Kari Tikkanen (shakkivainaa) — FIDE Master
Kari Tikkanen, known online as shakkivainaa, is a FIDE Master and a force to be reckoned with in online blitz chess. A strategist who prefers fast time controls, Kari rose to a peak blitz performance in 2017 and is best described as a long-game specialist who somehow makes 60 plus move battles look like speed chess.
Preferred time control: Blitz. Quick as a hiccup, deep as an encyclopedia.
Quick snapshot: 2195 (2017-04-30)
Rating trend:
Playing style and strengths
Kari blends patient endgame skill with sneaky tactical awareness. Opponents often find themselves outplayed after trading into long endgames or blundering to a precise counterattack.
- Endgame specialist: frequently converts small advantages into wins, high endgame frequency.
- Tactical resilience: strong comeback rate and high win rate after losing material.
- Marathon player: average decisive game length is around 75 moves, so bring snacks.
- Most common checking piece: Queen. Expect dramatic queen checks.
- Best time of day to play Kari: around 17:00 local time according to his stats.
Opening repertoire and preferred lines
Kari favors solid, reliable systems and is especially deadly with the Caro-Kann. The repertoire mixes classical defenses with flexible English Opening setups. Below are highlights from his blitz openings performance.
- Caro-Kann Defense: dominant results, perfect mini-run in several lineups.
- Australian Defense: perfect score when employed as White.
- Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation: reliable and practical.
- English Opening: Agincourt Defense and Symmetrical setups: used to steer games into familiar territory.
- Also plays Old Indian and Nimzo-Larsen lines depending on opponent and mood.
Want a quick exploration of a typical tactical skirmish? Sample game viewer below.
Streaks, records, and notable opponents
Kari has had some impressive runs online, including very long winning streaks. He also performs consistently against familiar adversaries.
- Longest winning streak: 14 games.
- Current winning streak at last update: 2 games.
- Most played opponents include indrapolak, playerinvicta, and vdobrinov.
- Top head-to-heads: undefeated versus playerinvicta and vdobrinov in available matches.
- Challenge Kari or inspect past games: Kari Tikkanen
Fun facts and practical tips
- Kari often opens with Nf3. If you see Nf3, expect flexibility and sly transpositions.
- Average first capture occurs near move 7, so the middlegame is where sparks fly.
- Checks per game are above average and often delivered by the queen, so watch squares near your king.
- Humorous stat: if a game goes past move 60 you should probably refill your coffee. Kari will not.
- Want to study openings used by Kari? Try the Caro-Kann and Australian Defense as a starting point: Caro-Kann Defense Australian Defense
Where to find games and follow Kari
Most public blitz games date from 2016 and 2017. For live challenges or to browse recorded games use the profile link. If you want a deep dive into his peak blitz period, check the 2016 to 2017 chart above and browse games from that era.
- Profile and games: Kari Tikkanen
- Notable rival to follow: playerinvicta