Player Profile
Ivan Kukushkin, known online as Yohankrokov, is a FIDE Master with a serious addiction to fast chess. His preferred battlefield is blitz, and his results there are nothing short of spectacular. In under four years he climbed from a 936 blitz rating to a peak of 2928. That is a rise of nearly 2000 points, and it places him among the most improved players on the platform. 2928 (2026-08-11)
The Rise
Ivan started quietly. In late 2022 his bullet rating was below 1100 and his blitz rating was around 1600. Then came May 2023, a breakout month where he played nearly 300 games across bullet and blitz. His blitz rating jumped from the 1600s to over 2000 in a single month. The climb continued through 2024 and 2025, with brief dips followed by even sharper recoveries. By mid 2026 he had crossed 2800 in blitz and 2880 in bullet.
Repertoire and Style
Ivan is a 1.e4 player through and through. He has played thousands of games with the king's pawn, and he is deeply comfortable in the Sicilian Defense in all its forms. As White his most reliable weapon is the Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, where he has scored more than 100 wins. As Black he favors the Taimanov Variation, the Closed Sicilian, and the solid Caro-Kann Defense. He also has a mischievous side, regularly trying the Amar Gambit and the Amazon Attack in faster time controls.
His style is stubborn and resourceful. He has an 87.55% comeback rate, wins 44.56% of games even after losing a piece, and reaches the endgame in over 81% of his games. His average decisive games run past 78 moves, which shows he is willing to grind. He rarely resigns early, doing so only 1.26% of the time.
Rivalries
Ivan has built several entertaining rivalries. His most frequent opponent is Magnus Mueller, who has faced him 42 times with a nearly even score: 16 wins, 14 losses, and 12 draws. He has the edge over vgjxtyi, winning 14 of 25 meetings, and he dominates imperialfluff, winning 9 of 11. The toughest test has been Martim, who leads their series 11 wins to 6.
Numbers and Fun Facts
- Longest winning streak: 13 games. Longest losing streak: 11 games.
- Best day to face him: Saturday, when his win rate dips to 43.26%. Worst idea: challenge him at midnight, where his win rate is a perfect 100% in the data.
- He delivers checks first 51.6% of the time and wins 52.22% of those games. When he is checked first, that number drops to 39.3%.
- His peak ratings: 2928 in blitz, 2882 in bullet, 2474 in rapid, and 2454 in daily.
What Is Next
Ivan is still climbing. His blitz rating reached 2928 in August 2026, and his bullet rating touched 2882. With his work rate, his love for sharp openings, and his refusal to give up, the 3000 mark no longer looks impossible. Whether he is defending the Alapin, navigating a Taimanov, or simply outlasting opponents in the endgame, Ivan Kukushkin is a player to watch.