Avatar of Bogdan Garbea

Bogdan Garbea NM

Username: Batcu

Location: Abu Dhabi

Playing Since: 2012-07-06 (Active)

Wow Factor: ♟♟♟♟♟

Chess.com

Rapid: 618
1W / 2L / 1D
Blitz: 2290
802W / 596L / 88D
Bullet: 2034
0W / 1L / 0D

Bogdan Garbea - National Master Extraordinaire

Known in the chess circles by the enigmatic handle Batcu, Bogdan Garbea holds the prestigious title of National Master – no small feat in the battle of minds and knights. A true lightning specialist, Bogdan's blitz chess journey is a rollercoaster ride filled with highs (rating peaks near 2400!) and a few unforgettable tactical blunders that even Grandmasters would chuckle at.

Blitz Battles and Pawns of Fire

From a humble start with a blitz rating under 1000 in 2012 (we all have to begin somewhere!), Bogdan skyrocketed to over 2300 in the following decade. With an outstanding blitz record boasting over 850 wins and a win rate above 55% across more than 1500 games, Batcu's style is aggressive yet calculated. They have faced countless foes, turning the board into a battlefield of wits, often pulling off epic comebacks with an incredible 86.6% comeback rate. Clearly, giving up early isn’t in their vocabulary – unless it’s a strategic early resignation at just 1% frequency, to keep opponents guessing!

Rapid and Bullet: Speed Demons on Time’s Edge

When the clocks tick a little slower, Bogdan adapts with style. Holding a solid 2200 max rapid rating in 2020, and dabbling confidently in bullet chess with ratings soaring past 2000, Batcu showcases flexibility on all fronts. With a bullet win rate of 50%, it’s clear the rapid-fire mode is where lightning truly strikes.

Opening Secrets & Endgame Mastery

Mysterious as the legendary Top Secret opening they prefer (and dominate with a 55% win rate in blitz), Bogdan’s games consistently show strong endgame skills—engaging in the late battles 75% of the time. Patience pays off when the average moves per win hover near 69, proving Batcu is no speed-runner but a strategist capable of marathon matches.

The Mind Behind the Moves

Psychological resilience is a key strength. Despite a moderate tilt factor of 8 (chess nerves are real!), Bogdan’s ability to win after losing material is flawless – a perfect 100% win rate after a piece loss. Opponents beware: once Bogdan loses a knight, the counterattack is nothing short of a calculated storm.

Fun Facts

  • Longest winning streak: 14 games – that’s some serious streak mentality!
  • Games played at 21:00 hours have a perfect 100% win rate. Night owl strategy, anyone?
  • Black pieces win rate: 52%, proving Batcu can tango in the dark.
  • Has an uncanny 100% win record against opponents like m100001 and kadr444kadr. All hail the digital conquest!

In summary, Bogdan Garbea is not just a player – they're a chess force, weaving clever tactics with a dash of flair and a sprinkle of humor. Whether blitzing through opponents or patiently outwitting in rapid, Batcu's chess saga is one to watch, study, and most importantly, enjoy!


Coach's Avatar

Performance Feedback for Bogdan Garbea

Hi Bogdan, I've reviewed your recent games and would like to provide you with some constructive feedback to help improve your chess skills further.

Strengths

  • Opening Preparation: You're comfortable with multiple openings such as the French Defense, Catalan, and Italian Game, which shows good variety in your repertoire.
  • Tactical Awareness: You frequently execute tactical shots, including pins, forks, and discovered attacks, often gaining material advantage or strong initiative.
  • Time Management: Generally, you manage your clock well and avoid unnecessary time troubles in complex positions.

Areas to Improve

  • Middle Game Planning: In several games, your piece placement could be more coordinated. For example, consider focusing on strengthening your center control and connecting your rooks to increase their activity.
  • Pawn Structure: Watch out for early pawn moves that create weaknesses or lose central tension prematurely. Maintaining a solid and flexible pawn structure can improve your strategic prospects.
  • Reducing Blunders: Some losses came from giving up key squares or missing opponent threats (e.g., losing material or allowing positional concessions). Slow down in critical moments to check for opponent tactics.
  • Endgame Technique: Your games occasionally reach endgames where converting slight advantages could be improved. Study basic endgame principles, especially king activity and pawn promotion techniques.

