Alex Ward — Chess streamer and content creator
Alex Ward is a chess streamer who blends sharp analysis with a healthy dose of humor. Since the mid-2010s, Alex has built a welcoming online space where viewers can watch fast-paced Blitz battles, learn practical ideas, and join in on lively commentary. With a focus on rapid decision-making and clear explanations, Alex makes complex positions approachable for players of all levels. alexward
Streaming journey and community
On stream, Alex guides audiences through quick games and thoughtful post-match breakdowns. The channel thrives on viewer participation—live game reviews, Q&A sessions, and collaborative streams with fellow players. The preferred time control appears to be Blitz, where Alex showcases fast calculation, practical openings, and resilient endgames. For a direct look at the profile, see alexward.
Playing style and strengths
Alex leans into fast, aggressive, and practical play. In Blitz sessions, opening choices like the Sicilian Defense and Philidor Defense appear frequently, often leading to sharp, tactical battles. Endgames are a strong suit, with a preference for converting small advantages into win chances. This combination makes streams entertaining and educational, especially for viewers craving actionable ideas in rapid formats.
- Preferred time control: Blitz
- Strong opening familiarity in Sicilian Defense and related lines
- Endgame awareness and practical conversion
Highlights and memorable moments
- Longest winning streak: 25 games
- Peak Blitz performance highlighted in the community discussions
- Sample game exploration:
- Rating progression snapshot:
Philosophy and community goals
Beyond chasing wins, Alex aims to demystify chess and make it welcoming for beginners. The channel emphasizes curiosity, resilience, and respectful play. Future plans include more collaborative streams, viewer-driven openings experiments, and occasional coaching sessions to help fans translate quick instincts into solid results on the board.
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| teamster_zizo | 81W / 73L / 6D | |
| TeamsterZizo | 32W / 47L / 5D | |
| cookeky | 21W / 20L / 2D | |
| fatfriar22 | 28W / 1L / 1D | |
| letram13 | 24W / 1L / 0D | |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1577 | |||
| 2023 | 1204 | 1600 | ||
| 2022 | 1052 | 1607 | ||
| 2021 | 1052 | 1204 | 1572 | |
| 2020 | 1232 | 1253 | 1354 | 1605 |
| 2019 | 1000 | 1256 | 1569 | |
| 2018 | 926 | 1354 | 1427 | |
| 2017 | 512 | 972 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12W / 2L / 0D | 9W / 3L / 0D | 57.1 |
| 2023 | 3W / 1L / 0D | 3W / 0L / 0D | 57.0 |
| 2022 | 1W / 1L / 1D | 2W / 1L / 0D | 65.8 |
| 2021 | 5W / 7L / 1D | 2W / 6L / 1D | 76.6 |
| 2020 | 33W / 7L / 1D | 28W / 9L / 3D | 67.2 |
| 2019 | 220W / 207L / 14D | 216W / 202L / 24D | 64.3 |
| 2018 | 82W / 42L / 6D | 89W / 30L / 8D | 66.5 |
| 2017 | 18W / 29L / 3D | 20W / 26L / 4D | 65.7 |
Openings: Most Played
| Daily Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense | 27 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 88.9% |
| Amazon Attack | 20 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 45.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, Kharlov-Kramnik Line | 18 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 61.1% |
| London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 66.7% |
| Barnes Defense | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 60.0% |
| Philidor Defense | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 90.0% |
| Amar Gambit | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 66.7% |
| Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 75.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Closed | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 57.1% |
| Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 57.1% |
| Rapid Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Closed | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| French Defense | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.3% |
| Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, Kharlov-Kramnik Line | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 33.3% |
| QGA: 3.e3 c5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.0% |
| QGD: 2...Bf5 3.cxd5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.0% |
| Diemer-Duhm Gambit (DDG): 4...f5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Colle: 3...Bf5, Alekhine Variation | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Ruy Lopez: Old Steinitz Defense, Semi-Duras Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| QGD: 4.Nf3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| QGA: 4.Nc3 a6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense | 93 | 49 | 41 | 3 | 52.7% |
| Unknown | 78 | 33 | 45 | 0 | 42.3% |
| Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, Kharlov-Kramnik Line | 63 | 26 | 32 | 5 | 41.3% |
| Philidor Defense | 44 | 21 | 21 | 2 | 47.7% |
| Amazon Attack | 40 | 19 | 20 | 1 | 47.5% |
| French Defense | 35 | 17 | 17 | 1 | 48.6% |
| Amar Gambit | 33 | 13 | 18 | 2 | 39.4% |
| Modern Defense: Pterodactyl Variation | 31 | 16 | 12 | 3 | 51.6% |
| QGD: 2...Bf5 3.cxd5 | 30 | 11 | 19 | 0 | 36.7% |
| Elephant Gambit | 30 | 19 | 11 | 0 | 63.3% |
| Bullet Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, Kharlov-Kramnik Line | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.7% |
| Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 25 | 0 |
| Losing | 12 | 1 |