Dave Alvarez - The Enigmatic Blitz and Rapid Player
Meet Dave Alvarez, known in chess circles as the mysterious Buddha-Rasa, a player who dances on the edge of brilliance and chaos. His journey through the ranks is less a straight line and more a rollercoaster ride, peppered with moments of genius and bouts of “what just happened?”.
Rating and Performance Highlights
- Peak Blitz Rating: 983 in 2020, a respectable figure for those who thrive in fast-paced battles.
- Current Blitz Rating: A humble 588 as of 2025, Dave’s games have become a mosaic of high-risk adventures and unexpected upsets.
- Rapid Rating Peak: 1153 in 2020, showcasing his strongest form in a more thoughtful, but still brisk, format.
Playing Style and Psychology
Dave relishes the endgame, engaging in 64% of his battles to the very last move, often stretching his wins over 65 moves and losses near 59 moves. His psychological resilience is impressive, boasting a comeback rate of over 77%, and a flawless 100% win rate after losing a piece—talk about turning disaster into triumph!
Despite a tilt factor of 11 (he's human after all), his blend of tactical awareness and dogged determination keeps opponents on their toes. Dave’s early resignation rate is low at 4.55%, proving he fights to the bitter end unless the board screams surrender.
Opponent Trivia
While some opponents have remained immune to his charms (looking at you, cappucino_assassino and purple-monkey), others like malfalcolm, raasuvi, and alexandersalim have tasted defeat at his hands multiple times. It's rumored Dave does a little victory dance after these wins—who wouldn’t?
Fun Facts
- Known for playing best on Thursday and Saturday, where his win rate flirts with 49-50%.
- Interestingly, his most lethal hours are mid-morning (10 AM and 11 AM) and early evening (7 PM), turning coffee-fueled focus into checkmate.
- Dave is no one-trick pony: his games against “Top Secret” openings show a solid win rate of 37.8% in blitz and almost 47% in rapid.
In short, Dave Alvarez is a spirited competitor with moments of chess poetry interspersed with bouts of delightful unpredictability. Whether you face him in blitz or rapid, prepare for a fight that will stretch your skills, patience, and maybe your sense of humor.