Avatar of Sinisa S Popov

Sinisa S Popov FM

Username: Popovbm

Playing Since: 2017-12-17 (Active)

Wow Factor: ♟♟♟♟♟♟

Chess.com

Rapid: 1450
1W / 1L / 0D
Blitz: 2512
10650W / 6349L / 1441D
Bullet: 2190
240W / 68L / 9D

FIDE Master Sinisa S Popov (Popovbm)

Sinisa S Popov, known in chess circles by the somewhat mysterious handle Popovbm, is a formidable FIDE Master whose blitz skills could give even the most seasoned grandmasters pause. With a peak blitz rating soaring above 2600 in 2024, Sinisa embodies a whirlwind of tactical prowess and strategic depth.

Career Highlights & Style

Sinisa’s journey through the ranks has been anything but sleepy. Averaging a blitz win rate of nearly 58%, and boasting a tremendously impressive comeback rate of over 86%, Sinisa thrives under pressure—and if things look grim, don't count them out just yet! Their calculated risk-taking and knack for squeezing out victories even after losing material make watching their games a thrilling rollercoaster.

Playing Habits & Quirks

  • Prefers long, grueling endgames with an 83.4% frequency, showing endurance and technique that could rival endurance runners.
  • Average length of wins and losses hover around 74-75 moves, proving that they like to fight till the last pawn.
  • Psychologically, Sinisa keeps a tilt factor of 10 – a level indicating near-immunity to frustration, but hey, nobody is perfect!
  • Fun fact: their best times to play are in the dark hours of the night (around 1 AM), proving that chess really is a sport for night owls and caffeine aficionados.

Notable Openings & Performance

While much of Sinisa’s opening repertoire remains intriguingly Top Secret, they’ve shown a liking and strong performance with aggressive lines like the Benko Gambit and the Slav Defense, boasting win rates up to an eye-watering 80% in some variations. Versatility is Sinisa’s middle name—or at least an alias.

Record & Recent Games

With nearly 10,000 wins in blitz alone, it’s safe to say Sinisa has battled on more boards than you’ve had hot dinners. Their tactical sharpness is reflected in numerous victories by resignation, timeout, or checkmate. Of their recent play, victories often come by wearing down the opponent’s will to continue—after all, surrendering to Sinisa is a common theme!

Recent Matches

In a recent classic, Sinisa tactically dismantled the Kings Indian Attack (Yugoslav Variation), forcing resignation after a nail-biting struggle lasting over 30 moves. Other recent wins include solid performances in Queens Indian Defense-like positions, showcasing positional mastery blended with tactical strikes.

Outside the Board

Sinisa might not reveal much off the board, but their games tell a story of a fiercely competitive spirit, relentless study, and a love for the game that blends calculation with a dash of cheeky bravado. Whether it's blitz or bullet, they play quick but think deep, sometimes leaving opponents wondering if it was magic or madness.

In summary: Sinisa S Popov is a chess fighter, a tactical wizard, and arguably the best player you haven’t heard about yet. Watch out for Popovbm—they might just blunder you into submission before your coffee even cools.


Coach's Avatar

Overall Performance Insights

Sinisa, your recent game record and rating trend show positive progress with a steady rating increase over the past 6 months. Despite a slight dip last month, your strength-adjusted win rate is close to 50%, indicating solid competitiveness against similarly skilled opponents.

  • 6-month rating gain: +61 points
  • Recent 1-month change: minor drop of 13 points
  • Trend slopes suggest: consistent improvement over time, especially in the last 3 months with a strong upward slope (~28.5)

Key Strengths in Your Blitz Games

  • Opening knowledge: You comfortably handle classical openings like the Semi-Slav, Nimzo-Indian, and French Defense variations, which suggests a solid foundational repertoire.
  • Endgame technique: Games like your victory against kulandy show patience and good endgame process, often seizing advantage from small inaccuracies.
  • Positional understanding: You make strategic pawn breaks and piece placements to put pressure on opponents effectively.
  • Time management: Winning some games on time shows you maintain good control over the clock while balancing quality moves.

