Avatar of Alex Ward

Alex Ward

Username: NedPencil

Location: Portland, OR

Playing Since: 2017-02-28 (Inactive)

Wow Factor: ♟

Chess.com

Daily: 1577
232W / 86L / 18D
Rapid: 1204
3W / 2L / 0D
Blitz: 1052
394W / 357L / 42D
Bullet: 1382
1W / 0L / 0D

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:
    Daily Rating201720182019202020212022202320241607972YearDaily Rating

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
Rating by Year201720182019202020212022202320241607512YearRatingBulletBlitzRapidDaily

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