Emil Barthelemy

Emil Barthelemy: The Enigmatic Rapid Warrior

Known online as Emilhto, Emil Barthelemy is a rapid chess player whose games are as unpredictable as his rating swings. With a peak Rapid rating of 577 in early 2025, Emil has experienced the thrilling rollercoaster ride of victories and defeats, swinging from highs to lows faster than a knight’s L-shaped leap.

Career Highlights

Emil’s journey through the rapid chess circuit in 2025 has been a blend of bold tactics, some spectacular wins, and the occasional humbling loss. He boasts a respectable record of 78 wins, 98 losses, and 9 draws. While his opponents have sometimes gotten the upper hand, Emil’s perseverance is unmatched, highlighted by a longest winning streak of 4 games and a tough 7-game losing streak that surely fueled his determination.

Opening Repertoire: Surprisingly Adventurous

Far from a one-trick pony, Emil experiments with a variety of openings:

• King’s Pawn Opening: His bread and butter, with a nearly 48% win rate over 40 rapid games. A reliable start that keeps opponents on their toes.
• Bishop’s Opening & Nimzowitsch Defense: Surprisingly Emil's best bets, boasting a 60% win rate. Clearly, Emil is not afraid to venture into less-charted territories.
• He also dives into the complexities of the Queen’s Pawn and French Defense variations, showing no fear of sharp battles even when the numbers are slightly less generous.

Playing Style & Psychology

Emilhto is a fighter who rarely gives up easily. His comeback rate of 50% after losing material underlines his fighting spirit—though sometimes the comeback plan backfires, contributing to his notable “tilt factor” of 7 (a technical term for when things don’t quite go his way on the board... or off it).

His funniest quirk? Emil has found his best time to play chess to be around 3 AM, suggesting either nocturnal genius or caffeine-fueled brilliance, maybe both.

Memorable Recent Games

One of Emilhto’s recent wins features a cheeky Queen sacrifice against metaloplastia in the Queen’s Pawn Opening Horwitz Defense, resulting in a swift resignation by his opponent after just 5 moves. Another notable victory was earned through relentless pressure leading to resignation against benedettib, proving that Emil is always ready to capitalize on even the smallest mistakes.

Expect the Unexpected

Though sometimes his ratings fluctuate dramatically and his losses pile up, Emilhto's fearless and varied approach makes him a thrilling player to watch. Whether it’s launching a surprise Knight capture early on or bravely diving into obscure openings, Emil keeps the rapid chess community entertained and guessing.

In short: Emil Barthelemy might not yet be a grandmaster (or even close), but anyone who dares to face "Emilhto" on the rapid battlefield is in for a wild ride filled with tactical skirmishes, unpredictable adventures, and maybe the occasional 3 AM checkmate.