Areas to Focus On for Further Improvement

Analysis of your recent losses reveals a few recurring themes to target:

  • Midgame tactics: In some losses, opponents capitalized on tactical shots or better coordination, so sharpening tactical pattern recognition may help.
  • Opening precision: While your opening choices are sound, exploring deeper theory or typical plans in lines like the Queens Gambit Declined and Italian Game could reduce early disadvantages.
  • Time pressure: Some losses occurred when under time pressure; practicing quick decision-making in critical moments can boost your chances in blitz.
  • Defensive resilience: Strengthening defensive technique to handle opponent initiatives may reduce loss frequency.

Practical Recommendations

  • Incorporate tactical puzzle training daily to improve calculation speed and accuracy.
  • Review critical moments from recent losses, focusing on opening move orders and missed tactical resources.
  • Study model games in your preferred openings (Sinisa S Popov's recent wins include strong handling of Semi-Slav and Nimzo-Indian lines).
  • Work on time management drills to avoid time trouble, especially in tight positions.
  • Analyze endgames periodically to convert advantages more consistently and save difficult positions.

Encouragement

Your upward rating trend and competitive results in blitz show promising growth. Keep studying and practicing regularly to continue this progress. Blitz is a fast-paced format that demands sharp instincts and solid fundamentals — both areas where you are already demonstrating strength. With focused work on the highlighted areas, you can raise your play to even higher levels.

Keep up the good work, and enjoy the journey of improvement!



🆚 Opponent Insights

Recent Opponents
michael124667 98W / 73L / 25D
Andreas Druckenthaner 16W / 9L / 3D
ancient-of-days 7W / 12L / 3D
David Pruess 1W / 0L / 0D
samehsadek 1W / 0L / 0D
scylla_138 1W / 0L / 0D
jasonrbt 3W / 5L / 0D
russianpapaya 1W / 1L / 1D
pajuca 0W / 1L / 1D
lordpyrrhicvictory 1W / 3L / 0D
Most Played Opponents
michael124667 98W / 73L / 25D
Trainingbg81 57W / 25L / 5D
Barnabás Emődi 36W / 40L / 9D
Mario Sibilio 45W / 29L / 7D
sinisa kovacevic 33W / 17L / 12D

Rating

Year Bullet Blitz Rapid Daily
2025 2190 2526 1450
2024 2282 2477
2023 2314 2422
2022 2288 1400
2021 2309
2020 1840 2474
2019 2298
2018 1847 2386
2017 2314
Rating by Year20172018201920202021202220232024202525261400YearRatingBulletBlitzRapid

Stats by Year

Year White Black Moves
2025 865W / 520L / 133D 833W / 556L / 120D 79.4
2024 735W / 426L / 112D 692W / 480L / 103D 80.2
2023 865W / 365L / 101D 855W / 379L / 109D 76.7
2022 536W / 194L / 47D 462W / 252L / 59D 73.6
2021 689W / 387L / 84D 617W / 455L / 90D 78.3
2020 662W / 414L / 84D 631W / 444L / 82D 77.2
2019 555W / 325L / 72D 509W / 365L / 74D 79.8
2018 668W / 340L / 82D 571W / 449L / 87D 77.7
2017 58W / 26L / 2D 59W / 26L / 8D 75.8

Openings: Most Played

Blitz Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
Döry Defense 691 375 253 63 54.3%
Grünfeld Defense: Counterthrust Variation 667 422 202 43 63.3%
Bogo-Indian Defense 568 316 208 44 55.6%
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense 507 288 186 33 56.8%
Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack 397 230 139 28 57.9%
Benko Gambit Accepted: Central Storming Variation 392 218 146 28 55.6%
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation 380 233 131 16 61.3%
Slav Defense: Alekhine Variation 378 237 113 28 62.7%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation 361 199 135 27 55.1%
Slav Defense 353 205 122 26 58.1%
Bullet Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
French Defense 13 10 2 1 76.9%
Döry Defense 12 10 1 1 83.3%
QGD: 3.Nc3 Bb4 11 11 0 0 100.0%
Benoni Defense: Modern Variation 10 9 1 0 90.0%
French Defense: Exchange Variation 9 7 2 0 77.8%
Modern 6 3 3 0 50.0%
Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line 5 3 2 0 60.0%
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation 5 3 2 0 60.0%
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense 5 4 1 0 80.0%
Old Indian Defense: Normal Variation 5 3 2 0 60.0%
Rapid Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation 2 1 1 0 50.0%
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System 1 1 0 0 100.0%

🔥 Streaks

Streak Longest Current
Winning 23 1
Losing 10 0