Opening-Specific Advice

For the French Defense (Tarrasch and Open variations), try to refine your understanding of typical pawn breaks and piece maneuvers. Be cautious about premature exchanges that help your opponent simplify to advantageous positions.

When playing the Catalan Opening, emphasize controlling the long diagonal with your bishop and preparing well-timed central breakthroughs like e4 or c4.

Sample Position Observation

In your recent game with the French Defense (C07), at move 18 you captured a pivotal bishop but allowed your opponent to develop counterplay. Analyze this moment — sometimes it's better to consolidate instead of material grabbing.

Next Steps

  • Review your recent games focusing on critical moments where you lost control or missed opportunities.
  • Practice tactical exercises daily to reduce calculation slips and improve calculation depth.
  • Study endgame fundamentals, especially rook endgames, to improve your conversion ratio.
  • Use thematic studies on openings you frequently play to deepen your understanding of typical plans and pitfalls.

Keep building on your strengths, and with focused work on the suggested areas, you'll see steady progress in your results and overall playing strength.

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🆚 Opponent Insights

Recent Opponents
ornulfo 1W / 0L / 0D
atenagoras 2W / 1L / 0D
gagikavetuntsi 0W / 1L / 0D
cal3q 1W / 0L / 0D
Most Played Opponents
AdvayD-inactive 12W / 3L / 3D
lucsd 5W / 4L / 3D
abhineet1 5W / 3L / 3D
Tom Borvander 2W / 5L / 2D
maruti2009 2W / 0L / 6D

Rating

Year Bullet Blitz Rapid Daily
2025 2303 618
2024 2362
2023 2249 618
2022 2296
2021 2034 2322 618
2020 2034 2226 2200
2019 2256
2018 1818
2012 989
Rating by Year2012201820192020202120222023202420252362618YearRatingBulletBlitzRapid

Stats by Year

Year White Black Moves
2025 31W / 22L / 1D 23W / 28L / 3D 73.3
2024 32W / 21L / 4D 25W / 26L / 7D 76.9
2023 37W / 30L / 3D 37W / 31L / 5D 74.8
2022 23W / 19L / 1D 24W / 19L / 3D 76.3
2021 72W / 50L / 15D 86W / 40L / 24D 68.3
2020 231W / 126L / 26D 200W / 142L / 39D 69.6
2019 51W / 29L / 3D 42W / 40L / 4D 72.4
2018 5W / 0L / 0D 5W / 1L / 0D 54.6
2012 0W / 1L / 0D 0W / 0L / 0D 44.0

Openings: Most Played

Blitz Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation 104 58 40 6 55.8%
Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack 77 40 30 7 52.0%
Sicilian Defense 60 36 23 1 60.0%
King's Indian Defense: Makogonov Variation 37 20 16 1 54.0%
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Ghulam-Kassim Variation 35 17 11 7 48.6%
Four Knights Game 31 17 10 4 54.8%
Blackburne Shilling Gambit 31 20 9 2 64.5%
King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation 29 18 10 1 62.1%
Scotch Game 29 19 8 2 65.5%
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense 25 17 6 2 68.0%
Rapid Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
Amazon Attack 7 6 1 0 85.7%
Four Knights Game 6 0 3 3 0.0%
Barnes Opening: Walkerling 5 1 3 1 20.0%
Elephant Gambit 4 3 0 1 75.0%
Petrov's Defense 3 1 1 1 33.3%
Barnes Defense 3 0 0 3 0.0%
Australian Defense 3 0 0 3 0.0%
Center Game 2 0 2 0 0.0%
Amar Gambit 2 1 1 0 50.0%
Scandinavian Defense 2 1 1 0 50.0%
Bullet Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
Barnes Defense 2 1 0 1 50.0%
KGD: Classical, 3.Bc4 1 1 0 0 100.0%
Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation 1 0 1 0 0.0%
Barnes Opening: Walkerling 1 1 0 0 100.0%
Unknown 1 0 1 0 0.0%

🔥 Streaks

Streak Longest Current
Winning 14 0
Losing 8 2