Nitzan Steinberg - Grandmaster of the 64 Squares
Nitzan Steinberg is not just a chess player; they are a chess force of nature, wielding the noble title of Grandmaster awarded by FIDE. With a brain wired for strategy and a penchant for quick thinking, Nitzan has scaled the dizzying heights of bullet chess, recently peaking with an astonishing rating of 3055 in March 2025 — yes, 3055. If that sounds like wizardry, you're not wrong.
Playing Style and Strengths
Known for battling fiercely in bullet and blitz formats, Nitzan boasts a bullet game win rate of over 60%, winning more than 2500 games and demonstrating both tactical brilliance and psychological resilience. Their average moves per win hover around 79, proving that they prefer the art of a well-fought tactical battle over a quick checkmate... although they’ve delivered many swift finishes too!
With a tendency to keep games lengthy and rich—endgames feature heavily in their repertoire—they possess an impressive comeback rate of over 86%, meaning when the chips are down, Nitzan is just getting started. The psychological tilt factor sits comfortably low at 8, suggesting nerves of steel (or at the very least, excellent coffee).
Signature Openings & Tactical Flair
Nitzan favors the mysterious and deadly Top Secret opening in both bullet and blitz games—an opening so secretive even chess engines might blush—with a solid 61% win rate in bullet and 57% in blitz. The Sicilian Defense (in many thrilling variations) rounds out their arsenal with near-perfect win statistics, including a 100% win rate in the Open Najdorf and the French Defense Exchange Variation. Opponents beware: Nitzan’s opening play is a blend of classic theory and modern ingenuity.
Notable Achievements & Records
- Peak ratings: Bullet 3055, Blitz 2983, Rapid 2542, Daily 1473.
- Longest winning streak: 56 consecutive victories — a dizzying feat that leaves chess enthusiasts asking if time itself slows down at the board.
- More wins than losses by a factor of almost 2:1 in bullet and blitz combined.
Fun Facts & Trivia
While Nitzan attacks the board with relentless zeal, their best time of day to play, according to stats, is at an unusual hour: 2 AM. Apparently, the moonlight is their secret coach, whispering bold moves into their ear when others are deep in slumber.
Also, they don't mind drawing a game here and there—they've embraced the art of the stalemate with 42 games ending in that very peaceful conclusion (because even warriors appreciate a break).
Recent Battles
In their most recent conquests, Nitzan has outfoxed opponents with classic Sicilian Defense maneuvers, defending with aplomb and capitalizing on time-pressure to clinch victories. Even when the chips fall against them, losses have often come on time, suggesting that the clock can sometimes be a tougher adversary than any opponent.
Overall
Nitzan Steinberg’s chess journey is a thrilling saga of rapid calculation, strategic depth, and unyielding tenacity. Whether you're a fan, a fellow competitor, or a curious onlooker, one thing is clear: Nitzan’s name will continue to echo around chessboards for years to come, matched only by the sound of a ticking clock and the crisp snap of a pawn advancing.
General Performance Overview
Nitzan, your recent blitz games show both your strong ability to close out games and some areas where you can sharpen your technique. Over the last month, your rating has decreased by 20 points, but the positive trend slope in the last month and six months indicates resilience and potential for growth.
Notably, your strength-adjusted win rate is close to 50%, indicating that you are competitive at your level and fully capable of taking advantage of your opponents' mistakes.
Strengths
- You demonstrate strong endgame technique, often converting advantageous positions into wins, as seen in games where you deliver checkmate decisively.
- Good opening knowledge is reflected in your consistent use of tried and tested lines like the French Defense Tarrasch and Sicilian Defense variations.
- Your ability to capitalize on tactical opportunities, such as decisive exchanges and pressure on key squares, is a key factor in your victories.
- Maintaining composure under time pressure, frequently winning on time or forcing resignations, shows effective time management and nerves.
Areas for Improvement
- Handling Complex Middlegame Positions: Some losses show challenges in defending against opponents' active plans (for example, games against players rated around 2900 demonstrated difficulties breaking down your position). Focusing on improving calculation in complicated middlegames could boost your resilience.
- Avoiding Material Losses in the Late Middlegame: A few games reveal critical material losses or positional concessions that turn the game. Working on recognizing and preventing tactical threats during time scramble is important.
- Drawing Tough Positions: While you convert advantages well, consider practicing techniques to secure draws in slightly worse positions to maximize your overall points.
- Opening Variability and Preparation: Deepening your repertoire and playing less common but sound lines might catch opponents off guard and provide you with easier middle games.
Suggestions for Your Training
- Middlegame Tactics and Calculation Training: Use puzzles and training tools focusing on complex and defensive situations to build confidence in tough positions.
- Endgame Drills: Continue polishing king and pawn endgames and common checkmating patterns for blitz speed advantage.
- Opening Review: Analyze your recent games in your main openings (French Defense Tarrasch, Sicilian Defense) to spot recurring patterns in your wins and losses. Explore related sidelines for greater surprise value.
