Bharath Subramaniyam.H Harishankkar - The Chess Grandmaster with a Grand Plan
Bharath Subramaniyam.H Harishankkar, known in the online chess world by the enigmatic username FGHSMN, is no ordinary player. Holding the prestigious title of Grandmaster from FIDE, Bharath has been dancing on the 64 squares with the finesse of a true master, blending deep strategy with moments of daring brilliance.
A Journey Through the Ranks
Starting his blitz rating journey back in 2014 at a humble 1050, Bharath’s skill and relentless grind skyrocketed him beyond the 3000-rating mark in blitz by 2025—a feat that commands respect from casual players and grandmasters alike. Not just quick on the clock, his rapid and bullet ratings have flirted with the mid-2600s and beyond, showing his versatility across all time controls.
Style and Strategy
- Playing Style: Patience meets precision with an average of almost 79 moves per win, meaning Bharath loves a good long game and is not afraid to outlast opponents in the endgame, where he shines 82.7% of the time.
- Tactical Wizardry: With an impressive 87.4% comeback rate and a solid win record even after losing material, Bharath is the kind of player who laughs in the face of adversity—and then checkmates you shortly after.
- Psychological Edge: An incredibly low early resignation rate of 1.39% and a tilt factor of 11 proves that Bharath is no quitter and keeps his cool when the pressure heats up. His best time to play? Midnight—because who doesn’t love a good knight’s gambit after dark?
Opening Surprises
FGHSMN doesn't just stick to well-worn paths; he sprinkles in some spicy openings like the English Opening Agincourt Defense and a few Top Secret lines. His favorite, however, seems to be the mysterious 'Unknown Opening' family—perhaps a bit like his nickname—trying 9546 games and winning just over 53% of them. He’s also undefeated with some cheeky lines like the Reti Opening Sicilian Invitation and the Sicilian Defense Hyperaccelerated Dragon Variation—because what’s life without a little fire breathing dragons?
Recent Battles in the Arena
In one of his most electrifying recent blitz victories, Bharath executed a flawless mating net against esteemed opponents such as Daniel Naroditsky, ending the game in just 65 moves with a queen promotion that sealed his dominance. But even grandmasters lose a game or two—Bharath's recent losses came at the hands of equally tough competitors, proving that even the best have to brush off the dust and come back stronger.
Fun Facts
- Despite all the intense calculations and endgame precision, Bharath keeps a win rate above 55% when playing with the white pieces and a respectable 52.6% with black – proving that he’s comfortable whether he starts with a bold attack or a solid defense.
- His favorite hours to play are surprisingly scattered, but he peeks above 66% win rate around 21:00 and an epic 100% at 00:00 hours, cementing his status as the king (or rather, the knight) of night chess.
- He has a legendary streak of 15 consecutive wins – a record of ferocity that would make any chess engine take a moment off.
In short, Bharath Subramaniyam.H Harishankkar is an unstoppable force on the chessboard with the heart of a lion and the patience of a saint. Whether wielding a pawn or a queen, he brings thunder to every game and leaves nothing but checkmates (and a few bewildered opponents) in his wake.
Recent Game Highlights
Reviewing your recent blitz games, including your latest win and loss, shows several strong aspects of your play as well as areas to work on.
- Strengths: Your opening preparation is solid, especially in Sicilian Defense lines. You effectively use central control and piece activity, as shown with your precise play in the Sicilian Defense: Alapin and Najdorf variations.
- Areas to Improve: In the most recent game lost, there was a time trouble issue resulting in a loss on time. Managing your clock better, especially in critical moments, will help you avoid preventable losses.
- Your positional play transitions well into the middle game, but consider placing more focus on endgame techniques to convert advantages confidently as some losses came from time pressure or slight inaccuracies later in the game.
Opening Performance Analysis
Your performance across various openings are impressive, with Win Rates above 50% in core lines:
- Caro-Kann Defense (Win rate ~55%)
- Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation (Win rate ~56%)
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack (Win rate ~60%)
- Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Sherzer Variation (Win rate ~58%)
This shows you have a strong grasp of these openings and they are effective weapons in your arsenal. Continue deepening your understanding of key tactical motifs and strategic plans in these lines.
Constructive Feedback and Improvement Suggestions
- Time Management: Your recent loss by time demonstrates the need for improved clock management in blitz. Try to stay calm and allocate your time wisely, avoiding time trouble in critical moments.
- Endgame Mastery: Some games show opportunities to sharpen your endgame technique. Study common endgame principles and practice converting advantages under time pressure.
- Consistent Focus in Middle Game: While your opening and early middle game are often strong, maintaining consistent evaluation and calculation in complex middle games will reduce errors.
- Maintain Confidence in Opening Repertoire: Your opening results are solid. Keep refining these lines and incorporate surprise novelties or move-order nuances to stay ahead of your opponents.
Recent Rating and Performance Trends
Your rating remains very strong, consistently around the 2900+ range with fluctuations over recent months:
- Positive 6-month rating gain (~+64 points) indicates growth over a medium time frame.
- Recent 1-month rating dip (-16 points) and 3-month dip (-73 points) suggest a short-term opportunity to reassess training and recovery.
