Meet Gagik Mkrtchyan
Gagik Mkrtchyan, better known on the board as mkrtchyangagik, is a blitz specialist who treats the chess clock like a friendly rival. With a peak blitz rating of 2723 (2026-08-26), he has spent years turning online lobbies into his personal training ground.
The Long Climb
Gagik's blitz journey began humbly in early 2018 at a rating near 979. What followed was a marathon of thousands of games, steady improvement, and the occasional spectacular winning streak, including a 23 game run that would make any streak hunter jealous.
Opening Repertoire
If there is a main course in Gagik's repertoire, it is the Amazon Attack, especially the sharp Siberian Attack, which he has played thousands of times in blitz. He also feels at home in the King's Indian Defense and enjoys testing opponents with offbeat lines like the Australian Defense. His willingness to play unusual setups keeps opponents guessing from move one.
Rivalries and Resilience
Every grinder has familiar faces, and Gagik is no exception. He has battled Knyaz13 52 times, edged out Ralf Steinbrecht in 44 meetings, and traded blows with lovethatjoker and libertatea. His stats tell the story of a fighter: a comeback rate near 88 percent and a winning record after losing a piece. He rarely goes down without a serious fight.
Playing Style and Quirks
Gagik scores better with the white pieces, winning 54 percent of those games, while black is a tougher grind at 48 percent. His queen is his favorite checking piece, and his best results tend to come when the clock strikes midnight. Add a tilt factor of 11 and a love for long decisive games, and you get a player who is equal parts warrior and night owl.