- Time Management: Keep practicing quick yet accurate decision-making in blitz to maintain a high pace without compromising accuracy.
Encouragement
Although your rating has dipped in the short term, the longer-term upward trend and your recent wins show your strong foundation and skill. With focused work on identified areas, you're well positioned to return to your peak and continue climbing.
Keep studying your games thoroughly, build on the positives, and treat each game as an opportunity to learn and grow.
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Recent Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Bok | 1W / 6L / 2D | |
| Michał Kopczyński | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| Alexandros Papasimakopoulos | 3W / 3L / 0D | |
| Bence Pribelszky | 2W / 0L / 0D | |
| Mahammad Muradli | 2W / 3L / 0D | |
| Kacper Drozdowski | 4W / 4L / 1D | |
| Piotr Piesik | 2W / 0L / 0D | |
| matihalac | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| qwerty_cool_123 | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| Ihor Samunenkov | 1W / 1L / 1D | |
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Anatoly Bykhovsky | 27W / 21L / 3D | |
| Johnathan Bakalchuk | 19W / 20L / 8D | |
| Manu David | 30W / 16L / 1D | |
| Elie Milikow | 21W / 18L / 3D | |
| Zdenko Kozul | 25W / 13L / 1D | |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3050 | 3013 | 2504 | 1478 |
| 2024 | 3002 | 2905 | 2479 | 1473 |
| 2023 | 2901 | 2865 | 2467 | 1427 |
| 2022 | 2860 | 2872 | 2409 | 1408 |
| 2021 | 2895 | 2816 | 2294 | 1060 |
| 2020 | 2880 | 2864 | 2410 | |
| 2019 | 2805 | 2853 | ||
| 2018 | 2643 | 2736 | ||
| 2016 | 2212 | 2335 | 1060 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 601W / 207L / 64D | 594W / 256L / 54D | 83.4 |
| 2024 | 653W / 247L / 50D | 554W / 328L / 75D | 83.9 |
| 2023 | 430W / 168L / 75D | 359W / 245L / 64D | 87.6 |
| 2022 | 340W / 156L / 64D | 317W / 185L / 56D | 88.4 |
| 2021 | 169W / 90L / 31D | 153W / 98L / 32D | 87.4 |
| 2020 | 313W / 194L / 66D | 316W / 226L / 55D | 87.2 |
| 2019 | 492W / 303L / 78D | 440W / 324L / 77D | 84.2 |
| 2018 | 134W / 56L / 18D | 113W / 70L / 20D | 83.0 |
| 2016 | 33W / 2L / 0D | 28W / 5L / 0D | 67.9 |
Openings: Most Played
| Daily Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.0% |
| English Opening: King's English Variation, Three Knights System | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Catalan Opening | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| QGD: Chigorin, 3.cxd5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Hungarian Opening: Wiedenhagen-Beta Gambit | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Bird Opening: Dutch Variation, Batavo Gambit | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| QGD: Ragozin | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Ruy Lopez: Old Steinitz Defense, Semi-Duras Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation | 303 | 182 | 94 | 27 | 60.1% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 194 | 106 | 71 | 17 | 54.6% |
| Modern | 194 | 111 | 57 | 26 | 57.2% |
| Sicilian Defense | 131 | 78 | 43 | 10 | 59.5% |
| Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack | 127 | 68 | 45 | 14 | 53.5% |
| Hungarian Opening: Wiedenhagen-Beta Gambit | 122 | 71 | 34 | 17 | 58.2% |
| Sicilian Defense: Closed | 100 | 57 | 33 | 10 | 57.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation, Haag Gambit | 85 | 43 | 30 | 12 | 50.6% |
| Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation | 80 | 37 | 30 | 13 | 46.2% |
| Döry Defense | 77 | 44 | 29 | 4 | 57.1% |
| Rapid Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Amazon Attack | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 50.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 83.3% |
| Ruy Lopez: Closed | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 60.0% |
| French Defense: Exchange Variation | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 75.0% |
| Petrov's Defense | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Sicilian Defense | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 25.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Closed | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.3% |
| Hungarian Opening: Wiedenhagen-Beta Gambit | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| QGD: 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 c6 6.Nf3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.3% |
| Bullet Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caro-Kann Defense | 199 | 129 | 56 | 14 | 64.8% |
| Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation | 195 | 130 | 55 | 10 | 66.7% |
| Sicilian Defense | 193 | 122 | 67 | 4 | 63.2% |
| Sicilian Defense: Closed | 162 | 87 | 62 | 13 | 53.7% |
| Modern | 151 | 89 | 54 | 8 | 58.9% |
| French Defense: Exchange Variation | 140 | 89 | 40 | 11 | 63.6% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 133 | 81 | 42 | 10 | 60.9% |
| Hungarian Opening: Wiedenhagen-Beta Gambit | 107 | 66 | 29 | 12 | 61.7% |
| Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack | 98 | 57 | 38 | 3 | 58.2% |
| Amar Gambit | 81 | 47 | 28 | 6 | 58.0% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 56 | 2 |
| Losing | 8 | 0 |