Hermes Bacala

Hermes Bacala - aka Botyokz

Meet Hermes Bacala, the blitz enthusiast whose chess rating curve looks a bit like a roller coaster designed by a mad genius — thrilling, unpredictable, and never boring. Known in the online chess world as Botyokz, Hermes has a Blitz peak rating of 473 (achieved in May 2025) and a Rapid peak of 649 (April 2025), proving that quick thinking is definitely his forte.

Hermes plays with the elegance and audacity of a grandmaster in the making — or at least a grandmaster of entertainment. His opening repertoire is as diverse as a buffet: from the classic King's Pawn Opening King’s Knight Variation (where he boasts a solid 50.65% win rate) to the Scotch Game where he kicks it up to a commendable 55.46%. Beware opponents who venture into the Queen's Pawn Opening Zukertort Chigorin Variation — Hermes holds an impressive 61.9% win rate there.

But it's not just openings where Hermes shines. He’s got a notorious comeback rate of 69.29%, meaning even if he loses a piece, don’t count him out just yet. He’s psychologically complex (like all great chess minds), with a tilt factor of 9 — yes, he gets frustrated, but he fights back hard.

If you want to catch Hermes at his best, tune in around 8 PM (his peak playing hour) when his win rate spikes to 64.29%, proving he’s a bit of a nocturnal predator stalking the virtual chessboard.

Hermes has played over 2,000 blitz games in 2025 alone with nearly as many wins as losses, showing relentless persistence and a spirit that won’t quit — even when stuck in a losing streak (currently 6 games, but don't worry, chess karma will turn soon). He’s not just any player; he’s a personable tactician who’s equally likely to resign early or drag games into epic endgames (he loves them, as 45.67% of his games end in these thrilling finishes).

Just recently, Hermes dazzled his fans by winning with the Petrovs Defense, securing victory by resignation using the Black pieces against "jacksonmankowski" — an exciting match where strategy met timing perfectly. On the flip side, not all games go his way, but his willingness to learn is clear after tough battles against opponents like "gencugur1" in Ruy Lopez lines.

Whether you face Hermes in the middle of the afternoon or deep into the night, expect a game full of creative tactics, resilient comebacks, and sometimes a weird early resignation thanks to his “why prolong the agony?” philosophy (5.13% early resignations).

In short, Hermes Bacala — aka Botyokz — is a spirited, entertaining chess warrior who turns every match into a story worth following. Opponents beware: blink and you might miss one of his cunning traps!

Chess humor included at no extra cost.