Avatar of Nikolas Theodorou

Nikolas Theodorou GM

Username: NikoTheodorou

Playing Since: 2020-12-31 (Active)

Wow Factor: ♟♟♟♟♟♟♟

Chess.com

Rapid: 2665
65W / 32L / 57D
Blitz: 3161
3997W / 3166L / 1202D
Bullet: 3106
1697W / 1581L / 304D

Nikolas Theodorou - Grandmaster Extraordinaire

Meet NikoTheodorou, a chess Grandmaster whose reputation on the board is as fierce as a knight on a banquet night! Earning the prestigious Grandmaster title from FIDE, Nikolas has proven to be a formidable opponent in the intense battlegrounds of Bullet, Blitz, and Rapid chess.

A Journey Through the Ranks

Starting with a Bullet rating around 2000 back in 2020, Nikolas quickly amped up their speed and precision, smashing the 3200+ barrier at their peak — a milestone many can only dream of. In Blitz, they soared to a stellar peak rating of 3237 in late 2024, spinning their opponents dizzy faster than a queen can cross the board. Rapid games have seen them hold a solid 2797 peak, proving that even when the clock ticks slower, their dominance remains consistent.

Playing Style & Taste

If you're wondering how Nikolas plays, think of a patient schematic architect who isn't afraid to play a long game — boasting an impressive average of over 85 moves per win in Bullet! They have an endgame frequency close to 85%, and with a comeback rate exceeding 90%, surrender is definitely not in their vocabulary. Opponents beware: they don’t quit early, as early resignation rate is barely above 1%. So, prepare for a battle of wits that could run into the wee hours.

Whether wielding white or black pieces, the win rates hover close to 50% for white and a respectable near 46% for black, showing an adaptable and resilient mindset regardless of starting position. The secret of their success? Two words: Top Secret. This opening strategy yields a win rate just above 52% in Bullet — obviously not for your average club player!

Friend and Foe

Nikolas's record battles include multiple duels against chess giants like danielnaroditsky, nihalsarin, hikaru, and even the legendary magnuscarlsen. While victories against these powerhouses are challenging (win rate vs. Magnus at 18%), our Grandmaster keeps the spirit high and the pieces flying!

Recent Highlight Reel

Recently, Nikolas checked mate opponents with style and precision. In a thrilling encounter playing white, they executed a classic Sicilian Defense Alapin variation to deliver a flawless checkmate in under 50 moves, earning applause from fans worldwide.

Yet, even champions stumble — a lesson Nikolas embraces with sportsmanship, learning from tough losses to the likes of FairChess_on_YouTube. After all, in chess, every defeat is just a setup for a brilliant comeback.

Off the Board

Away from the concentration and tension of online matches, one wonders if Nikolas ponders their next brilliant sacrifice over coffee, or perhaps dreams of knights galloping through open fields. Whatever the case, NikoTheodorou's fusion of tactical brilliance and relentless drive makes them a name to watch — or better yet, avoid at your next tournament!

In summary, Nikolas Theodorou is not just a Grandmaster; they are a chess warrior, strategist, and perhaps a little bit of a chess magician, proving that every game is an adventure, and every move counts.


Coach Chesswick's Profile Photo
Coach Chesswick

Hi Nikolas!

Great job maintaining a high level of play around 3237 (2024-12-10). Below is a brief performance snapshot followed by targeted advice.

Quick glance

  • Recent score vs Chesstrix0: 5 wins – 5 losses (all 3 | 0).
  • Favourite openings: King’s Indian as Black, flexible Reti / English set-ups as White.
  • Typical game length: 30-40 moves when you win, 60+ moves when you lose – suggesting conversion speed can improve.
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What you are doing well

  • Active piece play. Your 27.Rf6! and 33.Re8# finish in the recent Caro-Kann game show excellent tactical vision.

  • Central control. In many wins you broke open the centre (e5/f5 thrusts) at the right moment.
  • Confidence with pawn sacrifices. The ...c5 break in your Queen’s Indian win forced weaknesses you exploited efficiently.

Key improvement themes

1. King’s Indian move-order traps

You often push …h5/h4 very early. Against the Kramer Variation (games ending on moves 41 and 87) this created dark-square holes and cost material.

  • Delay …h5 until White has committed g2-g4 or castled short.
  • Memorise the typical idea …e6, …exd5, …Re8 first; then decide if …h5 is necessary.
  • Review model games by Radjabov & Giri in the 6.Ng3 line.

