Mark Buckley: National Master & Blitz Conqueror
Known in the chess circles as algarvechess, Mark Buckley is a formidable National Master whose blitz prowess makes grandmasters sweat and casual players reconsider their life choices.
Master of the Blitz Realm
With a blitz peak rating flirting with 2285, Mark’s rapid-fire gameplay is legendary. Starting in 2021 with a respectable 2008 blitz rating, he skyrocketed to over 2200 in 2022, maintaining a steady hand and a keen eye for tactical fireworks just as fast as his opponents can say "check!"
Mark averages an impressive 72% win rate in the brutally competitive blitz format, having won over 1200 games out of nearly 1700 played with his secret opening repertoire (he’s not telling what it is, mind you!).
Rapid & Endgame Expertise
Though blitz is Mark’s bread and butter, his rapid games show he’s no slouch, boasting a solid 100% win record in his limited rapid games—perhaps a sign he reserves his true talent for blitz, or simply speed chess is where his heart races fastest.
His endgame skills shine too, with an endgame frequency above 63%, proving he can patiently outmaneuver opponents once the flurry of action settles down. Average moves per game hover around 60, because who says fast chess can't have a little drama?
The Streaks & Rivalries
With a longest winning streak of 33 games and a current streak of 4, Mark's momentum can be terrifying. He's undefeated against many foes recently, including stalwarts like fmcondr and indrapolak. Not everyone fares so well—poor kasugano-sora might need a break or a new chess coach.
Psych & Playing Style
Mark’s psychological radar is sharp, with an excellent comeback rate of 73.65%. Losing a piece? Not for him—Mark wins 100% of such games, turning despair into dazzling victories. Still, even champions have their off moments: a tilt factor of 5 hints at some fiery passion under that cool exterior.
His style is to fight on the frontline with tenacity but knowing when to resign early (just 0.22% early resignation rate—he’s a true fighter). White or black, Mark enjoys a healthy win rate, proving he’s comfortable leading the dance or playing the counterattack.
When Does He Shine?
If you want to catch Mark at his best, tune in around lunch (1pm) or late evening (around 10pm). His win rates during those hours spike to the low 80s—a sharp contrast to the sleepy hours where even blitz heroes like Mark might need a coffee.
Anecdote
Rumor has it that Mark’s secret weapon isn’t just opening knowledge or tactical genius—it's his uncanny ability to confuse opponents with unpredictable moves. Perhaps it’s magic. Or just very well-practiced stubbornness.
In short, Mark Buckley is a blitz beast, a relentless competitor, and a National Master who keeps the chessboard sizzling with every game played.
Post-game feedback for Mark Buckley
What you are doing well
- Dynamic openings: In both standard and Chess960 you reach active positions quickly, often with early ...f5 or ...g6 ideas. Your recent miniature against fmcondr shows how you punish slow development.
- Confidence in imbalanced pawn structures: You willingly accept doubled or isolated pawns if they grant piece activity—an asset in fast time-controls.
- Tactical alertness: Spotting 7…Nf2+! in the game below demonstrates good calculation of forcing lines.
Primary areas to improve
- Clock management (highest priority)
Seven of your last ten defeats were “won on time” in roughly equal or better positions. Try:- Using the increment every move—make a safe move in <2 s, then think on the opponent’s time.
- Setting a midway “time-par”: aim to have ≥1 min with 20 moves left.
- Practising bullet exclusively for one week to desensitise time pressure.
- Early pawn pushes around your king
Moves like ...g5 (loss vs kasugano-sora) or premature ...h6 weaken dark squares. Before advancing a wing pawn, ask “Can my opponent exploit the square I leave?”—classic Prophylaxis. - Converting advantages
In several wins you were still playing on after reaching +5 or more. Study technical endgames (e.g., rook & pawn vs rook) 15 min/day to close games faster and save clock time.
Opening snapshot
• With Black you favour Dutch/Modern setups. Add one classical line (e.g., the Queen’s Gambit Declined) so opponents cannot prepare solely for flank pawn storms.
• With White, consider a principled central approach in Chess960: occupy the centre with pawns and knights first; many early b- or g-pawn moves in your losses ceded the centre.
Targeted training plan
| Week | Theme | Daily task (≈20 min) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Time-pressure skills | Play 20 bullet games; review only moves made under 3 s. |
| 2 | King safety | Solve 30 “king-hunt” puzzles; annotate one of your own games focusing on pawn weaknesses. |
| 3 | Technical endgames | Interactive rook-endgame drills (L&L); finish by beating the engine from K+P vs K. |
| 4 | Alternative Black repertoire | Memorise main QGD moves to 8…Re8; play at least five games using it. |
Stats & visual aids
Peak blitz rating: 2285 (2025-02-06)
Activity graphs:
Next step
Upload one of your time-forfeit losses and mark the moment you first dipped under 15 seconds. We’ll craft a “must-move” repertoire for such situations.
Good luck in your next session, Mark! Focus on the clock, keep the king safe, and the rating gains will follow.
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Recent Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| petriv | 0W / 2L / 0D | View |
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Giorgi Rusiashvili | 64W / 34L / 2D | View Games |
| shimon01 | 42W / 31L / 3D | View Games |
| farfromperfect | 29W / 19L / 1D | View Games |
| leonfromtwitch | 29W / 9L / 0D | View Games |
| pablo_dmp | 31W / 7L / 0D | View Games |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1943 | |||
| 2024 | 1943 | |||
| 2023 | 1943 | |||
| 2022 | 2200 | |||
| 2021 | 2008 | 1600 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11W / 3L / 0D | 11W / 5L / 0D | 50.2 |
| 2024 | 57W / 23L / 3D | 69W / 29L / 2D | 60.2 |
| 2023 | 469W / 134L / 10D | 444W / 164L / 11D | 61.1 |
| 2022 | 73W / 42L / 6D | 84W / 42L / 4D | 67.9 |
| 2021 | 19W / 10L / 0D | 23W / 4L / 2D | 61.0 |
Openings: Most Played
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amar Gambit | 230 | 180 | 50 | 0 | 78.3% |
| Barnes Opening: Walkerling | 167 | 122 | 40 | 5 | 73.0% |
| Bird Opening | 136 | 96 | 37 | 3 | 70.6% |
| Amazon Attack | 92 | 64 | 27 | 1 | 69.6% |
| Barnes Defense | 82 | 60 | 19 | 3 | 73.2% |
| Nimzo-Larsen Attack | 75 | 58 | 14 | 3 | 77.3% |
| Sicilian Defense | 68 | 46 | 20 | 2 | 67.7% |
| Australian Defense | 56 | 42 | 11 | 3 | 75.0% |
| English Opening | 53 | 41 | 12 | 0 | 77.4% |
| Modern | 49 | 33 | 16 | 0 | 67.3% |
| Rapid Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nimzo-Larsen Attack | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| English Opening: Drill Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 33 | 0 |
| Losing | 5 | 2 |