Craig Jones (cavschess2)
Craig Jones, known online as cavschess2, holds the proud title of National Master – a badge earned through sheer grit, talent, and perhaps a sprinkle of chess wizardry. They've been unleashing their chess prowess across the boards since at least 2017, steadily climbing their way up the blitz and bullet rating chains with a style all their own.
A Journey Through the Ranks
Starting their tracked journey with blitz ratings barely sneaking over 1300, Craig vaulted into the 2200+ realm in blitz by late 2020, peaking impressively at 2315. Bullet chess? That's a battlefield where cavschess2 shines just as bright, hitting a peak rating of 2271 in April 2024. And let's not forget rapid play, where they reached a peak near the 2200 mark recently, showing balanced skill across all time controls. Whether the clock's ticking furiously or slowly, Craig brings tactical acumen and resilience to the board.
Playing Style and Personality
Known for long, grinding battles with an average of nearly 73 moves per win in blitz, Craig doesn't back down easily. Their 87% comeback rate after setbacks makes them a nightmare opponent – you can't count them out just because they lost a piece or two! With a psychological tilt factor of 10, they might occasionally get a bit ruffled but bounce back like a chess rubber ball. The best time to catch cavschess2 at their peak? Around 6 PM, surely when the caffeine has kicked in and the pawns start trembling.
Opening Secrets (that are mostly secret)
While their exact opening arsenal remains classified under “Top Secret,” a few signature variations peek through. From the classic Pirc Defense to the French Defense's Exchange and Knight Variations, Craig mixes deep preparation with on-the-fly creativity. Given their nearly 50% win rate against tough opponents, it’s safe to say they know exactly when to castle and when to castle... or not to castle.
Recent Battles and Adventures
In their most recent notable victory, Craig wielded the French Defense Exchange Variation like a knight in shining armor, outmaneuvering their opponent on time in a tense 75-move match. On the flip side, even masters have off days, and Craig’s last loss saw them resign gracefully after a fierce contest in the Scotch Game Goring Gambit, proving that every game is a chance to learn (and maybe revenge is sweet).
Overall Impact
With over 2100 wins in blitz and bullet combined and a solid presence on the online chess scene, Craig Jones is a player who combines dedication, endurance, and a pinch of humor. They remind us all that chess isn’t just about pieces and points—it's about persistence and passion. Caveat opponent: Prepare for a strategic rollercoaster when facing cavschess2!
Personalised Feedback for Craig Jones
1. What you are doing well
- Active, initiative-based style. In several French Defence & Pirc games you willingly seize space with pawn breaks such as …c5 or …f5. This keeps opponents on the back foot and often leads to them flagging. makes it clear that when you get rolling you score heavily.
- Pressure on the clock. Four of your last five wins were decided by your opponent’s time-out. This shows you play quickly and confidently once you like the position.
- Recognising tactical shots. The exchange sac 23…Nc4! followed by 28…Be8 in your win against I_Will_be_FM (see mini-PGN below) is an example of spotting an intermezzo to keep the initiative.
2. Priority improvement areas
-
Early-middle-game king safety.
In the loss to khangphat1220 (Göring Gambit) your kingside pawn storm (13.h3 g4 g5) left g3 and e3 weak. Opponents exploited the dark squares and you resigned down material.
→ Rule of thumb: whenever you advance two pawns in front of your king, ask “How many defenders are left?” -
Handling counter-punches in the French.
In several Classical French positions you allow White’s e4-e5 push without preparation. The resulting space disadvantage explains the lower score on games started between 0-2 UTC in .
→ Add concrete theory to your repertoire: study the main line after 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 (15-minute drill: play it for both sides vs the engine). -
Conversion technique.
You often reach won endgames but give pieces counter-play (e.g. 38…Ra1? vs OzzyAndrade51).
→ One practical exercise per day: play a bot from a rook-and-pawn up position and force yourself to win with <60 seconds.
