Aleksandr Shimanov GM

Aleksandr Shimanov (shimastream)

Grandmaster of the 64 squares

Aleksandr Shimanov, also known by his formidable handle shimastream, is a chess Grandmaster who dances with pawns and knights like a grandmaster of the ancient ballet. Known for his cunning and wit on the board, Aleksandr isn’t just any player — he's a supreme tactician who has tangled with top opponents while wielding openings like the Scandinavian Defense and Trompowsky Attack as his trusty weapons.

Born with a chessboard in hand (or maybe just a mouse), he’s climbed the rating ladder impressively over the years. His blitz rating peaked at a staggering 3116 in early 2025, with bullet fast enough to scare even the quickest of grandmasters, hitting a high of 3074. Rapid play? Don’t get him started — comfortably cruising past 3000 there too.

Style & Strengths

Aleksandr’s style could be best described as relentless with a pinch of unpredictability. His games average around 86 moves for wins—because why finish early when you can keep your fans on the edge of their seats? His endgame frequency is sky-high at nearly 88%, showing that this Grandmaster enjoys taking out the trash in the late game and squeezing every last drop of strategy from the board.

Psychological resilience? Check. With a comeback rate of almost 90%, Aleksandr thrives when the chips are down. Squirrels might panic when they lose a nut, but Aleksandr only steps up his game when losing a piece. Early resignations? Barely any (just 1.26%). He's too stubborn to quit and too creative to fail.

Opening repertoire highlights

• Scandinavian Defense (Mieses Kotrc Variation): A go-to favorite with over 380 games played and a win rate just over 51%.
• Trompowsky Attack: Striking early from the flank with more than a 55% win rate in nearly 300 blitz games.
• Sicilian Defense Smith Morra Gambit: Aggressive and sharp, winning more than 56% of encounters.
• Top Secret (and some secret sauce): Noticeably his best win rate at nearly 60%, but alas, it remains shrouded in mystery.

Notable Stats & Fun Facts

• Longest winning streak: 37 games! That’s a chess marathon worthy of a documentary.
• Win rates prefer the evening hours (~9-10 PM) and early mornings (6 AM) — clearly a creature of both night owl and early bird habits.
• On the battlefield against some legends, Shimanov has mixed results. Against Magnus Carlsen, well, let's say Aleksandr keeps it humble with a ~12.5% win rate, but against keyboard warriors disguised as grandmasters, the win percentage is often 100%
• He’s a bit of a ‘resignation collector’ — almost 2,900 wins came by opponents tossing in the towel. When chess is no longer fun for the adversary, Aleksandr’s already celebrating.

Recent Battles

Just this past May 31, 2025, Aleksandr, playing as shimastream, secured convincing wins against respected challengers like "only_strong_moves" and "BogdanDeac" — sealing victories often by resignation, proving once again that his endgame dominance and strategic pressure are simply too much for most to handle.

But even Grandmasters face setbacks! A determined "BogdanDeac" recently handed Aleksandr a loss, a reminder that every chess king’s crown can wobble now and then.

Summary

Aleksandr Shimanov is not just a name in the ELO listings; he’s a Grandmaster who embodies grit, brilliance, and occasional madness on the chessboard. Whether blitzing at lightning speed or grinding out slow, strategic victories, shimastream has proven himself a force and an entertaining puzzle piece in the chess world. Oh, and if you face him, beware: he don’t quit early and might just outmaneuver you when you least expect it.