Avatar of Mark Buckley

Mark Buckley NM

Username: algarvechess

Location: Rio Maior

Playing Since: 2021-09-25 (Inactive)

Wow Factor: ♟♟

Chess.com

Blitz: 2206
201W / 98L / 11D

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.


Coach Chesswick's Profile Photo
Coach Chesswick

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

WeekThemeDaily task (≈20 min)
1Time-pressure skillsPlay 20 bullet games; review only moves made under 3 s.
2King safetySolve 30 “king-hunt” puzzles; annotate one of your own games focusing on pawn weaknesses.
3Technical endgamesInteractive rook-endgame drills (L&L); finish by beating the engine from K+P vs K.
4Alternative Black repertoireMemorise 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:

012891011121314151617181920212223100%0%Hour of Day
 
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun100%0%Day of Week

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
Rating by Year2021202220232024202522001943YearRatingBlitz

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
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