3. Concrete training plan (next 14 days)
| Day | Focus | Exercise |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | King-safety checks | Pause every rapid game on move 10 and verbalise threats to your king. |
| 4-7 | French main-line drill | Blitz vs engine from 3…Nf6 positions; annotate critical moments. |
| 8-10 | Endgame conversion | Play 10 rook-and-pawn up endgames vs 2200 bot. |
| 11-14 | Review & reinforce | Go through losses with a friend or coach, write 3 “next time I will …” notes each. |
4. Quick reference
• Peak rating so far: 2315 (2020-12-16)
• Glossary links: zwischenzug, opposite-coloured bishops
• Notable opponents: khangphat1220, i_will_be_fm
5. One last tip
Many of your games finish because the opponent’s clock runs out. That’s useful, but if you slow down slightly at critical positions you’ll avoid the early blunders that cause your own occasional resignations. Aim for a balanced tempo: fast when the moves are forced, patient when the position is rich.
Good luck on the climb, Craig!
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sunjay Somani | 16W / 13L / 1D | |
| ichess_physics | 6W / 18L / 2D | |
| gulp0 | 7W / 11L / 0D | |
| Radmila Kovacevic | 11W / 5L / 2D | |
| gmclaudii | 12W / 3L / 2D | |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2108 | 2198 | ||
| 2024 | 2089 | 2146 | 2189 | |
| 2023 | 2221 | 2154 | 2183 | |
| 2022 | 2173 | 2184 | ||
| 2021 | 2102 | 2157 | ||
| 2020 | 2181 | 2278 | 2228 | |
| 2019 | 2061 | 2130 | 1451 | |
| 2018 | 2062 | 1978 | 1369 | |
| 2017 | 1933 | 1851 | 1351 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 45W / 26L / 7D | 32W / 44L / 3D | 68.2 |
| 2024 | 21W / 22L / 5D | 24W / 22L / 5D | 68.3 |
| 2023 | 47W / 38L / 5D | 43W / 39L / 5D | 69.6 |
| 2022 | 54W / 42L / 4D | 49W / 48L / 9D | 70.7 |
| 2021 | 65W / 66L / 7D | 55W / 66L / 15D | 72.7 |
| 2020 | 173W / 165L / 23D | 184W / 161L / 27D | 73.5 |
| 2019 | 325W / 264L / 38D | 258W / 325L / 35D | 73.1 |
| 2018 | 332W / 284L / 29D | 312W / 295L / 29D | 73.3 |
| 2017 | 48W / 17L / 0D | 36W / 26L / 1D | 66.0 |
Openings: Most Played
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hungarian Opening: Wiedenhagen-Beta Gambit | 87 | 47 | 35 | 5 | 54.0% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 84 | 37 | 36 | 11 | 44.0% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 81 | 43 | 34 | 4 | 53.1% |
| Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation | 78 | 45 | 27 | 6 | 57.7% |
| Döry Defense | 61 | 29 | 28 | 4 | 47.5% |
| Indian Defense: Przepiorka Variation | 53 | 27 | 24 | 2 | 50.9% |
| King's Indian Attack | 50 | 25 | 20 | 5 | 50.0% |
| English Opening: Symmetrical Variation | 44 | 25 | 18 | 1 | 56.8% |
| Czech Defense | 42 | 22 | 19 | 1 | 52.4% |
| London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation | 39 | 20 | 18 | 1 | 51.3% |
| Bullet Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation | 186 | 102 | 80 | 4 | 54.8% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 131 | 59 | 62 | 10 | 45.0% |
| Hungarian Opening: Wiedenhagen-Beta Gambit | 89 | 43 | 41 | 5 | 48.3% |
| Amar Gambit | 87 | 41 | 43 | 3 | 47.1% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 74 | 28 | 39 | 7 | 37.8% |
| Czech Defense | 65 | 35 | 28 | 2 | 53.9% |
| Nimzo-Larsen Attack | 64 | 35 | 27 | 2 | 54.7% |
| London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation | 55 | 25 | 27 | 3 | 45.5% |
| Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation | 55 | 30 | 20 | 5 | 54.5% |
| Döry Defense | 49 | 26 | 20 | 3 | 53.1% |
| Rapid Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scandinavian Defense | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 57.1% |
| Hungarian Opening: Wiedenhagen-Beta Gambit | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| French Defense: Guimard Variation, Thunderbunny Variation | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 75.0% |
| Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Modern | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.7% |
| Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.7% |
| French Defense: Advance Variation | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 33.3% |
| Bogo-Indian Defense | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.0% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 14 | 0 |
| Losing | 10 | 1 |