Michael Shikongo

Michael Shikongo aka 3Kartoffel

Meet Michael Shikongo, a rapid chess warrior known in the online realm as 3Kartoffel. He tiptoes the border between genius and madness on the 64 squares, with a rapid rating soaring up to 846 in mid-2025 – no small feat for a player whose journey started from a humble 271 in Bullet!

Playing Style & Personality

Michael’s style? Let’s just say it’s a cocktail of persistence, dramatic swings, and tactical flair. When the game turns sour, he pulls off comebacks about 65% of the time, proving that resignation is never on his menu—unless it’s the early kind (9.5% early resignation rate). Average wins last a marathon 71 moves, which suggests that when Michael’s in the game, you’re in for a long and thrilling fight.

With a tilt factor of 11, he occasionally spills his coffee over the board (figuratively speaking) but recovers better than most. Michael prefers the spotlight at 10 PM, his prime time when his win rate peaks, likely fueled by evening snacks and the peace of the night.

Opening Repertoire

His secret? Opening versatility — he’s most comfortable with the mysterious Unknown Opening and the intriguingly named Top Secret, maintaining near 47% and 48% win rates respectively over hundreds of battles. The Scandinavian Defense is his specialty – where he boasts a >54% win rate, but beware if he ventures into the Mieses Kotrc Variation, where the crowd boos with only an 18% success rate.

Record and Rivals

With over 1200 rapid wins and almost as many losses, Michael’s journey is a saga of relentless matches and learning curves. His longest winning streak hits a solid 11 games, matched curiously by his longest losing streak – a reminder that chess is a rollercoaster and Michael’s strapped in for the ride.

His opponents read like a who’s who of the online battlefield, with matches against imalhafeez, shadowwknighttttt, and dexer08. His win rate can swing dramatically from a perfect 100% against some to a tough 0% against others – chess is nothing if not unpredictable!

Notable Games

One of his latest triumphs features a harrowing battle in the Nimzowitsch Defense, ending with 3Kartoffel forcing resignation after a deep strategic assault. Of course, for every glorious victory, there’s a learning moment, like his recent tough loss to shadowwknighttttt where tactical nuances slipped away just a bit.

Final Check

Michael Shikongo embodies the spirit of the chess warrior: persistent, unpredictable, and always improving. Whether he’s outmaneuvering foes with the Scandinavian or puzzling opponents with his "Top Secret" openings, one thing’s for sure – with 3Kartoffel at the board, the game is never boring.

“In chess, as in life, you don’t win by never failing, but by never giving up. And Michael keeps the potatoes baking.”