Maksym Larchikov — known online as Larchikov

Maksym Larchikov is a fast, fearless chess player who prefers blitz and delights in chaotic middlegames. A practical tactician with a long memory for Najdorf ideas and Caro-Kann subtleties, Larchikov has built a reputation for grinding long decisive games and springing surprises when opponents think the position is safe.

Preferred time control: Blitz. Short clock, sharp play, quick coffee. Search engines: Larchikov chess blitz Najdorf Caro-Kann tactics.

Playing style and strengths

Larchikov plays like someone who loves puzzles and hates to resign early. He finishes more endgames than most and often outlasts opponents in long, tactical fights.

High endgame frequency and long average decisive games suggest deep technical play.
Strong comeback ability with a one sided loss rate under 6 percent.
Prefers sharp, tested openings when he wants practical chances quickly.

Statistics snapshot

Larchikov plays a mountain of blitz and bullet. Highlights below give a quick sense of scale and form.

Blitz record: 211 wins, 152 losses, 32 draws. Blitz is Larchikovs playground.
Bullet record: 773 wins, 551 losses, 105 draws. Speed plus persistence yields many skirmishes.
Rapid record: 285 wins, 217 losses, 37 draws. Solid across formats.
Notable streaks: longest winning run 26 games, longest losing run 7 games.

Watch Larchikovs rating rise and fall over the years with this quick chart:

Peak blitz rating: 2346 (2026-03-02)

Favorite openings and weapons

Larchikov is eclectic but shows clear preferences. He switches between sound defenses and cheeky gambits depending on mood and clock.

Top blitz choices: Sicilian Defense (Najdorf is a specialty), QGD Chigorin lines, and the Australian Defense.
Bullet and rapid favorites: Caro-Kann, Alapin Sicilian, and the Bird Batavo Gambit when mischief calls.
As White he often scores well with English and Catalan ideas and a powerful Slav-Bonet pocket line.

Want to study one signature opening? See the Najdorf entry and related theory here: Najdorf.

Notable runs and memorable moments

Larchikovs chess life reads like a highlight reel and a training log mixed together. He has gone on marathon winning streaks and regularly turns inferior positions into wins.

Remarkable comeback rate. Larchikov wins more than 80 percent of his comeback fights.
Best time of day: late evening blitz sessions, especially around 23:00 local time.
Longest winning streak reached 26 wins. Opponents probably still check their clocks nervously when they see his name.

Rivalries and frequent opponents

He has faced many regulars. A few frequent opponents appear often in his log, with mixed and dramatic records.

david2536 — 21 games: 10 wins, 10 losses, 1 draw. Classic swing match. david2536
evilchesscoach — 17 games: 10 wins, 6 losses, 1 draw. Tough coaching battles.
chess_master1982 — 17 games: 6 wins, 10 losses, 1 draw. A rival to keep studying for.

Want to replay one of those clashes? Try this sample game viewer below.

Fun facts and quirks

Average moves per win are long. Larchikov enjoys the long road to victory.
He has a habit of playing offbeat gambits when the position is equal. Sometimes brilliant. Sometimes memeable.
Early resignation rate is low. He fights until the last trick or the last second on the clock.

If you ever lose to Larchikov, console yourself with this maxim: you probably learned something, even if it was how not to blunder a knight on move 12.

Where to study his games

For focused study, look at his blitz Najdorf and bullet Caro-Kann collections. The 2025 season is especially rich in instructive middlegame battles.

Explore a timeline of rated blitz games with the chart above.
Check frequent opponents and replay individual games from notable sessions via the profile links. Example: david2536