FIDE Master Ilay Zakin (Username: ZakinIlay2306)
Ilay Zakin is a remarkable chess enthusiast crowned with the prestigious title of FIDE Master. Known in the digital chess arenas as ZakinIlay2306, Ilay blends tactical cunning with a penchant for speedy maneuvers, especially shining in the Blitz and Bullet formats where lightning-quick decisions are the name of the game.
With peak Blitz ratings soaring close to the 2500 mark and Bullet stats not far behind, Ilay’s chess prowess is as fast as it is formidable. Their Blitz journey reads like a thrilling roller coaster—from an adventurous start with ratings in the 1700s to a spectacular peak rating of 2526 in 2025, demonstrating relentless dedication and improvement.
Ilay’s style? Well, picture a player who’s not afraid to fold early—it might sound like surrender, but sometimes it’s strategic genius saving precious time and energy for the next board. A whopping 68% early resignation rate hints at a pragmatic player who knows when the ship is sinking, though that doesn’t stop them from orchestrating comebacks nearly 30% of the time! They tend to keep their endgames frequent and sharp, engaging in about 31% of their games, proving they’re no stranger to the thrilling drama of the final battlefield.
When it comes to opponents, Ilay displays a mixed bag of fortunes—some players get the full cold shoulder (win rate zero), while the fortunate few bask in a perfect 100% win rate against Ilay, which suggests there’s always room for a friendly rematch. Ilay’s mood in games is generally resilient with a low tilt factor of 10, showing nerves of steel—unless it’s Monday, when everything aligns and the win rate jumps impressively to over 68%, proving it’s clearly the best day to challenge them.
Known for a dynamic approach, Ilay’s games average around 28 moves—long enough for plenty of strategic fireworks, but not so long as to be a draining slog. Tactical awareness shines through, especially when clawing back after losing material, with a respectable 32.5% chance of turning the tide.
Whether it’s the crackle of Bullet games or the thoughtful speed of Blitz, Ilay Zakin is a formidable force in the chess world—an embodiment of rapid-fire brilliance mixed with a dash of humor and an unyielding love for the game. A true master of both mind and mouse clicks!
Feedback Report for Ilay Zakin
Overall your play is dynamic and resourceful, showing a clear preference for initiative-driven positions. The games supplied demonstrate that you are already a strong blitz player (2555 (2025-05-06)), but there are still a few recurring patterns that can be ironed out to unlock the next rating band.
What you are doing well
- Active piece play out of the opening. In wins such as 31.Bg7+ Kg8 32.Nh6# you coordinate all pieces toward the enemy king with impressive speed.
- Pressure on semi-open files. Your rapid doubling on the c-file versus Gen-Gutman converted a structural edge into tactical threats.
- Practical decision-making under time pressure. Even when evaluation is equal you often choose lines that force your opponent to find only moves, a key blitz skill.
Recurring issues to address
- Time-management vs conversion. Three of the recent losses (e.g. vs Smartpotato2015 and Nitzan Steinberg) were on time in positions that were at least defendable. You are occasionally “shopping” for the perfect continuation instead of playing a good, simple one.
- Over-ambitious pawn thrusts on the kingside. In multiple King’s-Indian-Attack structures you played
g4/h4before completing development, inviting counter-play on the queenside (loss vs RobertoJBM). Remember the KIA mantra: finish development, then launch. - Handling the …Nxe4 Sicilian trick. Two losses started with 5…Nxe4 ideas you know well but still meet with sub-optimal replies. Have a crisp antidote prepared so that your clock and position are both healthy.
- End-game technique. The drawn-to-lost rook endings (e.g. vs K_A_S_T_O_R) reveal hesitancy in basic rook principles (activity > pawn grabbing, cutting the king, checking distance).
Action plan for the next month
| Theme | Daily Micro-Task | Weekly Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Clock discipline | Play one 3|2 game focusing on 30-second move average. | Finish >20 such games with >20 s reserve in the final position. |
| Sicilian antidote | Review the line 5.O-O Nxe4 6.Re1 with engine. | Create a one-page “cheat sheet” and test it in 10 games. |
| End-game basics | Complete 5 rook-endgame drills on Chess.com Drills. | Solve 25 studies from the “rook vs pawns” chapter of Silman’s course. |
| Prophylactic thinking | After opponent’s move, verbalize one threat before calculating. | Annotate 3 of your own games, explicitly marking missed opponent ideas. |
Progress tracking
Keep an eye on your performance trend:
and will quickly show whether the new habits are sticking.Final encouragement
Your tactical vision is already title-level; once the clock and defensive discipline catch up, the rating will follow naturally. Stick to the plan, review results every Sunday, and celebrate the small improvements. Good luck and good games!
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Recent Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| axthoz | 0W / 0L / 2D | |
| Galina Novikova | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| Mark Kotliar | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| Oliver Wartiovaara | 1W / 1L / 0D | |
| dantsev | 1W / 1L / 1D | |
| replicadoe | 0W / 1L / 0D | |
| dramallamas | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| goodchess333 | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| strategist1986 | 0W / 2L / 0D | |
| zipho_lunika | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Itay Sitbon | 28W / 34L / 2D | |
| Roy Vagman | 1W / 9L / 3D | |
| awawawwwwww | 5W / 6L / 0D | |
| Lchicco | 2W / 6L / 0D | |
| tzachatotach | 4W / 4L / 0D | |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2517 | 2494 | ||
| 2024 | 2479 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 221W / 236L / 23D | 194W / 246L / 29D | 44.5 |
| 2024 | 39W / 44L / 6D | 47W / 34L / 6D | 91.2 |
Openings: Most Played
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 459 | 222 | 236 | 1 | 48.4% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 40 | 20 | 15 | 5 | 50.0% |
| Sicilian Defense | 19 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 57.9% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation | 18 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 44.4% |
| Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind | 16 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 31.2% |
| Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation | 15 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 46.7% |
| Amar Gambit | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 42.9% |
| Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation | 14 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 28.6% |
| Nimzo-Larsen Attack | 13 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 15.4% |
| Sicilian Defense: Closed | 13 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 38.5% |
| Bullet Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.0% |
| French Defense | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Anderssen Variation | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Amar Gambit | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Czech Defense | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0% |
| Amazon Attack | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| English Opening: Symmetrical Variation | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 9 | 1 |
| Losing | 10 | 0 |