Ftáčnik's chess career began in the 1970s. In 1976, he won the World Junior Chess Championship, a prestigious title for players under the age of 20. This victory earned him the title of International Master. He became a Grandmaster in 1980 when he won the Czechoslovak championship, and later became the runner-up in 1982.
Some of Ftáčnik's other notable accomplishments include winning the Slovak championship in 1981, 1982, 1984, and 2000. He's also competed in multiple Chess Olympiads, representing Czechoslovakia and then Slovakia after the country's split in 1993. He has played on the Slovak team in every Olympiad since 1994.
Ftáčnik also triumphed in several major international tournaments. He placed first in the tournaments at Dortmund (1981), Barlinek (1986), Polanica-Zdrój (1987), and more.
Additionally, Ftáčnik is known for having been a part of one of the strongest chess clubs in the world, the Tungsram club of Budapest. The team included other Grandmasters like Lajos Portisch, Zoltán Ribli, and Gyula Sax.
Apart from playing, Ftáčnik is involved in chess literature and education. He's contributed to multiple chess publications and databases, including the ChessBase Magazine and the opening database, MegaCorr. Moreover, he worked at the secondary school level, teaching Mathematics and Computer Science.
Ftáčnik is married to British chess player, WIM Cathy Forbes.