Mark L Hebden - Grandmaster of the Chessboard
Mark L Hebden, known in the chess world by the sleek handle mhebden, is a force to be reckoned with on the 64 squares. Awarded the prestigious title of Grandmaster by FIDE, Mark's chess career is a thrilling saga of strategy, calculation, and occasionally, theatrical checkmates.
Blitz Brilliance
Mark’s lightning-fast reflexes and razor-sharp instincts shine brightest in blitz chess. With a peak blitz rating flirting impressively with 2693 in May 2020, he dazzles opponents at breakneck speed. His blitz win rate hovers around a staggering 71%, proving he's a master of crushing attacks and nimble defenses alike. Notably, he once unleashed a staggering 66-game winning streak – talk about unstoppable momentum!
Rapid & Bullet - The Other Arenas
While blitz is his pièce de résistance, Mark also showcases solid performances in rapid and bullet formats. Comfortable under various time controls, his bullet peak rating of 2305 (September 2015) and rapid peak of 2444 (December 2020) highlight his adaptability and all-around chess prowess. Fun fact: his opening secrets remain, well, top secret—his preferred openings have netted him impressive win rates across all formats, keeping opponents guessing.
Playing Style & Psychological Game
Mark likes his games long and gritty: expect an average of over 70 moves per win and nearly 85 moves before a loss. Slow burns and strategic scheming are clearly his forte, with endgames featuring in almost 80% of his matches. Although he has a modest tilt factor of 7 (yes, even grandmasters have their moments), his comeback rate is an incredible 86%, showing resilience worthy of a chess superhero.
Trophy Case & Records
- Total blitz victories: 650 wins out of 917 games played in a signature "Top Secret" opening repertoire.
- Bullet wins: 89 out of 137 games, a lethal click-fest.
- Rapid wins: 10 from 18 games, proving speed and thoughtfulness can coexist.
Recent Chess Drama
Just days ago, Mark secured a beautiful checkmate against ExceptionallyNooby with the Queen's Gambit Declined. His games reveal a flair for dynamic play and clinical finishes, no doubt entertaining both fans and foes.
Off The Board
When not maneuvering knights or plotting pawn storms, Mark is likely pondering the mysteries of life, wondering if that last coffee was worth losing a rook or sneaking in a cheeky blitz game at 8 AM (his prime time for play!). One thing’s for sure: chess isn't just a game for him; it’s a lifelong passionate pursuit—sometimes funny, often thrilling, and always masterful.
Hi Mark!
Quick Snapshot
• Current form: strong tactical performance (5 wins / 3 losses in last eight games)
• Main openings: King’s Indian as Black (E9x family) and QGD / Trompowsky as White
• Typical session times: late-evening UTC → see
• 2693 (2020-05-09) shows you are close to personal best – a few tweaks could push you higher.
Your Biggest Strengths
- Dynamic Piece Play. The win vs ExceptionallyNooby (E94) is textbook: ...f5, ...g5 and a beautiful exchange-sac on g2. Your pieces swarm the king the moment the centre closes.
- Calculation & Tactical Alertness. In the QGD Modern (D50) you spotted 25.Nd5!, forcing concessions and finishing with 33.Rxf8#. Crisp, accurate and fast.
- Opening Repertoire Coherence. KID + Modern/King’s Indian setups give you familiar pawn structures every round, saving clock time.
Recurrent Leaks
-
Time Trouble. Five of the last six defeats were lost on the clock while the board was equal or winning (e.g. vs chrisblitz482 & blitzking82).
• You often dip under 90 seconds before move 20.
• Bullet-speed flurries follow, increasing blunder rate. - Over-ambitious Pawn Pushes. Early h-pawn storms (h4–h5 vs edwfidel1) or a-pawn thrusts (a4/a5 in several QGD games) sometimes leave holes you later fight to plug. Keep an eye on dark-square control after …g6 setups.
- Conversion Technique vs Passed Pawns. Endgame vs blitzking82 reached a won rook ending, yet flagging occurred after 40...Rb2+. Practice converting with an increment to hard-wire the technique.
