Joey Florendo: The National Master Who Works the Clock
Joey Florendo, known to bullet chess fans as El_Matador12, is a National Master with a cape, a plan, and almost no patience for slow chess. Their title comes from the over-the-board world, but their legend lives in the one-minute arena. Florendo has played more than 6,500 bullet games, and their recorded bullet history opens with a perfect 10-win month in 2013 before climbing to a ceiling of 2920 (2026-01-12). They have also cracked 2732 (2023-09-12) in blitz, proving the matador is not a one-trick bull.
A Repertoire of Curiosities, Served Fast
Florendo's opening shelf is filled with both classical armor and wild theater. As Black, they have deep history with the Caro-Kann Defense. As White, they like to steer games into offbeat structures with the Nimzo-Larsen Attack, the Amazon Attack, and the Amar Gambit. With a positive win rate in the Czech Defense and Modern setups, this is a player who is most dangerous when the position looks weird.
Do not expect a quick kill. Their average winning game lasts around 79 moves, and their endgame frequency sits at 85 percent. If you sit down to play Florendo, bring a snack.
The Comeback Kid of the Early Morning
Very few opponents can finish Florendo off. Their comeback rate is 86.9 percent, and they still win more than half of their games even after losing a piece. Their early resignation rate is below two percent, so every game goes the distance. The data also says they play best around 07:00, which is perfect for beating a sleepy opponent before breakfast.
Their longest winning streak is 25 games, a run that makes other bullet players want to unplug the router. They have also survived a 22-game losing streak, because even a bullfighter gets knocked down. They perform better in rated games than in casual ones, which is another way of saying they rise to the occasion when it counts.
Rivalries, Friends, and Frequent Foes
Every matador has a few bulls who keep returning. Florendo's most frequent opponent is elseres, who they have faced 76 times, and Florendo owns that series with 52 wins. They have also played dozens of matches against Jan Roldan Oriendo, thecheesykid, and Leo Bispo, building an online rivalry wall that would make any chess club jealous.
Against lower-rated opponents they win roughly two thirds of the time, and even against higher-rated opposition they collect nearly one win in three. With a white-win rate around 57 percent and a black-win rate near 52 percent, Florendo is dangerous from both sides of the board. Their games are not always perfect, but they are never boring.
The Legacy of El_Matador12
Joey Florendo is more than a National Master; they are a bullet chess institution. Their games are energetic, their openings are memorable, and their willingness to fight from dead positions is almost supernatural. If you see El_Matador12 on the pairing list at seven in the morning, you already know what is coming. You just hope the cape is aimed at someone else.