Eric Cooke — National Master & Blitz Specialist
Eric Cooke (aka thingone11) is a National Master who rose through an intense diet of fast games, stubborn endgames and an unhealthy number of French Defenses. A Blitz specialist by preference, Eric has been an active online competitor since 2015 and is best known for grinding long, tactical battles that often end with a smiling resignation (from his opponent, not him).
Playing style & strengths
Eric blends deep endgame technique with tactical resilience. His statistics paint a picture of a patient grinder who:
- Favors Blitz above all — quick decisions, fast intuition, repeated success online.
- Plays long decisive games (avg decisive lengths often above 75 moves) and reaches endgames frequently — EndgameFrequency: high.
- Is dangerous after setbacks — an impressive comeback ability and solid WinRateAfterLosingPiece.
- Has a peculiar affinity for the 04:00 hour — some of his best win rates happen in the early morning (seriously).
Openings & repertoire
Eric’s opening choices reveal a clear love for the French Defense and classical Queen’s Gambit structures, plus a few modern sidesteps when the mood strikes:
- French Defense — a staple of his Blitz play, with strong results across Winawer, Advance and Tarrasch lines. French Defense
- Queen’s Gambit Declined and related classical systems — reliable and well-prepared.
- Also comfortable in Modern and some Scandinavian flavors when the position calls for it.
Career highlights & honors
Eric earned the National Master title and built a lengthy, consistent presence on Blitz leaderboards. Notable markers include:
- National Master (National).
- Long, sustained activity from 2015 onward with many months of very high performance — peak seasons and surprising comebacks are part of his story.
- Peak Blitz achievement: 2509 (2025-10-20) — a badge of late-night brilliance and fast calculation.
Memorable stats & streaks
Numbers tell a story: Eric has thousands of Blitz decisions under his belt and some serious mini-epics in his record.
- Large career sample in Blitz with many thousands of games and a long winning streak at one point — longest winning streak: 21.
- Strong overall comeback statistics and a demonstrated ability to turn lost positions around.
- Preferred hours: unusually strong results in the early morning (4:00) and solid peaks around midday and early evening — play when the coffee is hot or the moon is fading.
Rivalries & frequent opponents
Eric has faced many recurring challengers online. A few of his most-played opponents (and friendly rivalries) include:
- Darko Jelen — heavy sample size and a positive head-to-head record for Eric.
- Eduardo Ortiz — tight battles, lots of theory tested.
- Alexey Ivanyuk and Runnemeade — regular opponents who’ve helped sharpen his repertoire.
Memorable mini-game (replayable)
Here’s a short illustrative sequence you can load into a viewer — a tiny slice of the kind of tactical skirmish Eric enjoys:
Interactive snapshots
Want a quick visual of the rating journey in his favorite time control? Here’s a compact chart placeholder that summarizes Eric’s Blitz arc from his earliest online years to today:
Personality & off-board quirks
Eric is known to be friendly, a little drily humorous in chat, and suspiciously proud of his endgame technique. Fun facts:
- Often analyzes French Defense subtleties between rounds of coffee and cookies.
- Believes a two-move tactic looks better with a witty comment afterward.
- Best time to challenge him: test morning logic at 04:00 if you dare.
Want to learn more?
Eric’s long record across Blitz and Rapid contains many instructive games. Search his name (or username thingone11) in your viewer of choice and explore opening lines like the French Defense and Queen’s Gambit Declined. For a quick summary of his peak, remember: 2509 (2025-10-20).