John Burke (JMB2010) - Grandmaster Extraordinaire
Once a humble player with a modest 1114 rating back in April 2011, John Burke has since embarked on an epic chess journey, culminating in the illustrious title of Grandmaster bestowed by FIDE. Known online as JMB2010, John’s chess career is a tale of resilience, strategy, and the occasional brilliant checkmate that leaves opponents wondering if their queen just vanished into a black hole.
Rating Odyssey
John's peak ratings tell the story of a player who refuses to settle:
- Daily Chess: 2246 (March 2020)
- Blitz: An astonishing 2815 (November 2022)
- Rapid: A blistering 2835 (January 2021)
- Bullet: A heart-stopping high of 2922 (July 2019)
His blitz and bullet performances, in particular, resemble a lightning storm across the board — if lightning wore glasses and planned three moves ahead.
Playing Style & Prowess
John plays with a style that can be described as fiercely tenacious. With an 81.18% comeback rate after losing a piece and an impressive 67.92% win rate even after setbacks, John embodies the very spirit of persistence. His average winning games span around 65 moves, which means he’s more about the long game, carefully squeezing victories out of his opponents like a chess-detective solving a mystery.
When playing White or Black, John maintains stellar win rates of 72.54% and 68.39% respectively. Opponents beware: whether you move first or second, John’s board dominance looms large.
Opening Secrets
John’s favorite openings could practically be classified as classified secrets. The enigmatic “Top Secret” opening boasts an extraordinary 87.5% win rate over 288 games! Meanwhile, the Unknown Opening delights in mystifying foes with an even better 93.28% win record daily — clearly John is a master of keeping opponents guessing and off-balance.
Winning and Losing Tales
Over the years, John amassed a staggering 377 wins versus only 28 losses and 17 draws in daily chess — proof that he either wins or plays on the edge where stalemates rarely occur. His longest winning streak clocks in at 66 games, an impressive run that would make even the toughest rook break a sweat.
Psychological Edge & Habits
Despite a tilt factor of 9 (yes, even grandmasters feel the sting of frustration), John’s best time to strike is bright and early at 8:00am. And if you’re up for a game around 8 or 9 in the morning, prepare for perfection — those hours boast a 100% win rate! Maybe it’s the coffee, or maybe John just greets pawns with the enthusiasm of a morning jog.
Notable Rivals & Friendlies
John has clashed most often with usernames like "1random" and "omeletking", the latter apparently scrambling quite a few eggs on the chessboard. His top win rates (100%) against plenty of opponents show just how dominant he has been in his sphere — although some, like “hugho1” or “xcapa”, have managed to spoil the perfect score sheet!
The Master’s Most Recent Triumph
On October 30, 2024, in a blistering live game on Chess.com, John (playing Black) executed a flawless checkmate victory against opponent yostc. Employing a Sicilian Defense with trademark aggression, John’s precision turn after turn was a satisfying finale that reminded his fans why he’s the Grandmaster who never backs down.
In Summary
John Burke is not just any chess player; he’s a Grandmaster whose reign over all time controls—from bullet to daily—reflects dedication, cunning, and a cheeky sense of humor on the board. Whether he’s unraveling “Top Secret” openings or outwitting opponents in bullet time, John keeps chess thrilling, challenging, and downright entertaining. So if you find yourself staring down JMB2010, be ready—for defeat might be delivered faster than you can say “checkmate!”