Daryl Lavin (aka CuteTurtle)
Meet Daryl Lavin, a warrior of the chessboard who battles under the amusingly endearing username, CuteTurtle. True to his moniker, Daryl may not be the fastest piece on the board, but he’s got the tenacity and strategic shell to outwit even the craftiest opponents. His chess journey, peppered with ups and downs, reveals a player who has evolved through the ranks with perseverance and occasional flair.
Rating & Play Style
Since stepping into the arena in 2013, Daryl's bullet chess rating has rocketed impressively from a humble 990 to a peak of 1782 in early 2025. Blitz and rapid? He's no slouch either, achieving peak ratings of 1705 and a downright intimidating 1920 in rapid games, proving he’s equally comfortable thinking quickly or methodically. His daily games peak around 1518, showing that even in slower formats, Daryl can hold his ground.
Known for an endgame frequency of nearly 54%, Daryl is the kind of player who loves to tussle until the very last move — his victories average around 53 moves, and while his losses tend to linger slightly longer, it’s clear he’s no quitter (although he does have a moderate early resignation rate of 13.6%, because hey, even turtles know when to hide in their shell).
Opening Moves That Define Him
In bullet and blitz, Daryl favors the Scotch Game and the King’s Pawn Opening, boasting win rates above 60% in these openings. His success with the King's Knight Variation is particularly notable, showcasing his love for classical, aggressive setups. On the sly, he also employs defenses like Owen’s and the Scandinavian, moderately unsettled opponents at varying speeds.
Competitive Highlights
- Longest Winning Streak: 15 games (hello, hot streak!)
- Current Winning Streak: Still going strong with 1 recent win
- Experienced the infamous longest losing streak of 50 games – every champion’s journey has its bumps.
- Impressive comeback rate of 66%, proving turtles can kick back harder than you expect.
Psychological Quirks & Habits
Daryl’s known for a balanced tilt factor (50 out of 100), meaning he keeps his cool roughly half the time—like any good turtle, he knows when to retreat and regroup. Interestingly, his best hour for hopping on the board is 7 AM, showing he's a morning strategist. His preference for playing with the white pieces yields a modestly higher win rate (54.5%) versus black (49.6%), standard fare but hey, every little advantage counts.
Recent Battle Tales
Recently, in a tactically rich bullet duel against Mehchu, Daryl employed a deep dive into the Scotch Game, navigating with precision until victory was clinched on time. Whether it’s a bold checkmate in rapid or a strategic time win in blitz, CuteTurtle proves he's not just cute but clever too.
Summary
In the wild world of online chess, Daryl Lavin is an embodiment of grit wrapped in a turtle’s cozy shell. While he may not always be the fastest or flashiest, his steady climb through the ranks, strategic flair, and humorous resilience make him a beloved player to watch and an intimidating opponent to face. Keep an eye on CuteTurtle – he’s likely plotting the slow-but-sure checkmate you won’t see coming.