Michael Newman-Sanders

Michael Newman-Sanders (aka shlikeydude)

Meet Michael Newman-Sanders, affectionately known in the chess ecosystem as shlikeydude — a player whose rating history resembles the ebb and flow of a living organism adapting and evolving in its natural habitat. His chess carnivores and herbivores? Queens Pawn Opening and the Pirc Defense, with a Zukertort-Chigorin variation bloom that boasts a thriving 57% win rate in rapid play. That’s some botanical dominance on the chessboard!

Born (or perhaps spawned) in the intricate ecosystem of Rapid, Blitz, and Bullet games, Michael’s rapid rating has seen growth spurts from a humble 925 in 2020 to a budding 1199 predicted for 2025. A true survivor, he’s logged over 1100 rapid games with a near-balanced paw print of wins (388) and losses (379), and a healthy dose of draws (41) — proving that even in competition, coexistence is key.

Blitz and Bullet, the fast-paced r-strategists of the chess world, show a more turbulent habitat for Michael, with Blitz peaking at 1334 in 2020 but fluctuating downwards since, and Bullet’s swift-paced metabolism hovering around 500-900, with a survival challenge on the fastest fronts. Nevertheless, his comeback rate is an impressive 78.78%, and if he ever loses a piece, he wins 100% of those games — talk about a phoenix rising from a cellular misstep!

Michael’s style is as profound as the natural processes themselves: an average game length of roughly 67 moves per win suggests a methodical and tenacious endgame frequency near 64%, showcasing patience and resilience akin to a long-lived tree stretching its branches rather than a fleeting bloom.

Psychologically, there’s a little tilt factor (8), because even the strongest organisms can have bad days—mitochondria not included. Yet, his tactical awareness is legendary, turning defeats into triumphs with remarkable efficiency and resilience.

Fun fact: Michael’s best play hours are around midday (10-14h), which suggests his internal circadian rhythm is perfectly synced with tactical photosynthesis—or simply fueled by afternoon coffee.

In short, Michael Newman-Sanders is a fascinating specimen in the wild realm of chess: resilient, adaptable, and strategic, with a touch of humor that makes every game a lively biological experiment. If chess were a biosphere, Michael would be a keystone species.