Action Plan (Next 2 Weeks)
| Focus | Why it Matters | Practical Drill |
|---|---|---|
| Clock Management | You score 71 % when ahead on time, only 46 % when behind. |
• Play 10 games of 3 | 2 to habituate using increment. • Verbal countdown: aim to have ≥ 3 min on the clock by move 15. • Use “safe-move” pre-moves in familiar KID structures (…d6, …Nbd7, …e5). |
| Critical Moment Identification | Avoid reflex pawn grabs that burn time later. | After each game, mark three moves where you spent >40 s. Ask: “Could I sense this was critical earlier?” Repeat for 20 games and chart progress. |
| End-game Clean-ups | Many time losses occur in winning endings. |
• 20 positions from Dvoretsky’s Rook Endings – set a 30-second limit per move. • Replay the sequence vs blitzking82 until you can finish under 30 s. |
Targeted Opening Tweaks
• When White plays 9.b4 in the Bayonet, shift to the modern plan …a5/…Nh5 instead of …Ne8 to reduce theory reliance.
• In QGD Modern, consider 7…h6 instead of 7…Be7 to avoid the pin and keep the queen free (reduces early clock drain).
Mindset Reminder
Your style thrives on initiative. Guard the energy bar—both on the clock and on the board. If a position is already won, channel the same killer instinct into pragmatic finishing moves rather than additional complications. Think “simplicity, then brilliance”.
Good luck in your next session!
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| graham-h | 16W / 0L / 0D | View Games |
| Asa Hoffmann | 13W / 1L / 0D | View Games |
| Martin Bækgaard | 6W / 7L / 0D | View Games |
| okhaithenoo | 12W / 1L / 0D | View Games |
| Viktor Ianov | 8W / 4L / 1D | View Games |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2497 | |||
| 2023 | 2518 | |||
| 2022 | 2451 | |||
| 2021 | 2601 | 2061 | ||
| 2020 | 2560 | 2063 | ||
| 2016 | 2478 | |||
| 2015 | 2295 | 2405 | ||
| 2014 | 1821 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2W / 5L / 0D | 4W / 0L / 0D | 75.6 |
| 2023 | 26W / 8L / 2D | 28W / 2L / 2D | 78.1 |
| 2022 | 126W / 33L / 13D | 126W / 32L / 12D | 79.0 |
| 2021 | 53W / 33L / 11D | 59W / 39L / 3D | 85.5 |
| 2020 | 106W / 22L / 9D | 101W / 31L / 10D | 77.5 |
| 2016 | 7W / 3L / 1D | 8W / 2L / 0D | 80.7 |
| 2015 | 51W / 23L / 2D | 45W / 24L / 1D | 64.8 |
| 2014 | 3W / 0L / 0D | 4W / 0L / 0D | 55.4 |
Openings: Most Played
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Döry Defense | 47 | 35 | 11 | 1 | 74.5% |
| Italian Game: Two Knights Defense | 45 | 35 | 7 | 3 | 77.8% |
| Amazon Attack | 42 | 27 | 7 | 8 | 64.3% |
| Ruy Lopez: Closed | 38 | 26 | 8 | 4 | 68.4% |
| Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack | 28 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 75.0% |
| Modern | 25 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 88.0% |
| Four Knights Game | 23 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 65.2% |
| East Indian Defense | 19 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 84.2% |
| Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack | 18 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 77.8% |
| Scotch Game | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 87.5% |
| Rapid Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Döry Defense | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 33.3% |
| Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.0% |
| King's Indian Defense: Accelerated Averbakh Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Main Line | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| QGD: 6.Nf3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Italian Game: Scotch Gambit, Anderssen Attack | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Yugoslav Variation, Rare Line | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| QGD: Semi-Tarrasch, 6.e3 Nc6 7.Bd3 Be7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Italian Game: Two Knights Defense | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Bullet Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italian Game: Two Knights Defense | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 72.7% |
| King's Indian Defense | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 62.5% |
| Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| East Indian Defense | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 60.0% |
| King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Aronin-Taimanov Defense | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 60.0% |
| KGD: Classical, 3.Bc4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.0% |
| Four Knights Game | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Modern | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 25.0% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Amar Gambit | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 25.0% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 66 | 0 |
| Losing | 7 | 2 |