Overview
Novica Trifunovic (username: Strazanin) is a fiercely competitive online chess player best known for his blitz prowess. Comfortable in chaotic, tactical positions, Novica has built a reputation for long, gritty games even at fast time controls — he treats blitz like a sprint that secretly wants to be a marathon.
- Preferred time control: Blitz — this is where Novica performs and grinds the most.
- Peak blitz rating: 2637 (2025-12-18) — a milestone that reflects his commitment to fast chess.
- Active across Bullet, Rapid and Daily as well, but blitz remains the signature field.
Playing style & strengths
Novica plays like someone who enjoys both fireworks and careful endgame craft. His games tend to be long for online play, he reaches endgames often, and his tactical resilience is notable.
- Endgame frequency: High — Novica often steers games toward long technical conclusions (EndgameFrequency: 77.15%).
- Tactical resilience: Exceptional comeback rate (~87%) — he recovers from setbacks more often than most.
- Avg moves per decisive game: ~75–80 moves — expect patience, even in blitz.
- Psychology: Best time of day to play (by his trends) is around 01:00 — perfect if you like nocturnal opponents. TiltFactor: 9 (he’ll tell you he’s only mildly dramatic).
Openings and repertoire highlights
Novica mixes solid, classical choices with surprise weapons. He favors systems that lead to rich middlegame play and sometimes deploys offbeat traps to unbalance opponents.
- Frequently used (Blitz): Petrov’s Defense, Caro‑Kann, French (Exchange & Advance), Modern — strong results with Caro‑Kann (WinRate ~56%).
- Dangerous surprise weapons in shorter time controls: Blackburne Shilling Gambit and Modern setups — both show up in his win columns when opponents underestimate him.
- Bullet & Rapid highlights: Modern and Amar Gambit appear with very healthy win rates in Bullet play.
- Curious fact: he’s comfortable with both hyper-solid defenses and cheeky gambits — an opponent can never be fully relaxed.
Want a quick visual of his blitz progress?
Rivalries & notable opponents
Novica has several repeat opponents he sees often online — friendly rivalries that produce dozens of games and many memorable moments.
- Most-played opponent: markovic1997 — 41 games (record: 20W–13L–8D in Novica’s favor).
- Other frequent opponents: alexhuy (15 games), keepgoing_123 (13), pedroc1515 (13), goran11_inactive (13).
- Head-to-head note: against several regulars Novica shows a strong positive record, but the large sample sizes keep his edge honest and battle-tested.
Streaks, records & quirky stats
- Longest winning streak: 18 — a run that likely involved coffee and excellent time management.
- Longest losing streak: 9 — even the best have days where everything goes sideways.
- Current losing streak: 1 (as of latest data) — nothing a quick puzzle or a short walk can’t fix.
- Strength-adjusted win rates point to consistent performance: Blitz ~0.50, Bullet ~0.56, Rapid ~0.59.
- Psychological quirk: performs surprisingly well in very early hours (01:00) — the perfect time to challenge him if you’re a night owl.
Seasonal & year-by-year notes
Across 2021–2025 Novica’s activity and strength climbed steadily in blitz. He accumulated large game counts in recent years and produced his highest-rated spikes in late 2024–2025. He blends volume with endurance — a dangerous combination online.
- High-volume months often accompany peak performance — he thrives on practice and repetition.
- Notable year trends: steadily rising blitz ratings through 2024–2025, with many long decisive games (avg decisive length ~78 moves in 2025).
Fun facts & trivia
- Nickname potential: “The Midnight Grinder” — for obvious reasons (see BestTimeOfDayToPlay).
- Likes to mix classical defenses with surprise gambits — keeps opponents guessing and spectators entertained.
- Comeback artist: expect turns of fortune; Novica’s games often swing before the close.
Placeholders for further exploration
Use these placeholders to enrich the profile in a viewer or stats page:
- Blitz rating chart:
- Peak rating (Blitz): 2637 (2025-12-18)
- Peak rating (Bullet): 2356 (2025-11-23)
- Quick link to a rival: markovic1997