Vanessa West (NM_Vanessa)
National Master | Blitz Enthusiast | Opening Explorer Extraordinaire
Vanessa West, proudly holding the title of National Master, is a force to be reckoned with on the 64 squares. With a preference for the high-octane, adrenaline-pumping world of Blitz chess, Vanessa's rating has soared impressively, peaking at an eye-watering 2155 in May 2024—a true testament to speed, skill, and a stopwatch that sometimes feels more like an opponent!
Since bursting onto the scene in 2009 with a modest daily rating, Vanessa has displayed a tenacious hunger for growth, climbing the ranks with relentless energy. Their playing style is a cocktail of bold early resignations (when things get tricky), tactical awareness, and a quirky streak that keeps opponents guessing. With an average game winning move count just shy of 26, Vanessa prefers to keep things sharp and snappy—much like a well-timed tweet but on the chessboard.
Opening Repertoire Highlights
- Blitz Specials: The mysterious "Undefined" openings dominate their blitz play with an astounding 81.9% win rate. But when Vanessa shows their real face, the French Defense and Van't Kruijs Opening lay down the law with perfect 100% win records.
- Rapid Realm: Dominated by the King’s Pawn Opening, where Vanessa boasts an undefeated perfect score. The secret ingredient? An almost legendary Top Secret opening, winning nearly 97% of the time.
- Bullet Battles: Styling around the volatile Scandinavian Defense variations, with a respectable blend of wins and thrills.
Stats & Fun Facts
- Total Blitz Wins: 721 (and only 171 losses —lingering in the "almost invincible" territory!)
- Bullet Wins: 245, proving speed thrills, but sometimes kills...
- Rapid Wins: 107, where precision meets grace.
- Daily Wins: 30—the classic marathon games where patience is king.
- Longest Winning Streak: 32 games—Vanessa once practically vanished into the chess multiverse.
- Preferred Playing Time: Evening and late night hours, because demons and brilliance often come out to play after dinner.
Recent Performance
Despite the occasional hiccup (cough, losing on time), Vanessa's recent games still show dominance and tactical wizardry. For example, in a notable 2024 victory over Cherselus, Vanessa skillfully orchestrated a resignation win after a beautifully crafted middlegame assault. And who could forget the 2024 triumph over krom54b with the classic Ruy Lopez?
Playing Style and Quirks
Don't be fooled by the occasional early resignation (31.7% of losses come this way) — Vanessa knows when to cut their losses and save energy for the next battle. Their comeback rate of 36.5% means they have more comebacks than your favorite soap opera, and a win rate after losing a piece at 59% showcases a fighting spirit that refuses to quit. Vanessa wins almost three-quarters of games playing White, and personifies resilience with Black, winning nearly 70% of the time.
Fun Chess Tidbit
Vanessa’s chess matches could be subtitled: "Blink and you’ll miss it!" With average decisive game lengths under 10 moves in 2021 and a blazing blitz average of around 20 moves per game, it’s fair to say opponents better come well-prepared — or risk becoming the latest name in Vanessa’s ever-growing highlight reel.
Whether it’s crafting puzzles in rapid time controls or racing the clock in bullet, Vanessa West is a chess dynamo who embraces complexity with a playful grin and a fierce will to win. The chessboard might just be their playground, but beware: the playground bully knows all your secrets.
Performance Chart
Peak Blitz Rating: 2155 (2024)