The Flower That Stings
Tulipaz is a National Master who has spent the better part of a decade terrorizing online chess queues. While the name suggests something gentle and botanical, the play is anything but. This is a player who has racked up more than 30,000 rated games and shows no signs of slowing down.
From Seed to Master
Tulipaz first appeared in the rating archives in 2015 with a modest Daily rating of 1387. The climb was swift. By March 2016 the Daily rating had jumped to 2115, and the blitz rating was already hovering near 2200. The National Master title was earned through relentless online warfare, not quiet tournament halls.
2673 (2023-02-27) in bullet chess tells the story best. That number is not a typo. Tulipaz has reached heights that most online players only dream about, and they did it while making the queen the most common checking piece at 29,635 checks.
A Bullet Junkie at Heart
Look at the preferred time control and the answer is obvious: bullet. Tulipaz has played over 17,000 bullet games alone, with more than 7,700 wins. The longest winning streak reached 18 games, and at the time of writing there is a current winning streak of 12. There is also a losing streak of 20, because nobody escapes bullet unscathed.
The best time of day to face Tulipaz is never. Statistically, 13:00 is the deadliest hour, with a win rate of about 50.5 percent. Late nights appear to be slightly safer, but only slightly.
Famous Rivalries
Every great player needs a great foil, and Tulipaz has several. The most played opponent is A I, with 321 meetings. It has not been a friendly relationship: Tulipaz won 114, lost 193, and drew 14. Against Alan Stein, the score is much closer to even, with 115 wins against 177 losses. Some rivalries are about glory; this one is about volume.
Other regulars in the Tulipaz extended universe include:
- Jason Garfield with 121 battles
- grandemas with 130 battles
- kamran SHIRAZI with 150 battles
When Tulipaz is online, someone is probably losing.
Opening Repertoire
Tulipaz is not shy about stepping into the Alekhine Defense, which appears more than 1,500 times in bullet alone. The Sicilian Defense is another regular companion, as is the French Defense. There is also a mysterious fondness for the Amar Gambit, a line that most players only try when the clock is doing something scary.
In blitz, the Caro-Kann Defense leads the way with 811 games and a solid 48.8 percent win rate. The Two Knights Italian Game has been particularly kind, with a 56.75 percent win rate across 400 games. With white, the Scotch Game is a money maker at 62.81 percent.
Style and Comebacks
The numbers paint a picture of a fighter. The comeback rate is 87.15 percent, meaning Tulipaz does not go quietly when things go wrong. Endgames appear in 89.42 percent of games, so the flowers bloom late. The early resignation rate is only 31 percent, which is practically stubborn for a bullet specialist.
White is preferred with a 48.48 percent win rate against 41.19 percent with black. The average first capture happens around move 8, and the average decisive game lasts about 86 moves. In short, Tulipaz grinds, and then grinds some more.
A Sample of the Art
Here is a small taste of Tulipaz at the board, because every biography deserves a diagram.
Legacy
Tulipaz may never win a classical super tournament, but the online chess world would be quieter and duller without them. Tens of thousands of games, a National Master title, a peak bullet rating of 2673, and a resume of rivalries that reads like a hall of fame. The only thing missing? A 12 step program for the bullet addiction.