The Blitz Machine: Zaur Tekeyev
Zaur Tekeyev, known online as wnstop, is a FIDE International Master who has built a fortress on the internet blitz scene. Blitz is clearly his preferred time control. He has played thousands of fast games and pushed his blitz ceiling to 2999 (2026-08-18), nearly touching a mythical 3000. He has also reached 2994 (2026-07-15) in bullet and 2468 (2020-05-29) in rapid, proving that the quickest formats bring out the best in him.
Style and Opening Repertoire
Zaur is a practical, aggressive player who usually opens with 1.e4. He is completely at home in the open fights of the Sicilian Defense, and he has a long love affair with the Caro-Kann Defense, especially the sharp Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation. His record with that variation is spectacular, and he is not afraid to reach for offbeat lines like the Blackburne Shilling Gambit when the moment calls for it.
Rivalries and Grind Sessions
Familiarity breeds contempt, but it also breeds excellent preparation. Zaur has faced LittleLionMan 216 times in rated play and dominates the series with 155 wins. His longest running rival, Nikita Petrov, has had the better of him so far, leading the head to head 53 wins to 14. These marathon rivalries show a player who never ducks a rematch and keeps refining his game after every loss.
Numbers That Jump Off the Board
With more than 15,000 rated online games, Zaur is one of the most active grinders around. His longest winning streak hit 24 games, and he has even survived a 14-game losing streak without losing his nerve. His comeback rate is 88.44 percent, and he still wins more often than not after giving up a piece, which makes him a dangerous opponent to play with a lead.
- Longest winning streak: 24 games
- Comeback rate: 88.44 percent
- Win rate after losing a piece: 51.88 percent
- Best time to face him? Probably not at 3am, his strongest hour.