- Steady overall trend slopes affirm your resilience and capacity to bounce back.
Balancing training intensity and competitive play to avoid burnout will help sustain your progress. Review games carefully, focusing on lost or drawn positions to identify recurring patterns.
Final Thoughts
Bharath, your strong opening knowledge and overall high rating position you well in the competitive arena. To continue upward, focus on improving clock management and sharpening your endgame skills. Keep an analytical mindset to each game and maintain confidence in your play style while adapting to opponents' strategies.
With targeted improvements, you can turn more advantages into wins and reduce losses caused by time and accuracy issues.
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Recent Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Catur Adi Sagita | 1W / 1L / 0D | |
| Vantika Agrawal | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| Ivan Vihor Krsnik Cohar | 4W / 1L / 0D | |
| Erik Rönkä | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| Ruslan Gadzhiev | 5W / 3L / 0D | |
| Barad Yeganegi | 1W / 2L / 0D | |
| Dmitry Kononenko | 1W / 0L / 1D | |
| Hoang Minh Tho Do | 1W / 0L / 0D | |
| mwpchess | 2W / 1L / 0D | |
| Aleksandr Rakhmanov | 1W / 3L / 1D | |
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Daniel Naroditsky | 87W / 151L / 16D | |
| antipholusofsyracuse | 62W / 16L / 2D | |
| IPLCHAMPION | 30W / 27L / 9D | |
| Aditya Mittal | 20W / 33L / 12D | |
| kochadaiiyan | 19W / 39L / 7D | |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2770 | 3023 | 2595 | |
| 2024 | 2755 | 2895 | 2611 | |
| 2023 | 2597 | 2931 | 2584 | |
| 2022 | 2564 | 2864 | 2506 | |
| 2021 | 2470 | 2694 | 2359 | |
| 2020 | 2374 | 2607 | 2359 | 1513 |
| 2019 | 1718 | 2526 | 1633 | |
| 2018 | 1684 | 2443 | ||
| 2017 | 1663 | 2198 | 1917 | |
| 2016 | 1563 | 1986 | 1900 | |
| 2015 | 1601 | 1869 | 1965 | 1346 |
| 2014 | 1200 | 1768 | 1700 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 202W / 111L / 39D | 180W / 144L / 27D | 90.6 |
| 2024 | 446W / 304L / 80D | 426W / 343L / 71D | 92.4 |
| 2023 | 280W / 163L / 52D | 268W / 179L / 43D | 93.1 |
| 2022 | 463W / 292L / 65D | 408W / 343L / 60D | 90.7 |
| 2021 | 536W / 359L / 97D | 499W / 399L / 89D | 88.2 |
| 2020 | 284W / 189L / 46D | 269W / 188L / 67D | 85.3 |
| 2019 | 114W / 83L / 19D | 121W / 83L / 21D | 78.1 |
| 2018 | 147W / 98L / 19D | 163W / 93L / 13D | 81.4 |
| 2017 | 175W / 110L / 13D | 175W / 109L / 18D | 72.2 |
| 2016 | 180W / 111L / 7D | 165W / 116L / 24D | 70.8 |
| 2015 | 139W / 107L / 15D | 149W / 104L / 14D | 74.9 |
| 2014 | 191W / 148L / 12D | 188W / 155L / 12D | 68.7 |
Openings: Most Played
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caro-Kann Defense | 467 | 261 | 173 | 33 | 55.9% |
| Sicilian Defense: Closed | 453 | 236 | 185 | 32 | 52.1% |
| Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation | 296 | 164 | 104 | 28 | 55.4% |
| Nimzo-Larsen Attack | 276 | 165 | 93 | 18 | 59.8% |
| Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack | 246 | 128 | 96 | 22 | 52.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation | 245 | 122 | 98 | 25 | 49.8% |
| Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Sherzer Variation | 241 | 140 | 82 | 19 | 58.1% |
| Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Cobra Variation | 233 | 129 | 91 | 13 | 55.4% |
| Amazon Attack | 209 | 111 | 80 | 18 | 53.1% |
| Sicilian Defense | 187 | 91 | 80 | 16 | 48.7% |
| Rapid Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Cobra Variation | 9 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 22.2% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 33.3% |
| English Opening: Drill Variation | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 55.6% |
| English Defense: Blumenfeld-Hiva Gambit | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Sherzer Variation | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 25.0% |
| English Opening: Agincourt Defense | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 42.9% |
| Blackburne Shilling Gambit | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 16.7% |
| London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 66.7% |
| Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Gipslis Variation | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 33.3% |
| Italian Game: Two Knights Defense | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 60.0% |
| Bullet Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amar Gambit | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 62.5% |
| French Defense | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 78.6% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 11 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 45.5% |
| Nimzo-Larsen Attack | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 63.6% |
| Sicilian Defense | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 40.0% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 60.0% |
| Australian Defense | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 66.7% |
| Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, Kharlov-Kramnik Line | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 66.7% |
| Alekhine Defense | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 50.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Closed | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 66.7% |
| Daily Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Cobra Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Sicilian Defense | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Elephant Gambit | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 15 | 0 |
| Losing | 11 | 2 |