2. Calculating long forcing lines under time pressure

Losses on moves 40 & 42 vs Chesstrix0 show that tactical melees went wrong once clocks dipped below 20 seconds.

  • Adopt a simple “check–capture–threat” scan every move; 2-second investment saves blunders.
  • Drill blitz tactics on puzzle rush set to 3 minutes – aim for 30+ each session.

3. End-game conversion

In the 87-move loss you reached a drawn rook & knight ending but let White queen a pawn.

  • Refresh basic K+P vs K technique and fortress ideas – see Opposition.
  • During winning games, simplify earlier; during worse positions, seek counterplay sooner to avoid grinding defence.

4. Opening breadth as White

Your 1.e4 games often transpose to quiet systems (2.Nf3 d3). Consider adding one sharp line to keep opponents guessing:

  • Against Caro-Kann: test 3.e5 Advance or 3.Nc3 Classical.
  • Against French: prepare the Tarrasch (3.Nd2), leveraging your comfort with piece play.

Next steps for the week

  1. Annotate two of your lost King’s Indian games – focus on move 10-20.
  2. Solve 50 tactical puzzles per day, theme “clearance” & “deflection”.
  3. Play three 10 | 0 games to practise deeper calculation without flagging.

Motivation corner

Remember: you’re already producing games worthy of a highlights reel. Tighten the early-middlegame structure and your rating should climb into the 2400s.

Good luck in your training – I’m looking forward to your next miniature!

CoachBot

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🆚 Opponent Insights

Recent Opponents
MaWrld0 2W / 1L / 1D View
Daniil Dubov 45W / 54L / 18D View
Frederik Svane 10W / 6L / 6D View
Luca Moroni Jr 13W / 2L / 3D View
Arman Mikaelyan 2W / 0L / 1D View
Matthias Bluebaum 17W / 17L / 12D View
Sina Movahed 17W / 20L / 11D View
Nitzan Steinberg 4W / 3L / 2D View
fearlessfighter007 0W / 0L / 1D View
Patryk Cieslak 2W / 1L / 1D View
Most Played Opponents
Daniel Naroditsky 187W / 424L / 108D View Games
Nihal Sarin 160W / 340L / 75D View Games
Hikaru Nakamura 89W / 318L / 70D View Games
Ray Robson 207W / 215L / 23D View Games
Magnus Carlsen 72W / 251L / 45D View Games

Rating

Year Bullet Blitz Rapid Daily
2025 3117 3165 2665
2024 3070 3090 2652
2023 3083 3057 2668
2022 3010 3040 2612
2021 3106 2906 2469
2020 2000 2000
Rating by Year20202021202220232024202531652000YearRatingBulletBlitzRapid

Stats by Year

Year White Black Moves
2025 722W / 432L / 186D 665W / 510L / 168D 94.8
2024 720W / 438L / 182D 642W / 532L / 159D 91.7
2023 631W / 548L / 214D 573W / 623L / 187D 86.9
2022 656W / 598L / 192D 628W / 672L / 159D 90.0
2021 579W / 491L / 120D 577W / 514L / 97D 87.1
2020 4W / 0L / 0D 3W / 1L / 0D 20.9

Openings: Most Played

Bullet Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
Amar Gambit 316 176 128 12 55.7%
Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation 254 128 112 14 50.4%
Barnes Defense 224 101 105 18 45.1%
Scandinavian Defense 208 109 88 11 52.4%
King's Indian Attack 203 91 94 18 44.8%
Caro-Kann Defense 191 98 80 13 51.3%
Czech Defense 145 77 64 4 53.1%
Modern 142 64 67 11 45.1%
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation 133 63 58 12 47.4%
Bird Opening: Dutch Variation, Batavo Gambit 120 65 44 11 54.2%
Blitz Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
Barnes Defense 400 198 161 41 49.5%
Caro-Kann Defense 324 141 129 54 43.5%
Bird Opening: Dutch Variation, Batavo Gambit 305 149 125 31 48.9%
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, Kharlov-Kramnik Line 253 113 107 33 44.7%
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation 238 107 90 41 45.0%
East Indian Defense 217 91 83 43 41.9%
Amar Gambit 204 105 74 25 51.5%
Ruy Lopez: Bird's Defense Deferred 203 106 85 12 52.2%
French Defense 188 93 72 23 49.5%
Scandinavian Defense 181 89 67 25 49.2%

🔥 Streaks

Streak Longest Current
Winning 23 0
Losing 17 1
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