Avatar of Mark Bluvshtein

Mark Bluvshtein GM

Username: mbluvshtein

Location: Toronto

Playing Since: 2021-10-03 (Active)

Wow Factor: ♟♟♟♟♟

Chess.com

Daily: 2003
1W / 0L / 0D
Rapid: 2580
22W / 4L / 0D
Blitz: 2920
1242W / 861L / 262D

Mark Bluvshtein - Grandmaster of Blitz and Brilliance

Mark Bluvshtein, known to the chess world by the unmistakable handle mbluvshtein, is not just a Grandmaster; he's a chess phenomenon with a flair for blitz battles that could leave even the most seasoned opponents scratching their heads. Earning the coveted Grandmaster title from FIDE, Mark has demonstrated a dazzling array of tactical brilliance and strategic depth across various time controls.

Quick Facts and Quicker Moves

  • Peak Blitz Rating: An eye-watering 2882 achieved in April 2025 – watch those fingers!
  • Rapid Peak: 2580, proving his versatility isn’t a fluke.
  • Daily Rating Highlight: A solid 2003, because even Grandmasters deserve some relaxation.
  • Blitz Battle Record: 922 wins, 628 losses, and 172 draws – Mark’s games are never dull.

The Openings Vault

Ever mysterious with the "Top Secret" opening (OK, probably a placeholder, but it sounds cool), Mark dominates with a winning percentage around 54% over nearly 1,500 games. He’s navigated tricky variations of the Nimzo-Indian and Sicilian defenses with mixed success but is known to shine with the Alapin Sicilian Defense boasting a 75% win rate. Opponents beware: he’s got a kitchen sink full of surprises.

Playing Style and Psychology

Mark plays like an 80-move symphony, with an average win unfolding over 81 moves. Endgames are his playground, making an impressive 87.76% appearance rate in his matches—talk about stamina and patience! His tactical awareness is off the charts, making stunning comebacks nearly 88% of the time after falling behind, refusing to let a lost piece crush his spirit (zero one-sided losses here).

His psychological resilience is notable; a "tilt factor" of 8 means he keeps his cool most of the time, and his best time to strike is early morning—05:00 hours. Yes, while most sip coffee, Mark is sipping victory.

Recent Showdowns: Wins and Woes

In his latest wins, Mark showcased his mastery in sharp Queen's Pawn Opening variations, gently convincing his opponents to resign rather quickly or win on time with clinical precision. His battles often end in graceful resignations or swift time victories—a mark of superior time management and psychological pressure.

Even Grandmasters have their off moments, and Mark’s recent losses came against strong adversaries on tricky Queen's Gambit Declined or King's Indian Defense boards. But true to his fighting spirit, he never stays down for long.

Fun Facts

  • Mark’s blitz win streak peak is an impressive 13 games! Try topping that on a caffeine crash.
  • Despite being a rapid-fire tactician, he’s surprisingly gentle on endings—with almost no early resignations. He likes to see how deep the rabbit hole goes.
  • His favored hours for wins fluctuate wildly, but the mysterious 05:00 hour reigns supreme. Night owls, beware!

In summary, Mark Bluvshtein is a chess Grandmaster with not only a bow of skill but a quiver full of surprises, stamina, and strategic flair. Opponents may outmaneuver him, but few out-hustle him in the lightning-fast world of blitz chess.

For an up-and-coming chess player or just a fan of the royal game, watching Mark sling knights and bishops across the board is like watching a magician at work—except the magic is all about calculation, nerves of steel, and a lot of pawns!


Coach Chesswick's Profile Photo
Coach Chesswick

Coaching Feedback for Mark Bluvshtein

Mark, here is some constructive feedback based on your recent games:

Strengths

  • Opening Understanding: You demonstrate solid opening preparation, especially in Semi-Slav and related d4 openings. Your piece development and structural decisions lay a strong foundation for middlegame play.
  • Endgame Technique: Your technique in converting endgames is impressive, often simplifying into winning positions accurately.
  • Calculation in Tactical Turns: You handle complex, tactical sequences well, showing good calculation depth especially when capturing or exchanging material.

Areas for Improvement

  • Handling Pressure in Critical Moments: In your recent losses, you encountered difficulties when defending slightly worse positions and in complex pawn structures. Working on maintaining composure and looking for counterplay in these moments could improve results.
  • Pawn Structure Management: A few games showed you taking on or allowing pawn weaknesses that your opponents later exploited (e.g., isolated or doubled pawns in the center or queenside). Try to anticipate and prevent structural problems early.
  • Time Management: Some critical moves were played with low clock times, which led to inaccuracies. Balancing speed and accuracy, especially in time scrambles, will help avoid unnecessary mistakes.

Recommendations

  • Analyze your recent losses carefully, especially positions where you shifted from equality to disadvantage, to identify patterns or recurring tactical oversights.
  • In training, emphasize pawn structure concepts and practice converting small advantages in endgames to sharpen your technical edge.
  • Try setting tempo goals during your practice games to improve your clock management, ensuring you maintain clarity while managing time pressure.

Keep up the great work! Every game adds to your experience and skill.

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🆚 Opponent Insights

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puracat 1W / 0L / 0D View
Netfare 8W / 5L / 3D View
matihalac 1W / 0L / 0D View
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Chigozie Egeonu 1W / 0L / 0D View
Shixu B Wang 0W / 2L / 0D View
Most Played Opponents
Alexey Jarovinsky 11W / 13L / 2D View Games
michael124667 19W / 6L / 1D View Games
Vladimir Bilic 12W / 7L / 2D View Games
Ali Ekber Doğan 9W / 7L / 0D View Games
Netfare 8W / 5L / 3D View Games

Rating

Year Bullet Blitz Rapid Daily
2025 2852 2569
2024 2689 2515
2023 2652
2022 2760
2021 2709 2003
Rating by Year2021202220232024202528522515YearRatingBlitzRapid

Stats by Year

Year White Black Moves
2025 320W / 196L / 81D 292W / 250L / 58D 89.3
2024 66W / 34L / 18D 71W / 41L / 10D 84.4
2023 45W / 33L / 8D 44W / 37L / 8D 81.4
2022 96W / 69L / 14D 101W / 59L / 23D 85.4
2021 85W / 55L / 10D 83W / 56L / 17D 86.4

Openings: Most Played

Blitz Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation 141 80 42 19 56.7%
Modern 114 56 43 15 49.1%
Petrov's Defense 77 43 25 9 55.8%
Australian Defense 52 23 22 7 44.2%
King's Indian Defense: Larsen Variation 50 21 28 1 42.0%
Benoni Defense 45 28 16 1 62.2%
Gruenfeld: Early Russian Variation 42 20 20 2 47.6%
Nimzo-Indian Defense 41 17 19 5 41.5%
Döry Defense 39 21 14 4 53.9%
Queen's Gambit Declined: Hastings Variation 38 18 17 3 47.4%
Daily Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
QGD: Ragozin 1 1 0 0 100.0%

🔥 Streaks

Streak Longest Current
Winning 13 1
Losing 8 0
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