Matyáš Zeman: The Blitz Grinder Behind mistrzemi
FIDE Master Matyáš Zeman, known online as mistrzemi, is a tireless online blitz competitor whose rapid rise from club level to master strength has been powered by volume, aggression, and an unmistakable love for fast chess.
Early Blitz Beginnings
Matyáš Zeman joined the online chess world in August 2016 with a modest blitz rating of 1395. He wasted no time making an impression, winning seven of his first nine recorded games. Within a few months he crossed 1800, and by mid 2017 he was grinding out hundreds of blitz games per month while climbing past 2100. The early pattern was clear: he was not just playing chess, he was collecting experience at warp speed.
The Climb to FIDE Master
Zeman earned the FIDE Master title through over the board results, but his online blitz career reveals the engine behind that success. He crossed 2300 in late 2017, broke through the 2500 barrier in 2018, and eventually reached a peak of 2659 (2026-08-20) in August 2026. The long trajectory from 1400 to 2600 is visible in his rating history, a decade of consistent improvement and relentless activity.
Playing Style and Opening Tastes
With the white pieces, Zeman prefers to push for initiative from the very first moves. His signature weapon is the Amazon Attack, especially the sharp Siberian Attack, where he has piled up more than 200 blitz wins. As Black, he is deeply loyal to the French Defense, playing the Burn, Exchange, and Advance variations with confidence and solid results in the Exchange and Advance lines.
His style is built on activity and resilience. He delivers the first check in nearly half of all analyzed games, and when he creates the first threat, his winning percentage climbs to almost 57 percent. He also has a remarkable habit of fighting back: his comeback rate is near 88 percent, and he still wins almost half of the games in which he has lost a piece. Long winning streaks, strong endgame fights, and an average of 76 moves in winning games all point to a player who never stops pressing.
Rivalries and Opponents
No portrait of mistrzemi is complete without his main online rivals. He has faced zelezo022 in 186 blitz battles, the most intense rivalry of his online career, and he holds a dominant 135 to 44 score in those games. He also traded blows with Richard Mladek in 63 meetings and with Tomas Kraus in 66 meetings. Against players like kikalaurincova and michaelanova, he was nearly untouchable. Those repeated battles helped him learn to read familiar opponents and adjust his approach over long stretches.
Beyond the Clock
While blitz is clearly his natural habitat, Zeman has also tested faster and slower formats. His bullet rating peaked at 2304, and his rapid play shows a strong 24 wins in 30 recorded games. His numbers even suggest he is at his best in the early hours, with his highest win rate coming around 5 a.m. Add a frightening finishing touch: in the sampled data he has won by checkmate 24 times and lost by checkmate only once. For Matyáš Zeman, the game is rarely over until the last king falls.