Tatjana Melamed (aka Tanzja) - Woman Grandmaster Extraordinaire
Meet Tatjana Melamed, a chess powerhouse who proudly carries the prestigious title of Woman Grandmaster awarded by FIDE. Known online by the catchy handle Tanzja, she’s a blitz queen whose lightning-fast moves and sharp tactical awareness often leave opponents scratching their heads (and sometimes their pawns lost!).
Rating & Style
Tatjana’s blitz rating has danced impressively between the 2200s and a sizzling peak of 2507 in March 2024. Her rapid rating peaked at an equally formidable 2492 back in 2020. With a nearly even split of wins when playing white or black (~51% win rate on both), Tatjana proves she’s comfortable rocking either side of the board.
Her style? Think marathon meets sprint. She loves complex endgames (an impressive 79.78% frequency) and rarely gives up early, with an early resignation rate at a humble 1.26%. Not one to throw in the towel easily, her resilience is reflected in a comeback rate of over 87% after losing material. Talk about fighting spirit!
Signature Moves & Openings
Whether the opening is a mysterious "Unknown Opening" or her secret “Top Secret” weapon, Tatjana’s attacking flair shines. She boasts a crushing 65.12% win rate in Blitz using her “Top Secret” repertoire, showing that when Tanzja feels confident, even grandmasters might have to wrestle to keep up.
Latest Battles
In her most recent games, Tatjana demonstrated classic tactical brilliance. Just on October 21, 2024, she won a tough encounter wielding the Ponziani Opening (Steinitz Variation), forcing her opponent to resign after a beautifully executed attack involving sneaky pawn pushes and well-timed piece sacrifices. You can almost hear her opponent whisper, “Oops, I’m checkmated... or worse.”
Fun Facts
- Her best hour to play? 10 PM — maybe her brain switches into turbo mode while the rest of us are winding down.
- Longest winning streak: an impressive 8 games. Longest losing streak? A stubborn 7 games, after which Tatjana comes roaring back stronger.
- Her favorite day of the week for victories? Thursdays, boasting a win rate of a whopping 68%.
- Psychologically, Tatjana has a "tilt factor" of 7 — a gentle reminder that even chess warriors are human, but she rarely lets frustration cloud her judgment.
Why Follow Tatjana Melamed?
If you’re looking for a blend of fierce competitiveness, strategic depth, and endgame wizardry, Tatjana is your player. Whether she’s blasting through blitz games or maintaining steady control in rapid matches, Tanzja keeps fans on the edge of their seats—sometimes with cheers, sometimes with awe, but always with respect.
Keep an eye on this grandmaster’s next move — she might just checkmate your expectations!