Denis Nikolajev: The Night Owl of the Sixty-Four Squares
Meet Selihov
Denis Nikolajev, known online as Selihov, is a tireless online chess warrior. Since his first rated blitz games in March 2017, he has piled up more than 8,500 rated games, climbing from a modest 1973 to a peak of 2768 (2026-08-22). His preferred time control is bullet, though he has built his empire on a mountain of blitz battles. By his own numbers, he plays his best chess at 3:00 AM.
A Career Written in Rating Swings
Denis entered the arena in 2017 with a 1973 blitz rating and immediately went to work. Within months he crossed 2300, and by the end of 2018 he was playing at 2439. The years that followed were a rollercoaster: he touched 2554 in September 2019, cooled to the low 2300s in 2021, then launched an extraordinary surge in 2026. In August 2026 he hit an absurd 2768 (2026-08-22). His bullet path is just as spicy, from 2045 in July 2022 to a slick 2552 peak in April 2026.
Playing Style: The Comeback Kid
Denis refuses to believe a position is dead. His comeback rate is a ridiculous 86.85 percent, and he still wins 49.42 percent of games after losing a piece. He only resigns early 0.5 percent of the time, which keeps the drama high.
- Reaches the endgame in 82.93 percent of games.
- Stronger as White: 54.12 percent win rate, versus 48.17 percent with Black.
- Longest winning streak: 11. Longest losing streak: 14. The tilt is real, but so is the recovery.
- Best day: Sunday. Best hour: 3:00 AM. Worst hour: 10:00 PM, where his win rate crashes to 38.89 percent.
Opening Repertoire
Denis has a clear opening identity. With White he loves the Nimzo-Indian Defense Three Knights Variation, Duchamp Variation, where he scores a glittering 62.96 percent in 162 games. As Black he leans on the Scandinavian Defense, his most played opening with 295 blitz outings and a 52.54 percent score. He also enjoys the wonderfully named Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack and the razor sharp Sicilian Defense Najdorf Variation, though that one is a double-edged sword: 44.68 percent in 141 games.
Here is the Scandinavian main line Denis plays more than almost anything else:
Familiar Foes
Eight years of grinding creates rivalries. No one has faced Selihov more often than rix_45: 29 bruising battles, dead even at 11 wins apiece with 7 draws. helmh0ltz has been a genuine bogeyman, beating Denis 15 times in 22 games. On the brighter side, antropterix must dread the pairing, since Denis leads that series 10 wins to 5.
The Bottom Line
Denis Nikolajev is a volume shooter with elite peaks. He hunts for blood in blitz, loves bullet, and turns lost positions into escapes with alarming frequency. If you meet Selihov across the board, bring a brick wall, and whatever you do, avoid playing him on a Sunday at 3 AM.