Ayrat Vafin FM

Ayrat Vafin — FIDE Master and Blitz Specialist

Ayrat Vafin is a FIDE Master known for a sharp, practical approach to fast chess. A prolific blitz player, Ayrat combines deep opening preparation with stubborn endgame technique — and an uncanny ability to bounce back after a loss. If chess had a sprinting league, Ayrat would be on the podium (and probably complaining about the track).

Career highlights

• Title: FIDE Master (FM)
• Preferred time control: Blitz — Ayrat’s strongest and busiest format.
• Peak Blitz performance: 2654 (2020-04-14) (notable peak in April 2020).
• Blitz experience: over 2,500 recorded blitz games with a nearly even long-term record and many hard-fought wins — a true tournament-regular in the lightning arena.
• Remarkable resilience: comeback rate ~87.5% — Ayrat often flips the script after setbacks.

Playing style & strengths

Ayrat is a practical tactician who thrives in long, decisive encounters even in blitz. Expect long endgames, careful play after the opening, and a willingness to grind when others would flag.

• Endgames are common in Ayrat’s play — Endgame frequency: 82.92% (he doesn’t give up on pawn + piece squeezes).
• Avg moves per result: wins ≈ 82, losses ≈ 84 — games go the distance.
• White win rate ~48.5%, Black win rate ~42.4% — solid with the white pieces, dangerous as Black.
• Psych profile: Best hour to play — 01:00 (if you like sleep deprivation and heroics)
• Tactical resilience: Win rate after losing material ~43.6% — don’t count him out if he sacrifices a piece for chaos.

Opening repertoire (Blitz focus)

Ayrat shows a balanced but ambitious opening mix: he regularly battles in classical lines and frequently reaches asymmetrical middlegames that suit practical decision-making.

• Petrov’s Defense — heavy usage and a bedrock of his Black strategy (Petrov's Defense). Strong experience: many games and deep practical knowledge.
• English Opening systems (Agincourt, Symmetrical) — flexible and often aimed at outmanoeuvring opponents on the wings (English Opening).
• Catalan Open Defense — a reliable weapon when Ayrat steers the game to subtle positional waters (Catalan Opening: Open Defense).
• London System (Poisoned Pawn Variation) and Hungarian Opening gambits show his willingness to mix solidity with surprise.

Streaks, records & memorable stats

• Longest winning streak: 11 games — when everything clicks, Ayrat is relentless.
• Longest losing streak: 14 games — even the best have tilt days (and Ayrat documents them with impressive honesty).
• Current winning streak: 1 game — always ready for the next run.
• Strength-adjusted win rate in Blitz: ~0.508 — slightly above expectation vs. opponent strength.

Notable opponents & rivalries

Ayrat has faced many repeat opponents online; a few of them keep returning for rematches (and for revenge).

• emp3rador — most-played opponent (42 games). Close head-to-head: 18–19 with 5 draws (Павел Торопов).
• sannikov_grigoriy — strong winning score for Ayrat: 14–7 with a few draws.
• Other frequent names: ugetting, keosidi, korbul — familiar faces from the blitz arena.

Practical tips & fun facts

• Practice tip: work on late middle‑game plans and endgame technique — that’s where Ayrat turns small advantages into wins.
• Fun quirk: prefers the chaos of blitz but plays very long games within that format — average decisive game length is unusually high.
• Early resignation is rare (only ~1.55%) — Ayrat fights until the scorecard hurts.
• Favorite time to catch Ayrat online: late night to early morning — dare to schedule a 01:00 blitz duel?

Want to study Ayrat’s games?

Explore his blitz-focused play and opening choices to learn how a FIDE Master manages the clock and converts long, technical positions into results. Start by checking his Petrov lines and English/ Catalan handling — great material for students who prefer method over gimmicks.

• Suggested study lane: Petrov's Defense → endgame technique → practical time management.
• Highlight to watch: games around April 2020 (peak performance period).