A Craftsman of the Clock
The handle shokuninmoves evokes the Japanese shokunin, a master artisan who polishes the same craft for a lifetime. International Master shokuninmoves brings that philosophy to online blitz. Arriving with a 1736 blitz rating in early 2023, he sculpted his game into a 2700 level weapon, peaking at 2740 (2026-05-05) in May 2026. His current rating hovers near 2723, a remarkable arc for a player who clearly prefers the fast lane.
Repertoire of the Artisan
shokuninmoves is a born 1.d4 player. In 2023 he opened with the queen pawn 212 times, and in 2026 he did so in 140 games. The English Opening with 1.c4 also makes regular appearances, especially during his 2024 surge. As White, he thrives in the King's Indian Defense Orthodox Variation, the Australian Defense, and the offbeat Amar Gambit, where he wins 66.67% of the time. As Black, the Barnes Defense and the Sicilian Defense show up often, though the Najdorf has been a tougher nut with only a 30% win rate. His median preparation depth has grown from 3 moves in 2023 to 5 moves in 2026, proof that he studies between blitz sessions.
Familiar Foes
Every craftsman has rivals who sharpen the blade. shokuninmoves has faced ali shahibzadegan 21 times, a rivalry that has favored the therapist: 13 losses against 7 wins. MasterLeif has also been a stubborn obstacle, winning 9 of their 12 encounters. Against phoenixknight09 the score is 4 wins and 8 losses, but he holds a 6 to 5 edge over malakismayil and a 5 to 4 lead over TheKnightBefore.
Resilience and Rhythm
This IM is built for long fights. His endgame frequency sits at 87%, and his wins average 81.7 moves, proof that he prefers to outmaneuver rather than blast through. His comeback rate is 87.77%, and he still wins 48.5% of games after losing a piece. The longest winning streak reached 10, while a 7 game losing streak shows he is human too. His best hour is 13:00 with an 80% win rate, and Sundays bring a 60.42% success rate.
As White he scores 55.19%, as Black 45.24%. The tilt factor of 7 suggests the artisan occasionally throws the chisel, but the overall picture is one of steady, patient improvement.