Roberto Carlos Gomez Ledo - The Lock of Chessboards
Known by his formidable chess handle elcandado (which means "the lock" in Spanish), Roberto Carlos Gomez Ledo has firmly secured his place in the world of chess as an International Master recognized by FIDE. His opponents often find themselves stuck in his strategic grip, struggling to unlock the secrets of his play.
Born to challenge the limits of time, Roberto has dazzled in blitz chess, achieving a peak rating of 2769 as recently as September 2024—a rating that would make even grandmasters give a nervous glance at their clocks. He’s no slouch in other formats either, boasting a bullet peak of 2612 and a rapid rating touching 2450. His explosive style in lightning-fast games reflects a tactical awareness that leaves no room for mercy—comebacks are his specialty, with an impressive 87.82% comeback rate that keeps fans at the edge of their seats and opponents wondering if they’ve made a blunder, or if he’s simply that good.
Roberto's dedication is evident in his marathon-like blitz career with nearly 14,500 games recorded under "Top Secret" openings, where he maintains a competitive win rate of around 44%. Whether it's striking quickly or grinding out an endgame, his average of almost 80 moves per victory and more than 85 moves in defeat shows he likes to make every game a journey, not just a sprint.
His psychological resilience stands out—his tilt factor is impressively low at 11%, meaning frustration rarely gets the best of him. And when you peak at the hour of his best play—around 11 PM—you might just catch "elcandado" in his prime mode, locking down opponents as if chessboards were treasure chests.
Known to wield some secret weaponry in openings that remain mysterious even to seasoned rivals, Roberto’s practical strength is also clear in his win-loss-draw matrix: over 6,300 wins in blitz alone, balanced by a similar number of losses and a respectable stack of draws signaling a player who loves to fight till the very end.
Notable Recent Game Highlight
On September 10, 2024, in a brilliant demonstration of his aggressive acumen, elcandado delivered a stunning checkmate against RayanTheGoat01 with a dazzling Qxc8+ that left spectators breathless. The game showcased both his tactical precision and psychological pressure —he scored a swift resignation victory with style and panache.
Chess Style and Personality
Roberto’s style is a balanced blend of patience and explosive tactical awareness. His endgame frequency approach is high, affirming his love for battle till the late moves, while his readiness to resign early is a mere 0.36%, proving he is not someone to waste time on hopeless positions. His games are known to have a rich narrative: mesmerizing comebacks, fearless attempts to seize the initiative, and an unyielding fighting spirit.
Fun fact: given his blitz prowess, if he were a lock, he'd be the kind that takes a master locksmith to open—none have yet turned the key!