Abhinav Chaudhary

Abhinav Chaudhary (aka HathFire)

Meet Abhinav Chaudhary, a chess player whose journey through the 64 squares has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride — fueled equally by tactical blunders and hard-earned triumphs. Known online as HathFire, Abhinav has faced the chessboard with unwavering determination, displaying a unique mix of fighting spirit and occasional “what just happened?” moments.

Rating Rollercoaster

Once peaking at a rapid rating of 1017 back in 2021, Abhinav’s rating journey since then reads like a plot twist-filled novel. From that high, the ratings dipped and climbed again, settling into steady (and occasionally bumpy) territory around the 300 mark in 2024-25 rapid games. Not to be overshadowed, his bullet rating peaked at a modest 100 in early 2025 — proving that lightning-fast moves don't always translate to lightning-fast wins.

Playing Style & Tendencies

Abhinav’s style is a curious concoction: he rarely gives up early (with only about 11% early resignations) and enjoys long fights, evidenced by an impressive average of over 44 moves per win and nearly 61 moves per loss in rapid games. Endgames? Oh yes, he sees them quite often — more than half his games brush shoulders with the endgame phase.

His psychological resilience is commendable, boasting a 61.95% comeback rate after losing material, making him the kind of player opponents love to push around — but only if they want a fight back! Though, a mild tilt factor of 5 suggests he keeps his cool better than most when the chips are down.

Favorite Openings and Battles

Abhinav has dabbled extensively with some classic openings. The King’s Pawn Opening (and its Knights Variation) and the feisty Alekhine’s Defense are his go-to dance partners — with win rates hovering around 37-44%. Notably, the Petrov’s Defense Classical Variation is his secret weapon boasting an enviable 75% win rate, showing he’s quite comfortable holding the center and counterpunching at the right moments.

On the flip side, the Van 't Kruijs Opening hasn't been as kind, delivering a humble 26.67% win rate — apparently, not even “Van 't Kruijs” rhymes with "easy wins."

Recent Battles and Highlights

Abhinav’s recent games tell a story of resilience:

• His latest victory was a swift and elegant checkmate, executed with the grace of a seasoned tactician, defeating jjabigguy by resignation after only 11 moves in a King’s Pawn gambit.
• Not one to shy away from the heat, His bold use of the Queen’s Pawn Opening Horwitz Defense led to a brilliant checkmate against alexisdubospallas, showcasing his endgame prowess.
• Of course, every hero faces setbacks — recently, he was checkmated by darckcock using the tricky Van Geet Opening, a reminder that even HathFire sometimes gets singed.

Quirks and Fun Facts

When the clock strikes 21:00, Abhinav’s performance peaks — so if you want a good game, challenge him at night! He also has a habit of performing better when the opponent blinks first — his win rates against unfamiliar players with “cool” usernames like aron4cre or honeybeeishandsome hover tantalizingly close to 100%.

Though still a work-in-progress, his journey is defined by passion, perseverance, and an endless willingness to dive back in, whether winning or losing. Abhinav Chaudhary is proof that chess is not just about the rating but the stories behind each move — fiery, frustrating, and always fascinating.

Watch out, world — HathFire’s moves are just getting warmed up!