Andrei Olhovik: FIDE Master of the Blitz Marathon
Andrei Olhovik, known online as andrew-blr, is a FIDE Master who treats blitz like a full-time sport. With an online career spanning nearly a decade and more than 9,500 games under his belt, he has turned a screen-side hobby into a serious reputation. His preferred time control is blitz, and his rating story shows a player who never stops showing up.
From Quiet Starts to Peak Form
His journey began in November 2017, and the trajectory has been anything but boring. Year by year, Andrei climbed, weathered dips, and pushed his blitz ratings higher. By the summer of 2026, he reached a stunning peak of 2834 (2026-08-31), a reward for thousands of late-night battles and a fierce will to improve.
The chart above captures the wild, wonderful ride of his blitz career.
Playing Style and Opening Repertoire
Andrei is not afraid of long, patient wars. His wins average around 80 moves, so he is happy to outlast opponents into the endgame. He often plays 1.d4 and is at home in rich strategic battles. His repertoire is built around formations like the King's Indian Defense, the Nimzo-Indian Defense, and the QGD Tarrasch, while as Black he repeatedly dives into the sharp waters of the Sicilian Defense.
- Sicilian Alapin Variation: One of his most-played systems, particularly the Sherzer line, where he has scored just above 50 percent.
- King's Indian and Nimzo-Indian: He does not shy away from complex, closed positions.
- Endgame patience: His endgame frequency is very high, and he grinds out wins when other players would offer a draw.
Rivalries and Unlikely Rituals
Every serious online player needs a familiar face in the pairing pool. For Andrei, that face is Zlata-Borel, who has faced him 81 times and felt the full force of his blitz grind. Another frequent opponent is gleb-olhovik, a 63-game rivalry that may well be a family affair, if the surname is any clue. He has also gone toe-to-toe with strong titled opposition like Roberto Mogranzini and more than held his own.
His numbers tell a fun story. He has a 14-game winning streak, a comeback rate of 87 percent, and a 19-game losing streak that matches his tilt factor of 19. Some statistics are just destined to rhyme. His best time of day to play is 2 AM, so it seems his greatest ideas arrive when the rest of the chess world has gone to bed.
Final Word
Andrei Olhovik, andrew-blr, is a better-class blitz grinder with a FIDE Master title and an endless appetite for chess. If you see him across the virtual board, expect a long, tense, and thoroughly entertaining game.