Ilya Gutkin (ilushka): The FIDE Master of the Blitz Marathon
Career Snapshot
Ilya Gutkin, known online as ilushka, is a FIDE Master who has built his reputation on relentless volume and a love for fast chess. His preferred time control is Blitz, and he has turned the blitz arena into his personal laboratory, playing tens of thousands of games and reaching a peak Blitz rating of 2721 (2026-06-25).
- FIDE Master title earned through years of online and over-the-board growth
- More than 26,000 analyzed games, with over 12,600 Blitz wins
- Longest winning streak of 14 games
- Comeback rate of 84.26%, making him one of the toughest players to put away
The Long Road to Master
Ilya's journey started humbly in 2012 with Blitz ratings around 1050 and a fondness for open, tactical battles. He spent years grinding through the amateur ranks, crossing 2000 in 2018, entering the 2400s in 2021, and finally touching 2721 in 2026. The steady climb below tells the story of a player who improved through sheer persistence.
A Volume Like No Other
If there is one defining trait to Ilya's online career, it is volume. He plays Blitz almost exclusively, and he plays a lot of it. In February 2023 alone he logged 898 rated Blitz games, and in March 2024 he played 700 more. Across all those games, his longest losing streak was 12, but he always bounced back. His 14 game winning streak shows what happens when he finds his rhythm.
Opening Repertoire
Ilya's opening tastes are practical and flexible. With the white pieces he leans on the King's Indian Attack and the English Opening, both of which reward positional understanding over deep theory. With black he is a regular in the French Defense and the Sicilian Defense, and he has played the Australian Defense more than 1,300 times in Blitz. His willingness to revisit the same structures thousands of times has given him a sharp feel for typical middlegame plans.
Resilience and Fighting Spirit
The numbers paint Ilya as a stubborn defender. His comeback rate sits at 84.26%, and he still wins 46.28% of games after losing a piece. He almost never resigns early, with an early resignation rate just over 1%, and he reaches the endgame in nearly 79% of his games. When he lands the first check of the game, his win rate jumps to 54.72%, showing he understands how to turn initiative into points.
Familiar Rivals
Over the years, Ilya has developed genuine rivalries. He has faced trickydavid 78 times and won 60 of those meetings. He has also battled bbborka 73 times, taking 48 wins, and has played Sean Senft 47 times. These recurring battles give his Blitz sessions the feel of an ongoing serial drama.
The Night Owl
Ilya is at his best when the clock strikes late. His highest win rate by hour is 57.56% at 02:00, and his best day of the week is Thursday. Whether he is chasing rating or simply enjoying the silence of the chess server, the small hours are clearly his time to shine.