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).