Николай Балаев
Meet Николай Балаев, the chess enthusiast known in the online battlegrounds as StickyRabbit. Despite what his username suggests, Николай’s style is more of a fierce lynx than a timid rabbit, adept at blitzing opponents with sharp tactical strikes.
Rating Journey
From a humble blitz rating of 812 in 2020, Николай zoomed to a peak of 1627 by 2022, proving that slow and steady is sometimes too slow for his rapid-fire playstyle. His bullet rating peaked at 1557 in 2024, making him a deadly force in games where every millisecond counts.
Playing Style
True to his moniker, Николай’s games are a rollercoaster of emotions: he’s mastered the art of comebacks with a remarkable 76.99% comeback rate and, incredibly, a 100% win rate after losing a piece. He’s not one to surrender easily and has an unusually low early resignation rate of just 1.88%.
His endgame experience is notable, playing endgames in over 70% of his matches, proving that the sticky rabbit doesn’t just hop away but sticks around until the kill. With an average of 66 moves in wins and 72 moves in losses, patience is clearly a virtue for him, even at lightning-fast paces.
Openings & Records
His favorite opening remains a top secret weapon wielded across blitz, bullet, and rapid games. In blitz, he’s locked in an amazing 47.56% win rate across an impressive 17,098 games — talk about dedication!
Memorable Opponents
Николай’s most played rival is andrewsokovikov with 145 showdowns, yielding an intense 81.38% win rate. His style seems to confuse some opponents (looking at you, faresfp and arcoska, with 0% win rate for them). Perhaps it’s StickyRabbit’s natural trickery or maybe just relentless endgame pursuit.
Quirks & Fun Facts
- Longest winning streak: 16 games — that's a marathon, not a sprint!
- Plays best at hour 23 with a 51.51% win rate — an all-night strategist!
- Has a Tilt Factor of 12, so watch out for some passionate post-match rants!
- White pieces win rate: 49.74%, Black: 45.75%, proving he dances well on both sides of the board.
Summary
In the vast universe of chess gladiators, Николай Балаев stands out as a relentless tactician with an uncanny ability to turn tides and outlast opponents. Whether it's blitz, bullet, or rapid, expect StickyRabbit to hang in there, strategize deeply, and make your queen regret ever crossing his path!
