International Master housdav: A Blitz Marvel
FIDE International Master housdav is one of the most prolific and resilient blitz warriors on the platform. Since diving into online chess in 2014, housdav has racked up more than 17,000 rated blitz games, turning the virtual board into a personal training ground and a never ending highlight reel. With a career peak blitz rating of 2757 (2025-12-30), this is a player who clearly lives for the fast clock.
What makes housdav particularly impressive is the journey. Starting from a modest 1336 blitz rating in June 2014, the IM climbed relentlessly, crossed 2500 in late 2017, cracked 2600 in early 2025, and touched 2757 by the end of that year. It is a steady, decade long rise powered by volume, study, and an obvious love for the game. The trajectory is visible in the rating chart below.
Even in daily chess, housdav showed surgical precision, climbing to 2013 (2016-05-12) with a stunning 21 wins, 2 draws, and only 1 loss. Few players can claim such a lopsided record in any time control.
Playing Style and Repertoire
housdav is a true student of classical openings, even in blitz conditions. As White, the Catalan Opening is a go to weapon, with over 527 games and a healthy 58.82% win rate. He also enjoys the English Opening, the King's Indian Defense setups, and the solid Slav Defense, where his venomous Bonet Gambit lines have punished many unprepared opponents.
As Black, the French Defense is clearly an old friend. The Winawer Variation, especially the Advance Variation, has appeared in more than 760 games and produced a 54.45% score. He is equally at home in the Exchange Variation and the Tarrasch, showing a deep understanding of one of chess is most combative openings. The opening performance chart gives a nice overview of his favorite battlegrounds.
One of the most striking traits in his playing style is sheer tenacity. His endgame frequency is nearly 85%, meaning he rarely avoids the final phase. With a come back rate above 87%, housdav repeatedly turns lost positions into wins. Even after losing a piece, he still wins about half the time, which explains his early resignation rate of just 4%. For this IM, the game is never over until the clock says so.
Rivalries and Memorable Opponents
Over thousands of blitz games, certain opponents stand out. His most played opponent is 2011KING, with 54 meetings that have been a genuine tug of war, though 2011king currently holds the bragging rights with a 30 to 22 edge. On the flip side, housdav found a comfortable hunting ground against Warrick Rolfe, blasting to 26 wins in 35 encounters. These long running online rivalries are part of what makes blitz chess so wonderfully personal.
Beyond individual matchups, housdav has faced an elite level of competition for years. His strength adjusted win rate sits near 50%, which is remarkable for a player who regularly matches wits with other titled players and strong masters. Against lower rated opponents he wins 62% of the time, and even against higher rated foes he manages a 30% score, meaning he is always a threat to upset the favorite.
Fun Facts and Marathon Tendencies
- Housdav has a 14 game winning streak to his name, but also a 10 game losing streak, proving that even International Masters can have wild nights.
- His best hour on the clock is midnight, where he wins 67.31% of games. The 1am hour is less kind, with a 33.33% score. The moral: play at midnight, sleep at 1am.
- Average winning games last around 76 moves and losses stretch to 81 moves, so he fights deep into the endgame almost every time.
- His tilt factor of 10 suggests he feels losses, but his comeback rate of 87.65% shows he bounces back in style.
- With over 9,000 blitz wins, housdav has effectively won a small town worth of chess games.
In short, housdav is the definition of a blitz lifer. From French Defense battles to Catalan squeezes, from midnight marathons to grinding comebacks, this International Master has built an online legacy defined by volume, courage, and an unshakeable love for the game.