempi with ...Bg4-d7. Look for one-move redeployments that serve multiple purposes: a bishop on g5/b4 often pins and pressures at once.
• Think “Does my piece have a useful square it can reach in one tempo?”
5. Time management
• Most of your 2020 Crazyhouse losses came from flagging in equal or winning positions.
• Try the 80/20 rule: aim to have 80 % of your initial time by move 10 and at least 20 % by move 30. Blitz out book moves, then slow down for critical tactical positions.
6. Crazyhouse specific tips
• Pieces in hand are tempo on demand. Before grabbing material, ask: “Could my opponent drop mate on g7/g2 in two?”
• Visualise pawn drops around the king (g7/g2, f7/f2, h7/h2) after each exchange.
7. Training plan for the next four weeks
- Day-to-day: 15 min tactics, 1 rapid game, 5-min review with engine off, focusing on blunders you understand.
- Weekly: analyse two of your own games in depth, one win one loss. Identify the moment your evaluation changed.
- Opening lab: build a 20-move “mini-repertoire” file; review it every Sunday.
Your progress dashboard
2100 (2024-09-23)
Keep the focus on consistent openings, tempo efficiency and your already strong tactical eye. Improvement will follow quickly. Good luck!
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| _killerqueen_ | 11W / 3L / 0D | View Games |
| checkmatey007 | 3W / 9L / 0D | View Games |
| best_player11 | 1W / 6L / 2D | View Games |
| asmirpiric | 3W / 4L / 0D | View Games |
| maltaking | 5W / 1L / 0D | View Games |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2100 | |||
| 2020 | 1152 | |||
| 2016 | 1534 | 1447 | ||
| 2015 | 1504 | 1499 | 1581 | |
| 2014 | 1545 | 1128 | ||
| 2013 | 944 | 1251 | 1039 | |
| 2012 | 964 | 1187 | 1137 | |
| 2011 | 1088 | 1164 | 1072 | 1039 |
| 2010 | 1220 | 1066 | 854 | 1065 |
| 2009 | 1023 | 1005 | 1200 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0W / 1L / 0D | 1W / 0L / 1D | 68.7 |
| 2020 | 2W / 3L / 0D | 2W / 3L / 0D | 38.7 |
| 2016 | 2W / 0L / 0D | 1W / 1L / 0D | 79.2 |
| 2015 | 3W / 7L / 1D | 2W / 7L / 0D | 61.5 |
| 2014 | 98W / 46L / 1D | 85W / 55L / 4D | 61.1 |
| 2013 | 32W / 17L / 1D | 29W / 23L / 0D | 57.1 |
| 2012 | 43W / 38L / 1D | 35W / 38L / 4D | 55.5 |
| 2011 | 55W / 41L / 6D | 59W / 40L / 4D | 59.2 |
| 2010 | 82W / 53L / 5D | 81W / 44L / 3D | 48.6 |
| 2009 | 1W / 2L / 0D | 2W / 2L / 2D | 46.6 |
Openings: Most Played
| Rapid Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackburne Shilling Gambit | 13 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 7.7% |
| Philidor Defense | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 66.7% |
| Petrov's Defense | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 50.0% |
| French Defense | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 80.0% |
| Amar Gambit | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 40.0% |
| Elephant Gambit | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 20.0% |
| Barnes Opening: Walkerling | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 40.0% |
| Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fegatello Attack, Leonhardt Variation | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Barnes Defense | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.7% |
| Amazon Attack | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 33.3% |
| Bullet Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackburne Shilling Gambit | 57 | 36 | 21 | 0 | 63.2% |
| Barnes Opening: Walkerling | 49 | 30 | 18 | 1 | 61.2% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 35 | 23 | 11 | 1 | 65.7% |
| Amar Gambit | 32 | 20 | 11 | 1 | 62.5% |
| Amazon Attack | 31 | 17 | 14 | 0 | 54.8% |
| Philidor Defense | 28 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation | 26 | 18 | 8 | 0 | 69.2% |
| Elephant Gambit | 23 | 15 | 8 | 0 | 65.2% |
| Italian Game: Two Knights Defense | 21 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 42.9% |
| French Defense | 19 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 42.1% |
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackburne Shilling Gambit | 35 | 22 | 13 | 0 | 62.9% |
| Barnes Opening: Walkerling | 24 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 50.0% |
| Elephant Gambit | 21 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 66.7% |
| Philidor Defense | 19 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 79.0% |
| Amazon Attack | 19 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 68.4% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 18 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 50.0% |
| Amar Gambit | 16 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 81.2% |
| Barnes Defense | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 76.9% |
| Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fegatello Attack, Leonhardt Variation | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 58.3% |
| Scotch Game | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 44.4% |
| Daily Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnes Opening: Walkerling | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.3% |
| Blackburne Shilling Gambit | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Elephant Gambit | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Pirc Defense: Classical Variation | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Philidor Defense | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Ruy Lopez: Bird's Defense Deferred | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Barnes Defense | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Unknown | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| QGA: 3.Nf3 Bg4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, Kharlov-Kramnik Line | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 15 | 1 |
| Losing | 7 | 0 |