Ritesh Verma

Ritesh Verma (ritesh2204): The Underdog Chess Warrior

Meet Ritesh Verma, affectionately known online as ritesh2204, a tenacious chess player who’s been steadily climbing the ranks, one checkmate (and occasional blunder) at a time. While he’s no grandmaster yet, his journey through rapid and blitz games has been nothing short of a rollercoaster, featuring impressive winning streaks, passionate comebacks, and a flair for surprises.

From Pawns to Peaks

Since 2024, Ritesh’s rapid rating has leapt from a humble 564 to breaking the 1000 barrier in early 2025, peaking at 1020. Meanwhile, in the lightning-fast arena of blitz, he scaled up to a peak of 1125, proving that when the clock ticks mercilessly, Ritesh thrives under pressure. His rapid games average a solid 68% win rate—not bad at all for a player who is just warming up!

Chess Style: Strategic with a Side of Sass

Known for a low early resignation rate (just 5%, because giving up is not in his vocabulary), Ritesh favors deep endgames, battling it out with an average of 62 moves per win. When in white, he's a force to be reckoned with (nearly 69% win rate), while playing black showcases a respectable 50%. And if a piece goes missing early? No worries—his comeback rate hits an astounding 85%, often turning the tables when least expected.

Favorite Openings

Ritesh sticks close to a “Top Secret” repertoire in rapid games where he shows off a strong 68%+ win rate in 41 battles. Blitz seems trickier—the same secret openings yield some lessons with only 37.5% success, but hey, no one’s perfect when time’s ticking!

Memorable Moments

In one of his recent blitz masterclasses, Ritesh executed a beautiful checkmate against Utkarsh571—the very player he has often faced, though with mixed fortunes (just a 37.5% win rate versus him). When he wins, it’s often by resignation or checkmate, and occasionally, he wins on time with nerves of steel.

Psychological Tidbits

Ritesh’s best games come at midday (around 12:00), when his mind is fresh and the coffee is strong. He’s capable of going on a mammoth 10-game winning streak, but let’s admit it, even the pros face rough patches—his longest losing streak is a modest 4 games.

Off the Board

When not conquering chessboards online, Ritesh is probably plotting his next epic comeback or sharing memes about losing to “that one sneaky queen sacrifice.” A player of grit, spirit, and a healthy dose of humor, he proves chess is not just a game of kings and queens—but also of laughs, resilience, and relentless passion.

To follow Ritesh’s thrilling journey or to witness his next checkmate, catch him online as ritesh2204 — ready to surprise and entertain with every move!