Meet DrMikko
Mikko Alava, better known to the chess world as DrMikko, is a Finnish FIDE Master who has turned online bullet chess into an extreme sport. Since his first bullet games in 2012, he has played more than 109,000 rated bullet games, a volume that makes most grandmasters look like casual hobbyists. His preferred battleground is bullet, and his ceiling is impressive: a peak bullet rating of 2303 in August 2023. But DrMikko is not just a grinder, he is a connoisseur of chaos.
Opening Philosophy: Mainstream Is Overrated
As White, DrMikko opens with 1.e4 in nearly every game and happily marches into sharp territory such as the Vienna Gambit. As Black, he is just as willing to leave theory behind, embracing offbeat tries like the Elephant Gambit with a dedication that borders on scientific research. He has played the Elephant Gambit more than 11,000 times, often navigating into the Scandinavian Defense and other razor thin lines where one inaccuracy can cost the game.
This willingness to swim in dangerous waters shows in his stats: his endgame frequency is around79%, his average decisive game lasts roughly67 moves, and his comeback rate is nearly82%. Even after losing a piece, he still wins half the time. One-sided losses? Just1% of his games. He rarely gets blown off the board, he simply outlasts people.
A Bullet Marathon
The rating chart below tells the story of a man who has seen every meta, every server change, and every time scramble since 2012.
]His most frequent sparring partner is Sunjay Somani, who has faced him over205 times, a rivalry built on increment seconds and mutual respect. He also has deep histories with godswill, bxb13, justillo, lulic, and folksinger, each with over100 meetings.
Quirks and Clock Woes
- He is an extreme night owl: his best winning percentage comes around23:00, while his 3 AM sessions are best forgotten.
- His true nemesis is the chess clock. He has lost over34,000 bullet games on time, roughly three times his checkmate losses.
- He has delivered over333,000 checks in his career, and he gets the first check in about64% of his games. First to check, first to win, apparently.
- His longest winning streak is18 games, but his longest losing streak is15 games, proof that even marathon men have off days.