Avatar of Jernej Spalir

Jernej Spalir IM

Username: Spalir

Playing Since: 2009-06-21 (Inactive)

Wow Factor: ♟♟

Chess.com

Daily: 1860
149W / 70L / 28D
Blitz: 2490
3242W / 2396L / 649D
Bullet: 2557
3149W / 1383L / 265D

Jernej Spalir - International Master

Jernej Spalir, or simply Spalir to fellow chess enthusiasts, is a formidable International Master (IM) recognized by FIDE. With a brain wired for chess brilliance and a playful spirit, Spalir has danced through the ranks with a combination of sharp tactics and tenacity.

Career Highlights & Style

Spalir's peak classical rating peaked at a respectable 2213 in late 2010, but where this master truly shines is on the lightning-fast battleground of blitz chess. With a blistering blitz peak rating soaring to a staggering 2861 in 2019, Spalir’s speed and precision often leave opponents staring in disbelief. And just when you think bullet chess would be this IM's kryptonite, Spalir calmly clocks a top bullet rating of 2566, proving that breaking speed limits is just a hobby.

Playing Style & Psychological Edge

Known for their fierce endgame prowess (79.23% endgame frequency), Spalir enjoys grueling battles that last deep into the match with an average of 78 moves per win. Their resilience is legendary, boasting a comeback rate of 82.58% and a solid 55.84% chance to win even after losing a piece—because surrender is for mere mortals.

Yet, don't be fooled by the stern stats; with a tilt factor of just 11, Spalir can handle defeat with grace—though their opponents might wish otherwise. Interestingly, the prime time for this IM to wreak havoc on the board is between 1 and 3 in the morning, when most players are asleep and dreaming of resigned losses.

Notable Records & Rivalries

With over 3,800 wins in blitz alone and a bullet win rate north of 66%, Spalir’s track record is nothing short of spectacular. The longest winning streak? A jaw-dropping 46 consecutive victories. Opponents beware, because Spalir doesn’t hand out freebies.

Among the frequent foes, “mario05” and “ferk” top the list — rivals who have met almost 300 times combined! Yet, Spalir’s tenacity ensures over 80% win rates against many top opponents, including a perfect 100% against several.

Recent Triumphs

In a thrilling blitz encounter on November 14, 2023, Spalir demonstrated masterful technique and strategic vision with flawless checkmate victories against strong opponents like MANOJ_MISHRA123 and GMJustin5. Their games reveal a player who can happily sacrifice something here and launch a lethal counterattack there—chess artistry in action.

Off the Board

When not wielding knights and pawns, Spalir likely enjoys a good challenge or two over a well-timed snack—or plotting the next surprising gambit to shock an unsuspecting opponent. If you meet Spalir online or at a tournament, expect a blend of serious chess and a dash of humor, because this International Master knows that laughter is also a winning move.

In summary: Jernej Spalir is a chess battler and tactician par excellence, whose dedication to the game and knack for turning tides make the chessboard both a battlefield and a playground. Whether at dawn or dusk, Spalir is a name that promiscuously decorates the winners' list and occasionally intimidates the nervous blasters and bullet aficionados alike.


Coach's Avatar

Hi Jernej, here is some targeted feedback based on your recent Blitz games.

1. What you already do very well

  • Dynamic pawn storms: The h-g pawn rush you used against Derek Wu and GMJustin5 shows great intuition for creating practical problems.
  • Tactical conversion: When the initiative is yours, you regularly finish with forcing sequences (e.g. 26…Nxe3!! in your last win). Keep sharpening this weapon.
  • Opening range: A healthy mix of Benko, King’s Indian, Chigorin setups and White sidelines keeps opponents guessing—an asset in 3 + 1 Blitz.
  • Peak performance: 2861 (2019-10-07) reflects solid GM-level potential in short time controls.

2. Recurrent pain points

  • Time pressure collapses: Four of the five sampled losses were decided by the clock or in bullet-like scrambles. You often enter move 25 with <20 s.
  • Over-extension when the attack fizzles: In the loss to KVAIDAN (Bird’s Opening) 11…f6?! & 15…f5? left dark-square holes and no king safety.
  • Technical endgames: The marathon loss to babbilator featured missed drawing chances in a R+P ending and passive king placement.
  • Piece coordination vs. offbeat lines: Early Rh3/h3 ideas or Qa4+ in English positions sometimes catch you without a clear plan, costing tempi.

