Overview
Rauf Kasimov (KasimovR21) is a titled chess player and a FIDE Candidate Master known for a fast, pressure-heavy style. He favors blitz chess and has routinely climbed into elite blitz territory — peak Blitz rating 2910 (2025-12-20). If you want sparks and tactical fireworks, he is the kind of player who brings a magnifying glass to a bullet fight and a chess clock to breakfast.
- Title: Candidate Master (FIDE)
- Preferred time control: Blitz (fast, fierce, and frequent)
- Peak blitz performance visual:
Playing Style & Strengths
Rauf combines tactical opportunism with endurance. Many of his games go long, and he has a reputation for dramatic comebacks.
- Tactical resilience: very high comeback rate and a strong WinRateAfterLosingPiece.
- Long games are his comfort zone — average decisive games run well past the opening.
- Psychology: best time to play appears to be around 21:00, when his win rate spikes.
- Low early-resignation rate and a healthy appetite for endgames.
Notable Openings
Rauf is eclectic but has clear favorites that show up again and again. Below are some of his most-played and most-successful systems with a quick note on how they behave in his hands.
- Caro-Kann Defense - a reliable go-to as Black; used often in blitz and tough to crack.
- Petrov's Defense - frequent choice; solid and practical under time pressure.
- Four Knights Game - comfortable, flexible, and winning more than half the time in many formats.
- Amazon Attack and Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack - aggressive setups Rauf uses to unbalance opponents early.
- Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation - an attacking Sicilian that appears in his White repertoire with success.
Career Highlights & Notable Records
From long streaks to peak performances, Rauf’s record reads like a thriller script punctuated by tactical turns.
- Longest winning streak: 19 games
- Longest losing streak: 14 games
- Peak Blitz rating recorded: 2910 (2025-12-20) (one of several career highs)
- Most-played opponents include ClassAct01 and blitzmaster — fierce rivalries and many memorable finishes.
Fun Facts & Sample Game
Rauf mixes seriousness with a dash of humor at the board. Expect both deep preparation and moments where he seems to be playing chess on instinct.
- Username: KasimovR21
- Best hour to challenge him: 21:00 local time, statistically speaking
- Tilt factor is real but manageable; he bounces back well after setbacks
- Sample short game you can replay:
- Want to dig deeper into his most-played rival? See ClassAct01.