Varun Krishnan IM

Varun Krishnan - International Master

Meet Varun Krishnan, known online as varunkrishnanchess, an International Master who treats the 64 squares like a grand stage for his chess theatrics. With a title from FIDE, Varun isn’t just your average chess enthusiast; he’s a strategic force to be reckoned with!

Varun’s journey through chess ratings is like a rollercoaster designed by a grandmaster — starting from humble beginnings in the rapid department around 1600 in 2022 to crushing barriers with a peak rapid rating of 2319 in mid-2023. But don’t blink, because his blitz prowess is where things truly get spicy: a blazing peak rating of 2772 as recently as January 2025, and an awe-inspiring bullet max rating over 3000 (yes, that’s right, three thousand-plus!), marking him as a speed demon who laughs in the face of the clock.

When it comes to openings, Varun prefers secrecy — literally. His most played and trusted opening is intriguingly labeled "Top Secret" across formats. But when he drops hints, his opponent beware: he shines with the Queen’s Gambit Declined Exchange Positional Line and the Indian Game with win rates hovering around 67%, showing his versatility and strong positional understanding.

Varun’s playing style? Long, intense battles with an average of nearly 80 moves per win and over 90 moves per loss in rapid games, proving that giving up early is not his thing. In fact, his early resignation rate is a mere 0.78%—he’s in it for the marathon, not the sprint. His endgame frequency is impressively high, around 84%, suggesting he loves to outmaneuver opponents in the final stages. The man also has a comeback rate of almost 90%, meaning if you think you've got him down, think again!

Psychologically, Varun has a tilt factor of 11 — so yes, he gets a little edgy, but who doesn’t? His best time to unleash chess magic is around 11:00 AM, ideally after a strong coffee and maybe a few motivational self-pep talks. His win rates tend to be better when playing white (about 46%), but he’s no slouch with black either.

Across thousands of blitz games, Varun maintains a respectable ~43% win rate, and his longest winning streak is a staggering 20 games in a row. When he hits the board, he aims to control the narrative, thriving in complicated positions and always hunting that tactical twist.

Recent Battle Highlights

In one of his last epic victories, Varun flawlessly executed a checkmate against DobbyTheElfHouse in a Catalan Opening, calmly converting positional pressure into a winning endgame. On another thrilling occasion, he outwitted Dark_King_30 in an Indian Game battle, again ending with a checkmate—clearly fond of delivering the final blow in style.

Of course, even International Masters aren’t immune to defeat. Varun recently lost by timeout to DobbyTheElfHouse, proving that time management remains the ultimate adversary, regardless of skill.

In the world of chess, Varun Krishnan is a player who balances speed, strategy, and a touch of mystery — and if you find yourself facing him, prepare for a contest that’s anything but ordinary!

"Checkmate or not, never underestimate the power of 'Top Secret' moves."