3. Opening micro-fixes

  1. Against Bird’s 1 f4:
    After 8.Ne5 Qc7 9.Rf3 Nb4 10.Be2 Nd7?! consider the thematic 10…d4! (central break while the rook is misplaced) or a direct …c4 clamp.
  2. Benko Accepted:
    Your 18…Nxb2!? line is sharp but leaves the queen offside. Scan the model game Topalov-Kasparov 1999 for smoother piece activation.
  3. White vs. KID:
    Great feel for the Samisch with h4–g4, but add a slower plan against …c5 structures: reroute Nb1-d2-c4 first, then expand.

4. Time-management drill (3 + 1)

PhaseTarget time bankFocus
Moves 1-10>2 : 10Play booked lines instantly.
Moves 11-20>1 : 10Spend time on first critical decision; avoid deep think on obvious recaptures.
Moves 21-30>0 : 25Simplify if winning; otherwise activate king/rooks early to pre-empt scrambles.

5. Endgame tune-up

Weekly menu (30 min each):

  • 3 x theoretical rook endgames (focus on side pawn + wrong rook corner, Lucena & bridge-building).
  • 3 x practical exercises: convert an extra pawn vs engine set to 3000 in 60 s.
  • Self-annotate any game that reaches move 35—note king activity and pawn lever opportunities.

6. Illustrative moment

Critical slip vs KVAIDAN:


Instead, 11…Rae8! keeps the rook on h8 to guard h7, and Black can later hit the center with …e5.

7. Tracking your progress

Keep an eye on performance trends:

01234567891011121314151617181920212223100%0%Hour of Day
 
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun100%0%Day of Week

8. Next steps

  1. Drill the suggested endgames and time-management routine for two weeks.
  2. Prepare anti-Bird and Benko refinement lines; test in ten training games.
  3. Review each loss where you were under 15 s before move 25; log what consumed the time.

Stay ambitious and keep enjoying the fight over the board!



🆚 Opponent Insights

Most Played Opponents
mario05 104W / 82L / 2D
ferk 86W / 9L / 11D
Leo Bispo 34W / 35L / 9D
balti01 29W / 24L / 1D
Andreas Rupprecht 32W / 16L / 1D

Rating

Year Bullet Blitz Rapid Daily
2023 2490
2021 2518 1816 1860
2020 2557 2557 1926 1812
2019 2382 2582
2018 2372 2483
2017 1656 2373
2015 1533
2014 1608 2204 1788
2012 1047 2095 1836
2011 2126 2072
2010 2007 2171
2009 2084 2133
Rating by Year20092010201120122014201520172018201920202021202325821047YearRatingBulletBlitzRapidDaily

Stats by Year

Year White Black Moves
2023 4W / 2L / 0D 3W / 4L / 0D 86.8
2021 105W / 65L / 25D 102W / 88L / 19D 58.1
2020 606W / 411L / 109D 565W / 429L / 109D 76.0
2019 1736W / 694L / 145D 1595W / 814L / 165D 80.7
2018 748W / 469L / 138D 674W / 573L / 126D 83.5
2017 141W / 95L / 25D 133W / 101L / 22D 80.8
2015 1W / 2L / 0D 0W / 1L / 0D 31.5
2014 79W / 50L / 12D 82W / 46L / 10D 77.2
2012 9W / 4L / 2D 9W / 7L / 0D 53.6
2011 47W / 20L / 4D 39W / 31L / 6D 69.2
2010 64W / 24L / 11D 68W / 16L / 16D 68.3
2009 35W / 7L / 3D 41W / 4L / 2D 62.8

Openings: Most Played

Blitz Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
QGD: 4.Nf3 234 134 83 17 57.3%
London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation 215 112 76 27 52.1%
Australian Defense 149 81 57 11 54.4%
Ruy Lopez: Closed 145 61 66 18 42.1%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense 138 64 61 13 46.4%
Slav Defense: Alekhine Variation 122 75 35 12 61.5%
QGD: Ragozin 107 51 44 12 47.7%
Blackburne Shilling Gambit 106 45 49 12 42.5%
Benoni Defense: Modern Variation 99 59 35 5 59.6%
King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Delayed Fianchetto 96 41 46 9 42.7%
Rapid Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
Unknown 225 134 89 2 59.6%
Bullet Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
Amar Gambit 300 195 93 12 65.0%
Australian Defense 241 166 62 13 68.9%
London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation 156 104 42 10 66.7%
French Defense 108 82 23 3 75.9%
Blackburne Shilling Gambit 108 74 30 4 68.5%
Vienna Gambit, with Max Lange Defense 100 60 33 7 60.0%
Amazon Attack 89 60 29 0 67.4%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack 86 58 25 3 67.4%
QGD: 4.Nf3 85 51 26 8 60.0%
Four Knights Game 83 53 24 6 63.9%

🔥 Streaks

Streak Longest Current
Winning 46 2
Losing 11 0