Steven G Ross: The Daily Grinder Who Became a National Master
Player Snapshot
Steven G Ross, known online as tiggermeister, is a National Master whose chess empire is built on Daily games. Since 2009 he has played more than 4,400 Daily games, collecting 3,294 wins against just 714 losses and 410 draws. His peak Daily rating of 2356 (2009-10-28) came in October 2009, and he has remained a feared presence on the Daily board ever since.
Career Highlights
Ross is a model of consistency. He reached a Daily peak of 2356, earned the National Master title, and once ripped off a 58-game winning streak. Even his setbacks are impressive: after a 22-game losing streak, he rebuilt his rating and kept competing at a high level.
- Peak Daily rating: 2356 (2009-10-28)
- Longest winning streak: 58 games
- Longest losing streak: 22 games
- Daily record: 3,294 wins, 714 losses, 410 draws
Playing Style
Ross is a patient predator. His average winning game lasts about 51 moves, while his losses stretch to 68 moves, suggesting he fights deep into the endgame. He rarely gets blown off the board, with only 4.41% one-sided losses, and he wins 68.14% of the time even after losing a piece. His comeback rate of 63.89% means he is never truly out of a game.
He is also a morning person. His best time of day is 10:00, and his win rate climbs above 85% at 8:00 and 10:00. Wednesdays are his most dangerous day, with a 78.64% win rate.
Opening Repertoire
Ross has deep loyalty to the Sicilian Defense, especially the Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Cobra Variation, which appears in 392 of his Daily games. He also scores well with the Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation and the Sicilian Defense: Closed.
- Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Cobra Variation: 392 games, 65.31% win rate
- Sicilian Defense: Closed: 156 games, 76.92% win rate
- Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation: 128 games, 74.22% win rate
- Australian Defense: 164 games, 89.63% win rate
His queen is his most common checking piece, and he usually strikes first: Ross delivers the first check in 58.59% of games.
Rivalries and Opponents
Over the years, Ross has built a series of friendly Daily chess rivalries. Against Brendan Birt, one of his most frequent opponents, he has won 30 of 38 games. Against mcklewis, he is perfect with 28 wins in 28 games. He also holds a strong edge over Kacper Drozdowski, with 11 wins, 1 loss, and 2 draws in 14 meetings.
Fun Facts
- His white win rate is 75.5%, and his black win rate is 73.67%.
- He wins 82.94% of games against lower-rated opponents, but only 17.4% against higher-rated ones.
- His average winning game runs 50.9 moves, proving he enjoys the long grind.
- He prefers Daily chess, where patience and deep calculation matter more than quick mouse clicks.