Semir Nikontovic — Semnikon

Semir Nikontovic — "Semnikon"

Semir Nikontovic (username: Semnikon) is a rapid-loving chess competitor whose play reads like a suspense novel: long, dramatic endgames, sudden comebacks and the occasional cheeky rook sacrifice to keep fans awake. Preferred time control: Rapid — but don't be surprised if his blitz results bite back. 2435 (2026-02-28)

From a breakout 2023 to pushing the 2400–2500 range in recent months, Semir's journey combines relentless practice with a taste for unusual defenses and a stubborn endgame technique.

Career arc & momentum

Semnikon's activity accelerated quickly after 2023: a steady climb in blitz, punctuated by surges and a string of high-volume months. For a quick visual of that rise, check the trend below:

Blitz rating trend:
Rapid focus in 2025–2026 with a big uptick in games and performance.

He combines high-volume play with deep endgame grit — typical decisive games often run late into the move-count.

Playing style & strengths

Semnikon is known for marathon games, tactical resilience and a flair for practical endgames. Highlights:

Endgame frequency: plays long endgames often (EndgameFrequency ~ 83%).
Average moves: about 76 moves per win — he grinds opponents down. (AvgMovesPerWin ~ 76)
Comeback specialist: very high comeback rate and a healthy WinRateAfterLosingPiece (~55%).
White aggression / Black solidity: WhiteWinRate ~61%, BlackWinRate ~52% — comfortable on either side.
Resignation tolerance: about 16% early resignation rate — he knows when to stop the drama.

Openings & signature choices

Semnikon mixes classical and offbeat systems depending on mood, opponent and time control. He favors flexible defenses and closed systems that steer games into maneuvering battles.

As Black (Blitz): Alekhine Defense, French Defense and Caro-Kann Defense — each with solid win rates in blitz.
As White (Blitz): regular success versus the Sicilian Defense: Closed and strong results with lines that transpose to the Alapin and French Advance structures.
Rapid favorites include the Caro-Kann Defense (very effective) and a nasty Sicilian Scheveningen Matanovic Attack when he wants to sharpen things up.
Notable: a very high win rate with the Sicilian: Alapin Variation as White in blitz (nearly 80% in that mini-sample).

Streaks, routines & psychology

Semnikon is a streak machine with a sensible daily rhythm. He plays best late at night (yes, midnight is peak performance for him — human night owl alert).

Longest winning streak: 47 games — a run that reads like a Netflix mini-series.
Longest losing streak: 7 games; current winning streak: 1.
Best time to play: often performs strongest around 00:00 (midnight) and in early morning hours.
Win rates by day/hour show reliable peaks — favorite hours include 11:00, 15:00 and midnight.

Rivalries & opponents

Semnikon has built several recurring rivalries. He stacks up well versus many of his frequent foes — some matchups are almost traditions at this point.

remarciucoleg — most-played opponent (23 games), record: 15–8. oleg Remarciuc
wilenczyk — 20 games, an even-fought rivalry (7–8–5). Wilenczyk
rem1958 — 17 games, dominant scoring (14–3). rem1958
sebraimundo, asahoffmann, zehro_zahirovic123456789 and others round out the core rotation of opponents. sebraimundo Asa Hoffmann

These repeat pairings contribute to Semnikon's deep opening preparation in practical lines.

Sample game & study

Here is a representative practical game that showcases Semnikon's approach: slow central play, a timely flank push and a long endgame finish.

Replayable PGN:
Notable rematch: Rematch vs remarciucoleg

Fun facts & closing notes

Nickname potential: "The Night Grinder" — because Semnikon often finishes games when others are asleep.
Average decisive game length across years: around 80 moves — patience is a weapon.
He checks first more often than not (PlayerFirstToCheckPct ~ 59%) and tends to win when delivering the first checking blow.
If you want to prepare against him, study the Alekhine Defense and the Caro-Kann Defense — those lines show up a lot.

Semnikon blends stubborn endgame technique, practical opening choice and a midnight schedule — a recipe for many memorable games. Keep an eye on his rapid games: that’s where he prefers to make statements.