Irina Bulmaga - Woman Grandmaster
Irina Bulmaga, often known by her username IriBu, is a formidable force on the chessboard and a proud bearer of the Woman Grandmaster title from FIDE. With a rating that zips and zags like a nimble knight — often peaking above 2600 in blitz — she’s a true predator in the tactical wild.
Known for her strategic “chess-tology,” Irina’s style is defined by resilience and depth; she boasts a comeback rate of over 95%, and an impeccable 100% win rate after losing a piece — talk about turning a scratch into a winning gene! Her endgame frequency is around 89%, indicating she’s not afraid to dive deep into the cerebral battles that come late in the match, wielding her pieces like an adept biologist wielding a microscope.
Irina’s opening repertoire includes a botanical garden of defenses, with the Sicilian Defense Slow Variation as her favorite terrarium — she wins nearly 63% of those games! The Alekhine’s Defense Exchange Variation and various Sicilian lines also flourish under her care. In bullet and blitz formats, she’s as quick as a striking mantis, and her games show a healthy dose of patience rather than early resignations, with only about 0.5% early surrenders.
Off the board, Irina’s psychological resilience is remarkable; her tilt factor is low at 10, meaning she doesn’t get stung by the occasional loss. Though she does show a slight preference for “predatory” blitz and tactical rats that scurry in the evening hours, her superpower might be her sharp endgame intuition — a rare DNA strand in the genome of chess mastery.
Whether facing long-time rivals or fresh opponents, IriBu has demonstrated strength and versatility, making her a queen not just by title, but by playstyle. She’s a true masterpiece in the ever-evolving ecosystem of chess — a player whose moves sprout unexpected branches and whose strategy roots run deep.