Mikhail Maslov: Blitz Chess Profile
Mikhail Maslov, known online as zhoh_off, is a FIDE Master who has made blitz chess his personal playground. He plays fast, fights hard, and rarely leaves the board without a story. His peak blitz rating of 2840 (2026-03-19) reflects a player who can match elite company while still finding time for marathon endgames and dramatic comebacks.
Mikhail Maslov's Opening Repertoire
Maslov is a 1.e4 player through and through. His white repertoire is built around the Sicilian Defense and the Four Knights Game, while his black pieces are most comfortable in the French Defense, including the Winawer and Tarrasch variations. His endgame frequency is high, his decisive games often stretch beyond 80 moves, and his comeback rate sits at an astonishing 91.15%. Even after losing a piece, he still wins 43.09% of the time, which makes him a nightmare to close out.
- Best day of the week: Thursday, with a win rate near 55%.
- Best hour to play: 21:00, when his results peak.
- Longest winning streak: 14 games.
- One-sided losses: almost never.
Mikhail Maslov's Online Rivalries
Maslov's online journey includes a healthy set of rivalries. He has faced Nigel Short 11 times in blitz, with nigelshort holding the edge in a series that keeps drawing them back to the board. He has also traded many games with Aman Hambleton, robin-side, and gmg, and those repeated battles have sharpened his tactical instincts. Against higher rated opponents he wins around 30% of the time, but against lower rated players he converts at a ruthless 70.6%.
Mikhail Maslov's Career Highlights
Maslov's blitz rating exploded in early 2026, peaking at 2840 (2026-03-19). The chart below shows his journey through that busy stretch, including a month with hundreds of games and a 14 game winning streak. Thursday nights are his prime time, which is good news for night owls and bad news for everyone else.
- FIDE Master title
- Peak blitz rating: 2840 (2026-03-19)
- Favorite opening as White: Sicilian Defense Closed
- Preferred time control: Blitz
Why Watch Mikhail Maslov
Mikhail Maslov is the kind of player who makes blitz chess feel like a heavyweight bout. He outlasts opponents in long endgames, punishes mistakes in the Sicilian Defense, and battles through the French Defense with relentless energy. If you see zhoh_off at the virtual board, expect a fight.