Valerio Romano

Valerio Romano - The Chess Conqueror with a Dreadlock Flair

Also known online as vale_dreadlock, Valerio Romano is not your everyday chess enthusiast. With a journey starting from humble beginnings, his passion and perseverance have led him through the ranks of bullet, blitz, rapid, and daily games on Chess.com, navigating the often tempestuous seas of tactics and strategy.

Early Moves and Steady Progress

Valerio’s chess tale begins in earnest around 2018, with his blitz rating kicking off impressively at 1093. From there, he has shown a gradual but ambitious rise in skill, peaking at a striking 1416 rapid rating in May 2024 — proof that not all heroes wear capes; some wield chess clocks.

Playing Style & Personality

Known for an impressive comeback rate of 84.29% (because giving up isn’t in his vocabulary), he plays sharp and sometimes aggressive games. He averages about 55 moves per win, showing resilience and a knack for the long grind.

White pieces hold a slight edge with a 52.75% win rate, while Black stays fiercely competitive at roughly 47%. Valerio’s style whispers: “Patience, surprises, and perhaps a cheeky opening or two."

Repertoire and Opening Choices

When it comes to openings, Valerio’s most famous battlecry is his Top Secret approach (or so it seems, with nearly 5,000 games under this label in bullet chess alone!). He’s known to wield the Scandinavian Defense, dip into the Englund Gambit, and flex with the Scotch Game. His versatility keeps opponents begging for mercy… or at least an opening book.

Stats Worth Talking About

• Games Won: Thousands across all formats (2,433 bullet wins, 1,403 blitz wins, and 456 rapid wins); talk about dedication!
• Longest Winning Streak: A heart-pounding 13 games — a streak that surely made some pieces tremble.
• Longest Losing Streak: A humbling 18 games, proving even Valerio knows the chaos of the chess gods.

Chess Clock Tamer

Valerio's most recent win (June 3, 2025) was a rapid Pirc Defense main line game where he outmaneuvered his opponent with both brains and time management, clinching victory on time. Time pressure? Just another puzzle for him to solve.

Psychological Quirks

With a tilt factor of 18, the battle on the board sometimes battles his nerves. But with a calm comeback rate, he bounces back faster than a rogue pawn turning queen.

Fun Facts

If you ever want to challenge Valerio, be warned: his best time of day to play is at 2:00 AM, when most mortals are asleep dreaming of tactics and forks. Night owls beware!

From crushing opponents on the bullet battlefield to patiently grinding out wins in daily chess, Valerio Romano brings a unique blend of resilience, tact, and a splash of dreadlock swagger to every game.

Keep an eye out for this player — whether he’s dazzling with a daring queen sacrifice or calmly outlasting you in the endgame, Valerio’s journey is a story of chess grit and heart.