Pham Nam Quan
aka Playchess_VN
Born to shake the 64 squares with both strategic finesse and playful mischief, Pham Nam Quan, better known in the chess circles as Playchess_VN, is a modern-day maestro of the bullet and blitz arena. From his rather humble beginnings with a bullet rating under 1100 in 2020, he has rocketed through the ranks with a fiery passion that rivals the speed of his lightning-fast moves on the board.
By 2025, this Vietnamese virtuoso reached a remarkable peak bullet rating of 2705 – a rating that would make most grandmasters raise their eyebrows and their pawns. His journey is not without its epic battles, boasting over 12,000 wins in bullet games alone, a true testament to his resilience (after losing a few thousand games to keep things interesting). And when he wins, he often does so with creativity and flair, employing tricky openings like the Van t Kruijs Opening and the French Defense Exchange Variation which he wields with devastating effect.
Not content with just bullet glory, Pham Nam Quan also dominates in blitz, reaching a peak rating of 2540 and showcasing a dazzling win rate close to 72% in his favorite blitz opening called "Top Secret"—likely because he hasn’t told us what it's actually about. Rapidplay is no stranger to his talents either, with a steady climb to over 2200 rating.
His playing style? A thrilling balance of patience and rapid-fire tactics. Averaging about 72 moves per win, he obviously enjoys a good long stare down with the board — kind of like a chess ninja waiting to strike. With a comeback rate of nearly 81%, fiddling with pieces and coming back from the brink has become his signature move. And don't be fooled by his occasional losses—he rarely throws in the towel early, resigning less than 4% of the time; instead, he fights till the bitter end, often grinding down opponents in endgames which make up over 73% of his games.
When asked about his game time preferences, mister Playchess_VN has an intriguing tilt factor of 51%—which means he might get a tad frustrated (but still keeps the game spicy). Interestingly, he tends to perform best late at night, probably proving that vampires play chess best, hitting his prime around 10 PM.
Off the board, this master loves to challenge both his mind and his opponents. His recent victories include winning on time in a tense battle against scrambleyourbrain, demonstrating a penchant for tactical pressure and time management—because sometimes speed truly beats everything. Though he’s suffered some losses too (hey, nobody’s perfect!), Quan’s ambition to push beyond the 2700 mark keeps every fan on their toes.
Fun fact: With thousands of games played, it’s said Pham Nam Quan’s mouse has probably clocked more miles than many adventure travelers. But then again, when you treat chess like a grand adventure, every move is a journey worth taking!
Keep an eye on Playchess_VN, the bullet wizard from Vietnam who’s turning the chess world upside down, one speedy move at a time.