Avatar of Mariya Kholyavko
Player Profile

Mariya Kholyavko WIM

MarusyaKholyavko Almaty Since 2019 (Active) Chess.com ♟♟♟♟♟
57.3% W 37.1% L 5.6% D
Bullet
2121
16W 17L 1D
Blitz
2613
397W 248L 37D
Rapid
2130
44W 29L 7D
Daily
1200
0W 2L 0D

Player Profile

Mariya Kholyavko, known online as MarusyaKholyavko, is a FIDE Woman International Master with a serious love for fast chess. Her preferred battleground is Blitz, where she has built one of the most consistent and aggressive online records around. She began her online climb in 2019, and the

Blitz Rating274523481950155211542019: 12862020: 16292021: 19572025: 25272026: 261320192020202120252026
chart shows a steady rise into the 2600s, the kind of trajectory that belongs to a player who never stops improving.

Style and Repertoire

Kholyavko is happiest when she can steer the game into familiar territory. With White she is especially dangerous in the Giuoco Piano, particularly the Tarrasch Variation, where her win rate climbs to an impressive level. With Black she handles the Sicilian Defense with confidence, and she has a soft spot for the Accelerated Dragon, where she scores well in both the Exchange and Closed lines.

Her style is patient and resourceful. Almost three quarters of her games reach the endgame, and her wins average around 68 moves. She rarely resigns early, and her comeback rate of almost 81 percent shows that a lost position is not a lost cause. The

Win Rate by Opening0%25%75%100%50%Giuoco Piano: Tarrasch Variation: 78.0% over 50 gamesSicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Exchange Variation: 63.0% over 46 gamesSicilian Defense: Closed: 56.1% over 41 gamesSicilian Defense: 81.5% over 27 gamesBlackburne Shilling Gambit: 61.5% over 26 gamesItalian Game: Two Knights Defense: 54.5% over 22 gamesGiuoco Piano: Tarrasch …78%Sicilian Defense: Accel…63%Sicilian Defense: Closed56%Sicilian Defense82%Blackburne Shilling Gam…62%Italian Game: Two Knigh…54%
chart gives a quick view of the openings that produce her best results.

Rivalries and Battles

No opponent has tested Kholyavko more often than Mark Smirnov, who has faced her 33 times in a back and forth rivalry. Kholyavko holds a slight edge with 17 wins, and the two clearly enjoy the fight.

Numbers and Habits

  • Longest winning streak: 9 games
  • Favorite day to play: Monday, with a win rate above 70 percent
  • Best hour on the board: 19:00, when her win rate hits 100 percent
  • White win rate: around 60 percent, Black win rate: 54 percent
  • History: from a 1286 Blitz rating in 2019 to a 2600+ Blitz player by 2026

Her results against lower rated players are clinical, while she also shows grit against stronger opposition. She can hit a rough patch, including a six game losing streak, but the long winning streak and her ability to bounce back after losing pieces suggest a fighter who keeps pressing until the last move. For Mariya Kholyavko, Blitz is not just a time control, it is her natural habitat.

Bio last updated 2026-09-07