Mert Can Seviğ, Candidate Master
Mert Can Seviğ is a FIDE Candidate Master with a serious soft spot for fast chess. Mert's preferred time control is Blitz, and the online rating graph tells a wild story: from an unassuming 887 Blitz rating in July 2015 to a 2602 (2026-07-28) of 2602 and a 2730 (2026-07-11) of 2730 by the summer of 2026. That is not a slow jog; that is a rocket launch.
The Rocket Launch
Mert's early online traces are humble. In July 2015, the future Candidate Master played two Blitz games and lost both. After a long gap, Mert returned in October 2020, crossed into the 1400s, then reached the 1600s in May 2021. The real explosion came in 2025 and 2026, when Mert went from roughly 2100 to a Blitz peak in the 2600s and a Bullet peak above 2700.
Even the chart needs a seatbelt.
Playing Style and Opening Repertoire
Mert is a creature of the 1.Nf3 universe. In recent seasons, the knight move appears far more often than 1.e4, often gliding into the King's Indian Attack or other flexible Nf3 set-ups. The data also shows success in nonstandard territory, including the Hungarian Opening and its quirkier lines, plus sharper Sicilian Defense structures such as the Najdorf Variation.
- Long games: Mert averages more than 80 moves in wins and reaches an endgame in 81 percent of games.
- Fighting spirit: after losing a piece, Mert still wins 41 percent of the time, with an overall comeback rate near 85 percent.
- White edge: 45.8 percent win rate as White versus 41.2 percent as Black.
- Morning person: the best win rate by hour of day comes at 08:00, so bring coffee.
Rivalries and Numbers
The most played list has a familiar name at the top. Mert and Jesse James have collided 11 times in Blitz, with Mert ahead 6 wins to 5 and no draws. That is the kind of rivalry that decides who gets bragging rights for the evening.
The broader stats are just as interesting. Mert beats lower-rated opponents around 68 percent of the time, but wins only 28 percent against higher-rated players. In other words, Mert is a terrifying favorite and a stubborn underdog.
- Longest winning streak: 6
- Longest losing streak: 9
- Current losing streak: 3, but with an 85 percent comeback rate, that number is probably temporary.
The Curious Bits
Mert's games are unusually decisive. Across Blitz and Bullet, draws are rare: 12 draws in Blitz and 42 in Bullet. The clock is not there for handshakes.
The numbers even contain a mini personality test. The tilt factor reads 9, while the comeback rate sits near 85 percent. Maybe Mert is a phoenix who occasionally forgets to bring fire.