BaslyaBaslya IM

About the Player

BaslyaBaslya is a FIDE International Master who lives for fast chess, especially blitz. If there is a clock running low and pieces flying, BaslyaBaslya is at home. Their blitz rating once reached a scorching peak of 2776 (2019-02-02), which is the kind of number that makes other IMs double-check the server. While their record in blitz is almost perfectly balanced with 119 wins, 120 losses and 32 draws, the peaks and valleys have been spectacular, including a longest winning streak of 8 games and a longest losing streak of 6.

Playing Style and Grit

BaslyaBaslya is a long-game grinder in short time controls. With an endgame frequency near 82 percent and an average winning game lasting more than 90 moves, they will happily take you into the technical phase and squeeze until the flag falls. Their comeback rate is a ridiculous 88.54 percent, so a losing position is never truly lost. They rarely resign early, winning the vast majority of their games by resignation rather than checkmate, and their opponents often crack first.

Time of day matters. BaslyaBaslya is dramatically stronger in the evening, with a 70 percent win rate at 19:00, while early morning games are best left unplayed. They also have a serious tilt factor of 6, meaning a bad loss can trigger a spiral. Yet against weaker-rated opposition they simply crush, winning 60 percent of the time, while against stronger players they keep fighting despite a tougher 26.7 percent win rate.

Favorite Openings

With the white pieces, BaslyaBaslya nearly always opens with 1.e4. They have shown a persistent love for the Sicilian Defense, especially the Moscow Variation with the sharp Haag Gambit, where they score 70 percent. As Black, they often lean on the Modern Defense and the French Defense, making them an awkward opponent to prepare against.

Interestingly, their bullet repertoire also flirts with the Nimzo-Larsen Attack and the notorious Amar Gambit, sometimes with hilarious, but not always profitable, results. In rapid play, they have tested the Sicilian Najdorf and the Closed Ruy Lopez, showing a wider opening knowledge than their blitz habits suggest.

Rivalries and Regular Foes

Nobody has faced BaslyaBaslya more often than sam1189. Their 21-game rivalry is a real-life soap opera, with sam1189 holding a narrow edge of 10 wins to 7, plus 4 draws. Another familiar face is Shantanu Bhambure, who has shared 15 battles with BaslyaBaslya, with exactly 5 draws keeping tensions high. These recurring duels show that BaslyaBaslya thrives on familiar enemies and never backs down from a rematch.

Fun Facts

• Peak bullet rating: 2665, achieved on the same wild day as the blitz peak.
• Longest winning streak: 8 games. Longest losing streak: 6 games.
• Favorite first move: 1.e4, by a landslide, with 86 percent of games in 2019 starting that way.
• They deliver checkmate only about 5 percent of the time, preferring to outlast opponents into resignation or timeout.
• Their most common checking piece is the rook, which fits a player who loves open files and endgame pressure.