Esper Van Baar FM

Esper Van Baar - FIDE Master Extraordinaire

Known in the chess circles as ChEsper99, Esper Van Baar proudly holds the title of FIDE Master. A player who approaches the 64 squares with a mix of fierce determination and the occasional mad genius, Esper is a relentless force in the blitz arena.

Rating and Stats

From modest beginnings around 1900 in blitz back in 2018, Esper’s rating has surged impressively over the years, peaking at a formidable 2409 in August 2024. Notably, his bullet play isn’t too shabby either, reaching a peak of 2197, showing that whether it’s a rapid-fire bullet edge or a lightning-fast blitz game, Esper remains a quirky connoisseur of quick decision-making.

For those who love slow cooking their games, Esper has a modest presence in rapid and daily chess, with a rapid peak rating of 2100 and daily max at 1938 – perhaps saving his brainpower for the more adrenaline-fueled formats.

The Playing Style: Stay Calm and Castle Early

Esper is a patient strategist, with an average moves per win north of 79, suggesting a preference for marathon battles over quick knockouts. Known for a very low early resignation rate (under 2%), this player fights tooth and nail until the bitter end, often pushing positions deep into the endgame, where they feel most at home (endgames feature in over 80% of games played!).

White pieces enjoy a slightly better success rate (44.77% wins) compared to Black (41.58%), but in true chess warrior style, Esper's comeback rate after losing a piece is a staggering 87.31%, proving resilience is his middle name.

Psychological Quirks & Fun Facts

Beware: Esper has a tilt factor of 12, which means losing doesn’t exactly send him running for the hills but does add some spice to his next moves. Morning is clearly when the magic happens; with the best time of day to play being 6:00 AM, it seems that early birds really do catch the chessworm!

His longest winning streak stands at a commendable 11 games, balanced by a longest losing streak of 12 — clearly testing both his patience and stamina. Also, when the clock ticks down, Esper often wins by resignation or checkmate but isn’t shy about occasionally sneaking out a timeout win or loss, showing that time pressure is the ultimate wild card.

Recent Adventures on the Board

In some of his most recent games, Esper introduced the exotic Wrongcloud opening, catching opponents off guard with moves like 1.f3 and 2.Kf2 — unconventional but clearly effective!

One memorable victory came in February 2025 when Esper defeated RamonRJF72 by resignation after a tense middle game filled with strategic rook maneuvers and sharp queen moves. And when facing rough patches, he’s not afraid to experiment and learn — after all, even champions stumble now and then!

Opponent Records and Rivalries

Esper’s most frequent opponents include notable adversaries like edwynt (26 games), jamengrand (22 games), and simoncelli15 (21 games). He boasts a 100% win rate against several opponents, showing that sometimes he’s the nightmare in their chessboard dreams.

Overall

Esper Van Baar is not just a chess player; he's a blitz-loving, comeback-specialist FIDE Master who takes the game seriously enough to earn his title, but not too seriously to forgo a little fun and unpredictability. Whether you face him at dawn, in bullet frenzy, or a deep blitz tussle, expect a uniquely challenging and entertaining battle.