Avatar of Harsha Bharathakoti

Harsha Bharathakoti GM

Username: Harsha_Bharathakoti

Location: Saint Louis

Playing Since: 2017-10-07 (Active)

Wow Factor: ♟♟♟♟♟

Chess.com

Rapid: 2427
32W / 35L / 14D
Blitz: 3065
2601W / 1495L / 501D
Bullet: 3027
1273W / 734L / 144D

Grandmaster Harsha Bharathakoti

Meet Harsha Bharathakoti, a chess virtuoso who carries the prestigious title of Grandmaster bestowed by FIDE. A true wizard of the 64 squares, Harsha has dazzled the online chess universe with a blend of tactical brilliance and relentless determination.

Harsha's journey to the top is marked not only by raw skill but also by an impressive adaptability. Whether blitz, bullet, or rapid, Harsha's rating has soared high, peaking at a remarkable 3002 in blitz — which might just be the speed credit card companies fear! His bullet rating isn’t far behind, boasting a peak of 3037, proving that if chess were a sprint, Harsha would be Usain Bolt with a bishop in hand.

Statistically, he’s a powerhouse on blitz with nearly 2,800 wins against just under 1,700 losses, complemented by 479 draws (because sometimes even Grandmasters do like to keep things mysterious). His win rate hovers around 56% on his signature opening marked as "Top Secret"—clearly, the name speaks for itself. Among other favored openings, he has a perfect record with the London System—chess opponents beware, because he’s been undefeated in that sweet spot!

Harsha's gameplay style combines solid positional understanding with lethal endgame prowess. He enjoys lengthy strategic battles, averaging about 84 moves per win, which means opponents are in for a marathon, not a sprint. His psychological resilience shines through a strong 79.77% comeback rate after setbacks, showing he’s not just a calculator of moves but also a master of mental fortitude.

With a tilt factor of 19 (chess pros measure tilt too—somewhere between mildly annoyed and "Why did I just blunder my queen?!"), Harsha knows when to keep calm and carry on. His best time to play? Bright and early at 8 AM—perhaps coffee and pawns make a winning combination.

Noteworthy Tales from the Board

Harsha recently conquered a game with a Queens Gambit Declined Exchange Positional Line, forcing his opponent to resign after a precise and relentless attack. Another notable victory was sealed with a checkmate victory against Mighty_Gladius16 demonstrating both finesse and tactical sharpness. However, even grandmasters have their off days—Harsha suffered a checkmate loss to the legendary Magnus Carlsen (because even the best can't escape Magnus forever).

A Quick Glance At Opponents

Among a huge variety of online warriors, Harsha has earned perfect win rates against many, from vpantev to tacticalon. But don't be fooled—some challengers like Magnus remain the final boss. Harsha's fierce rivalry record against frequent opponents is a true testament to dedication, with dozens of games showcasing a balanced mix of victories and hard-fought battles.

Fun Fact

Harsha's nickname might as well be "The Top Secret," since every enemy wants to crack his opening strategies, but it’s a well-guarded mystery. His blitz games often reach lightning-fast decisions, but with all the thrill, Harsha rarely times out—he’s got more than enough time management skills to rival a Swiss watch.

In the game of kings, Harsha Bharathakoti continues to check, mate, and mesmerize.

Coach's Avatar

Hi Harsha!

Congratulations on maintaining an elite blitz rating (3009 (2025-06-24)) and an excellent overall win-rate (

MonTueWedThuFriSatSun100%0%Day of Week
). Below is some targeted feedback drawn from your most recent games.

What you’re doing well

  • Consistent central control – In your Exchange QGD wins (e.g. vs Mighty_Gladius16) you smoothly converted small structural edges into tangible play on the e– and d– files.
  • Piece activity in technical endgames – The rook-and-pawn ending you converted on May 22 highlighted crisp use of active rooks and outside passers.
  • Opening variety – You are comfortable with Queen’s Gambit structures, French-Exchange setups and the Sicilian as Black, making you hard to prepare for.

