Maxim Rodshtein is a formidable Grandmaster known for his sharp blitz skills and strong tactical awareness. With a preference for fast-paced games, he thrives in blitz tournaments, consistently demonstrating his ability to navigate complex positions and execute comebacks like a true chess warrior.
Playing Style & Strengths
Rodshtein's chess style blends endurance and tactical acuity. He is not shy of long endgames, with an impressive 91.24% frequency in endgame play. Averaging nearly 84 moves in victories, he patiently grinds down opponents but is also skilled in seizing opportunities early, with an average first capture around move 9. He is particularly formidable when the pressure is on, boasting a comeback rate of nearly 89% and winning almost half of his games even after losing a piece.
Opening Repertoire Highlights
Maxim shows versatility across many openings but shines in certain modern lines, especially in blitz:
Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack – A favorite in blitz with a solid 56.34% win rate across 71 games.
Queen's Pawn Modern Defense – Impressively successful with a 58.33% win rate.
Reti: King's Indian Attack – Perfect score (100%) in rapid games, reflecting his strength in flexible and strategic opening systems.
Italian Game: Classical Variation – Rapid success with a clean win record.
Longest Winning Streak: 6 games; showing his ability to build momentum.
Strong psychological resilience with a tilt factor of 8 and exceptional comeback capabilities.
Most played blitz opponents include ultraminds, conquering, jeroma71, and he holds winning records against most of them.
Known to play at his absolute best at dawn, with a perfect 100% win rate at 6 AM – you might want to avoid a morning game against him!
Fun Facts
Maxim’s games often go deep — his average game length hovers in the range of 80–90 moves with a hefty Pawn to Piece Ratio near 0.4, meaning he loves those pawn structures as much as tactical fireworks.
He has a penchant for the flexible move b3 as a first move in blitz games, suggesting a flair for less common opening ideas to surprise opponents.
He resigns early in only about 36% of his losses, preferring to fight till the bitter end — what a fighter!
Recent Performance Snapshot
Maxim's recent blitz rating hovers around an incredible 2850+, confirming his status among the world’s top speed chess players. In his 2023 blitz games alone, he played over 570 games with a strong winning record and an average win rate above 50% against varied opponents.
Coach Chesswick
Coach's Advice
It's been a while since you played. Play a few more games so we have more positions and decisions to review — then I can provide you with clearer, more actionable advice.
