Carles Martín Barceló (aka Carlitus2004)
FIDE Master & Blitz Maestro
Meet Carles Martín Barceló, a titled chess virtuoso officially crowned as a FIDE Master. Whether it’s blitz, bullet, rapid, or daily chess, Carles commands the board with a style marked by resilience and a surprisingly chipper attitude towards the brutal world of checkmates and blunders.
Starting from humble speeds in 2017 with a blitz rating hovering around 1900, Carles has rocketed up (sometimes with the drama of a rollercoaster ride) to a peak blitz rating north of 2564 by 2024. His bullet performances are nothing short of lightning fast, hitting an incredible peak rating of 2622. The man does not just play chess; he races it.
With over 2,700 blitz games under his belt and a practically equally intense record in bullet—where he boasts nearly a 49% win rate—Carles is known for his comeback ability (a hefty 87.24%), likely turning the tides even when the odds are against him. One-sided losses? Barely in his vocabulary (just 1.21%). He’s a scrappy competitor who never admits defeat until the king hits the floor.
Playing Style & Psychology
Carles prefers to see endgames as epic battles of attrition (85% endgame frequency) and is not afraid to resign early if the situation is dire—but worry not, this is a warranted tactical discipline, not cowardice (early resignation rate of 0.7%). With an average of around 85 moves to victory, he’s definitely not one who blinks first in a long battle. His win rate with the white pieces is a solid 49.48%, slightly edging out his black win rate at 44.41%.
Psychologically, while his tilt factor is a modest 11 (chess players, breathe easy), he thrives when the clock strikes 4 AM—which might explain his many wins scored while the rest of the world is asleep or confused about whether to dream or check their emails.
Memorable Recent Matches
In a thrilling recent blitz battle against “WodietheGoat,” Carles snatched victory on time with a clever London System defense, demonstrating stamina and nerves of steel lasting well over 50 moves. Conversely, even titans stumble: a hard-fought loss to OdaSkramstad and another to CalmdownCalabreso remind us that even FIDE Masters sometimes just want to make it to dinner on time.
A Chess Career in Numbers
- Total Blitz Games: Over 2,740 with 1245 wins, 1225 losses, and 279 draws.
- Bullet Blitz Record: Nearly 2,050 games with a close-to-50% win rate.
- Longest winning streak: 17, proving he can keep the heat on.
- Signature Opening (Blitz): A well-guarded "Top Secret" choice—mysterious, tactical, effective.
Carles Martín Barceló is not just a chess player; he’s a force of nature wrapped in a FIDE Master title and a cheeky grin when pulling off those last-second time scrambles. Chess.com’s opponent lists read like a who's who of tough challengers—yet Carlitus2004 keeps pushing forward, one move at a time, and often winning on time.
Whether you face him in bullet or blitz, be ready—Carles is the type to bring a storm, a smile, and a solid, stubborn will to checkmate.