Avatar of Michael Buscar

Michael Buscar NM

Username: InitiatingASC

Playing Since: 2013-03-11 (Active)

Wow Factor: ♟♟♟♟

Chess.com

Daily: 1177
2W / 0L / 0D
Rapid: 2176
34W / 58L / 24D
Blitz: 2463
1508W / 1759L / 320D
Bullet: 2538
317W / 212L / 27D

Michael Buscar – National Master Extraordinaire

Once a mere mortal with a Blitz rating of 1267 in 2013, Michael Buscar has blitzed his way through the ranks to become a formidable National Master. Known in the chess community by the username InitiatingASC, Michael's journey is a tale of perseverance, tactical brilliance, and the occasional pawn sacrifice that somehow still amazes opponents.

With over a decade of competitive play, Michael's Blitz peak soared to an astonishing 2568 by 2025 – impressive enough to make even Magnus Magnusson raise an eyebrow. If bullet chess were an Olympic sport, Michael would be draped in gold, having topped a 2538 rating and boasting a dazzling 2472 average win rate at his prime.

Michael’s opening repertoire is as versatile as a Swiss army knife. He favors the sharp and aggressive Sicilian Defense, especially the Pelikan and Sveshnikov Variations, with a respectable 44% win rate in Blitz games. When not launching knights and bishops down the board, he cleverly switches to the Reti Opening or the English Opening, keeping opponents guessing and often scrambling for their queens.

Famous for a comeback rate of nearly 94%, Michael rarely lets a lost piece dictate the outcome. In fact, if he loses a piece, opponents better start sweating — because Michael’s win rate after losing material sits at a perfect 100%. Talk about turning the tables!

His psychological fortitude may wobble at times – with a "Tilt Factor" of 10, he's human after all – but his endgame play shines bright. With an average of 84 moves per victory, Michael clearly enjoys a lengthy battle royale on the 64 squares, much to the delight (and sometimes despair) of his spectators.

Not just a blitz beast, Michael shows versatility across formats. Whether it's the lightning-fast bullet games or the slower, strategic rapid matches, he adapts fluidly. His win rates hover around 40-45%, a strong showing against diverse opponents.

When asked about his secret to success, Michael simply smiles and says: "Patience, preparation, and never underestimating the power of a sneaky knight fork." Fans of high-stakes chess know to watch this National Master closely – because each game is a masterclass delivered with a dash of humor, a sprinkle of grit, and moves that keep everyone on their toes.


Coach's Avatar

What stood out in your recent bullet games

You showed calm king safety and steady development across several quick games. You frequently developed pieces to active squares and kept your position solid in the early middlegame. When you seized initiative, you did so by coordinating your minor pieces and using open lines to apply pressure.

  • Consistent early development and timely castling helped you reach playable middlegames under time pressure.
  • Willingness to simplify when ahead or under pressure kept the games from collapsing completely in several positions.
  • Good instinct for tactics when a clear target appeared, showing you can convert chances in the right moment.

Key improvement areas to focus on

  • Establish a clear, repeatable plan after the opening. Decide on a target (such as controlling a key file, a central square, or a pawn structure) and steer your moves toward that plan rather than reacting move by move.
  • Be cautious with early pawn pushes that weaken king safety or break your own pawn structure. In bullets, it’s easy to overextend; aim for solid pawn chains and reduce material risk unless you have a concrete, immediate tactic.
  • Endgame readiness. When the position simplifies, practice converting small advantages in rook or minor-piece endings. If you’re behind, look for practical chances like perpetual checks or active king play rather than passive recapture lines.
  • Time management under pressure. Build a habit of a quick, initial scan per move (look for threats, candidate moves, and a plan) and then allocate the rest of your time to the most promising line.
  • Pattern recognition. Strengthen awareness of common tactical motifs (forks, skewers, back-rank ideas, and deflections) so you don’t miss easy wins or fall into traps.

Concrete practice plan

  • Adopt a compact opening repertoire for bullets—one reliable system for the first 15 moves—and drill it in short practice sessions to reduce decision fatigue late in games.
  • Endgame training: practice rook endings with pawns to improve conversion chances when pieces are traded off.
  • Schedule two 15-minute practice games per week focusing on planning rather than speed; review each game to identify one strong plan and one recurring mistake.
  • Review your most recent loss to identify a single tactical moment to learn from and a safe alternative line for similar positions.
  • Use a quick pre-move routine for common, safe answers in bullet positions to save seconds for critical decisions.

Next steps

If you’d like, I can tailor a 2- or 4-week bullet training plan based on your openings and typical middlegame themes. Share any positions you found tricky, and we can craft targeted drills around those patterns.

michael%20buscar


🆚 Opponent Insights

Most Played Opponents
Jura Ochkoos 33W / 23L / 7D
endgameattack 11W / 25L / 0D
lutheracreschess 14W / 6L / 0D
trenti7 12W / 6L / 1D
jameswu2 12W / 3L / 3D

Rating

Year Bullet Blitz Rapid Daily
2025 2463
2024 2504
2023 2327 2176
2022 2538 2391
2021 2502 2364
2020 2426 2453 1177
2019 2443
2017 2307
2016 2302
2015 2339 2221
2014 1964
2013 2001 1953
Rating by Year20132014201520162017201920202021202220232024202525381953YearRatingBulletBlitz

Stats by Year

Year White Black Moves
2025 74W / 102L / 19D 90W / 92L / 14D 87.3
2024 108W / 146L / 25D 107W / 155L / 32D 85.4
2023 111W / 163L / 35D 108W / 180L / 40D 84.5
2022 151W / 162L / 34D 138W / 191L / 20D 86.0
2021 155W / 161L / 36D 160W / 186L / 21D 83.0
2020 121W / 113L / 21D 117W / 113L / 32D 86.9
2019 22W / 6L / 4D 19W / 14L / 2D 81.1
2017 5W / 4L / 0D 2W / 3L / 3D 97.6
2016 5W / 3L / 1D 5W / 5L / 0D 76.3
2015 174W / 92L / 18D 148W / 122L / 13D 80.6
2014 3W / 5L / 1D 6W / 5L / 0D 77.7
2013 26W / 3L / 1D 23W / 5L / 0D 67.9

Openings: Most Played

Rapid Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
QGD Tarrasch: 7.Bg2 Be7 8.O-O 7 3 2 2 42.9%
Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Cobra Variation 6 1 5 0 16.7%
Dutch Defense: Blackburne Variation 5 3 2 0 60.0%
Petrov's Defense 4 1 2 1 25.0%
QGD Tarrasch: 4.cxd5 4 1 2 1 25.0%
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation 4 0 2 2 0.0%
Sicilian Defense: Closed 3 0 2 1 0.0%
QGD: 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 3 1 2 0 33.3%
Bishop's Opening: Urusov Gambit 3 1 1 1 33.3%
Slav Defense: Bonet Gambit 2 1 1 0 50.0%
Bullet Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
Amar Gambit 48 30 17 1 62.5%
Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Cobra Variation 38 18 16 4 47.4%
Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation 36 19 15 2 52.8%
London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation 27 18 6 3 66.7%
Sicilian Defense: Closed 23 13 10 0 56.5%
Döry Defense 22 10 11 1 45.5%
Australian Defense 21 11 8 2 52.4%
Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, Kharlov-Kramnik Line 20 13 6 1 65.0%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense 16 10 5 1 62.5%
Sicilian Defense 14 9 5 0 64.3%
Daily Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack, Mindeno Variation 1 1 0 0 100.0%
Catalan Opening 1 1 0 0 100.0%

🔥 Streaks

Streak Longest Current
Winning 22 0
Losing 10 0