Volodar Murzin: The Grandmaster Who Turned Speed Chess Into an Art
Volodar Murzin, known online as Volodar_Murzin, is a FIDE Grandmaster with a serious appetite for fast chess. He first appeared on the rating ladder in 2017 as a promising talent sweeping six blitz games without a loss, and by 2026 he pushed his blitz rating past 3200 and his bullet rating to 3180. While he is strong in every time control, bullet is the arena that suits him best.
Record-Breaking Climb
Murzin's rise was anything but gradual. Starting with a 1420 blitz rating, he crossed 2700 in 2020, 2900 by 2023, and 3000 in 2024.
shows that explosive trajectory. His peak blitz rating reached 3278 (2026-07-10), and his bullet game peaked at 3180 (2026-07-11). Along the way he put together a stunning 48-game winning streak, one of the longest recorded in his profile.Playing Style and Favorite Openings
Murzin combines precision with relentless pressure. His endgame frequency of 88.74 percent shows that he rarely blinks in the late game, and his average of more than 86 moves in both wins and losses suggests he grinds opponents down instead of hoping for quick knockouts. The Caro-Kann Defense is a recurring weapon in his blitz and rapid games, while as White he often steers into the King's Indian Attack with excellent results. His white win rate of 63.06 percent and black win rate of 58.1 percent reflect a player comfortable on either side of the board.
If there is a weakness, it is in the Sicilian Defense when he faces the Najdorf Variation, where his results are closer to parity. But even after losing material, he wins 58.96 percent of the time, and his comeback rate of 88.4 percent makes him dangerous in any losing position.
Rivalries and Consistency
Murzin has built a number of running battles online. His most played opponent is Aleksei Sarana, with 28 encounters that sit perfectly balanced at 14 wins each. Against other regulars like jospem, kobalia, and farrukh_amonatov, the results vary, but Murzin tends to outscore most. His biggest recurring hurdle is oleksandr_bortnyk, who has dominated their 20-game series with 17 wins.
His rating performance follows a clear pattern. Tuesday and Saturday are his strongest days, with win rates near 63 percent, while Wednesday drops to about 47 percent. He is most dangerous late at night around midnight, and his best winning percentage by hour comes at 00:00. This is a player who thrives in the quiet hours.
Summary
Volodar Murzin is a fearless Grandmaster who turned online blitz and bullet into a laboratory for aggressive, resilient chess. Whether he is defending the Caro-Kann, outlasting a rival in the King's Indian Attack, or erasing a lost piece with a tactical strike, he plays every game like the clock is his ally. With a 48-win streak, a 3200+ blitz peak, and a bullet rating near 3200, he belongs among the most dangerous speed chess players on the platform.