Opportunities for improvement

  1. Sicilian Taimanov – move-order finesse
    The loss to KRAT0S_GOW (B46) showed the critical line
    14.Rfa1 … Nd7 15.R4a2 … Bc8. After …d5 you landed in a passive rook ending.
    • Consider the modern move 14…Qc8! aiming for …Nb4, keeping pieces coordinated.
    • Revisit the Sidelines 10…d5 and 12…Re8 to avoid early queenside weakness.
  2. Handling the King’s Indian Defence as White
    Versus Hikaru Nakamura you chose the Classical system but hesitated after 12…g5. Two practical suggestions:
    • Against …g5-g4, the prophylactic 13.h3 followed by 14.f3 keeps the centre intact.
    • Alternatively switch to the safer 9.dxe5 lines, limiting Black’s kingside pawn storms.
  3. Time management in critical endings
    Four recent losses (e.g. vs Suyog Wagh) came with <5 seconds on your clock. Your technique is sound when you have >15 seconds. Try:
    • Setting a soft “30-second rule” – if below 30s, simplify or force a perpetual.
    • Using premoves only in forced capture sequences; otherwise keep 0.3-0.4s buffer.
  4. Translating pressure into concrete threats
    In the Magnus game you achieved a pleasant Catalan-type position but missed 23…Bf6!? / …e5 ideas. A helpful exercise is to pause when you first sense “I’m slightly better” and search for forcing sequences rather than further improving moves.

Opening snapshot

[[Pgn| 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Be2 Nc6 4.O-O d6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Nf6 7.Nc3 Be7 8.Be3 a6 9.f4 O-O |fen|rnbq1rk1/pp2bppp/1p1ppn2/8/3NP1P1/2N1B3/PP2B1KP/R2Q1R2 w - - 0 10]]

This is the precise moment (10.Kh1 in the game) where switching to the h3–g4 plan or the sharper f5 pawn-break matters. Add it to your Repertoire Drill list.

Suggested study plan (next two weeks)

  • Day 1-3 – Review the latest Taimanov games by Firouzja & Giri; update your move orders.
  • Day 4-6 – Tactics: 30 minutes/day on puzzles with two or more quiet moves before the final shot to improve calculation depth.
  • Day 7-10 – Endgame flashcards: Philidor & Vancura rook positions under 15 seconds.
  • Day 11-14 – Play 20 unrated 1|0 games focusing only on clock handling; ignore result.

Key take-aways

  • Sharpen the Taimanov; avoid passive queen retreats.
  • Adopt a clear anti-…g5 plan vs the King’s Indian.
  • Practice fast-play “safe moves” to protect your clock in winning endings.

Keep up the great work, and feel free to share your next set of games for more in-depth analysis!

— Your Chess Coach



🆚 Opponent Insights

Recent Opponents
baarishaagaya 2W / 0L / 0D
nm_sivasatya 1W / 0L / 0D
Most Played Opponents
Alexander Rustemov 43W / 29L / 21D
kawhilockdown 54W / 25L / 6D
Giorgi Margvelashvili 38W / 25L / 8D
Ali Rastbod 41W / 20L / 4D
Raja Rithvik R 40W / 19L / 5D

Rating

Year Bullet Blitz Rapid Daily
2025 3027 3065 2427
2024 2957 2955 1502
2023 2968 2974 2442
2022 2863 2523
2021 3037 2902 2453
2020 2937 2834 2269
2019 2781 2778
2018 2715 2690
2017 2455
Rating by Year20172018201920202021202220232024202530651502YearRatingBulletBlitzRapid

Stats by Year

Year White Black Moves
2025 175W / 79L / 40D 169W / 98L / 36D 90.8
2024 560W / 287L / 94D 511W / 334L / 90D 89.1
2023 330W / 186L / 45D 332W / 190L / 37D 87.0
2022 149W / 71L / 26D 144W / 85L / 29D 90.8
2021 138W / 53L / 21D 123W / 66L / 19D 89.3
2020 610W / 395L / 99D 543W / 439L / 87D 66.9
2019 87W / 55L / 9D 79W / 55L / 14D 87.4
2018 146W / 84L / 14D 133W / 92L / 15D 86.6
2017 7W / 2L / 0D 4W / 5L / 1D 99.6

Openings: Most Played

Blitz Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
Unknown 547 281 261 5 51.4%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense 183 113 51 19 61.8%
Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack 143 88 41 14 61.5%
Modern 126 81 39 6 64.3%
Caro-Kann Defense 107 61 37 9 57.0%
Australian Defense 102 67 28 7 65.7%
QGD: 3.Nc3 Bb4 94 46 31 17 48.9%
Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation 88 48 28 12 54.5%
Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation 75 50 19 6 66.7%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack 72 47 19 6 65.3%
Bullet Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation 131 77 48 6 58.8%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack 122 78 36 8 63.9%
Modern 100 72 26 2 72.0%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense 80 44 26 10 55.0%
Australian Defense 77 48 22 7 62.3%
King's Indian Attack 65 40 19 6 61.5%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense 64 46 15 3 71.9%
Amar Gambit 54 30 21 3 55.6%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation 52 27 18 7 51.9%
Döry Defense 51 23 27 1 45.1%

🔥 Streaks

Streak Longest Current
Winning 17 8
Losing 19 0