Overview
Mikhail Korovin (aka MikeKorovin) is a FIDE Master and a celebrated blitz specialist known for fast, imaginative play and an uncanny ability to scramble into winning endgames. He favors lightning decisions, creative openings and has built a reputation as someone who can turn chaos into an advantage — sometimes with a grin. Preferred time control: Blitz.
Career highlights
- Title: FIDE Master (FM) — steady performer across blitz, bullet and rapid.
- Standout peak achievements include a spectacular Blitz high: 2920 (2020-04-04) (one of several career peaks across time controls).
- Massive experience online — thousands of fast games and a long record of decisive, fighting chess.
- Longest winning streak: 35 games; current losing streak: 1 (everyone has bad coffee days).
Playing style & strengths
MikeKorovin blends tactical alertness with surprisingly patient endgame technique for a blitz-heavy player. He often dives into complicated middlegames and is unusually resilient when down material.
- Preferred time control: Blitz — quick instincts, quick sacrifices, quick memes.
- Endgame frequency: high (frequent conversion of complex middlegames into long endgames).
- Comeback rate: impressive — tends to recover from disadvantageous positions.
- Tactical notes: average first capture around move 7.6; long decisive games (average moves per win ~76).
- Psychology: Best playing hour is early morning (06:00) — apparently chess and coffee agree.
Favourite openings & repertoire
Mikhail experiments with quirky and classical systems alike — from the Colle to the Amar Gambit — often choosing lines that invite middlegame complexity.
- Colle System (Rhamphorhynchus Variation) — a regular weapon in blitz and bullet. Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack — flexible and offbeat; used to steer opponents out of book. Nimzo-Larsen Attack
- French Defense — favorite defensive setup with several successful sub-variations. French Defense
- Amar Gambit — a cheeky choice that shows up in sharp blitz encounters. Amar Gambit
- Caro-Kann and Exchange lines appear as practical choices in longer games.
Memorable sample game
A compact Colle setup that illustrates Korovin's patient buildup and middlegame timing:
Rivalries & opponents
Mikhail plays many repeat opponents online; some matchups have become mini-rivalries.
- Most-played opponent: Marco Ferrante — 50 games.
- Other frequent adversaries: bm_on_icc, coachjkane, white31 — dozens of intense encounters.
- Strong head-to-heads and lots of data-driven rematches — he knows what lines to avoid and when to improvise.
Quirks, habits & fun facts
- Nickname potential: “The Rhamphorhynchus” (thanks to the Colle Rhamphorhynchus Variation fans).
- Early resignation rate is low — he fights on and loves long decisive games.
- Best time to challenge him: probably not 06:00. His win rate skyrockets then.
- Tilt factor is modest — he bounces back quickly and has an excellent comeback rate.
Want to follow or study his games?
Look for the username MikeKorovin on your favourite platform to watch blitz fireworks, or dig into his openings and long endgames to learn how he grinds advantages. For a quick deep-dive, try the Colle and French lines listed above.
- Study tip: focus on transition to endgame — many of his wins come after prolonged maneuvering.