Valentina Golubenko WGM

Valentina Golubenko (GoValya)

Woman Grandmaster (WGM) Extraordinaire

Meet Valentina Golubenko, better known online as GoValya, a chess player with a flair for blitz and bullet games – so fast they might as well be playing with a rocket strapped to their rook! Holding the prestigious Woman Grandmaster title from FIDE, Valentina has dazzled opponents across various formats, proving that speed and strategy can coexist beautifully.

A Journey Through the Ranks

Valentina's blitz rating peaked at a dazzling 2427 in November 2023, while in bullet chess, she achieved a stunning max rating of 2354 as recently as April 2025. Not to be outdone, her rapid games also saw respectable heights, with a peak of 1943 in 2020.

Playing Style and Stats

• Win Rate: She wins more than half her blitz games (~54%) and remains a fierce competitor in bullet and rapid.
• Endgame Frequency: A hearty 67% – Valentina loves a good endgame tussle, grinding down foes with patience and precision.
• Comeback Specialist: With a comeback rate north of 60%, she’s the chess equivalent of a phoenix rising from the ashes.
• Psychological Strength: Slight tilt factor at 14, but with the best time to play being the morning at 9 AM – get your coffee ready if you want to challenge her!

Records and Rivalries

Valentina has amassed a solid track record tallying over 2300 wins in blitz alone with a fair share of draws and losses that keep her on her toes. Among her most frequent opponents, usernames like mf_fraco and adolf_anderssen have been tested more than a hundred times each – talk about enduring rivalries! And she’s undefeated against many, with some opponents never seeing victory.

Memorable Moments

Recently, GoValya clinched a spectacular checkmate victory in a Chess960 match on April 25, 2025, showcasing inventive play with the Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack (English Variation). That game lasted 33 intense moves, ending with a knight delivering a decisive final blow. If chess games were rollercoasters, this one had more twists than a bag of pretzels!

Fun Fact

Valentina tends to finish her winning games in about 51 moves but can drag out losses up to 74 moves – perhaps a testament to her never-say-die attitude, or maybe she just really enjoys the scenic route.

Whether blitz, bullet, or rapid, Valentina Golubenko is a formidable force on the chessboard. Keep an eye on GoValya because she’s likely plotting her next brilliant combination as you read this!