Michael Guan (aka farpecan1)
Meet Michael Guan, a chess player whose journey reads like a thrilling novel filled with ups, downs, and plenty of tactical fireworks — all played at blistering speeds! Known online as farpecan1, Michael’s chess odyssey began around 2019 with modest bullet ratings of roughly 1400. But soon, like a well-timed knight fork, he surged and hit a peak bullet rating of an impressive 2620 by early 2024. Now that’s a knight’s leap to the top!
Whether it's bullet, blitz, rapid, or daily chess, Michael doesn’t shy away from a challenge. His blitz peak soared to 2332, while rapid and daily chess performances proudly peaked above 2000 and 1800 respectively, showing he’s no one-trick pony but a versatile player across all formats.
Playing Style and Personality
Michael’s style is a curious blend of persistence and agility, boasting a comeback rate of over 81% — a testament to his rising from the ashes when down a piece or caught in tricky positions. Known for his lengthy battles (around 68 moves per win on average), he’s a marathoner in a sport often seen as a sprint.
An early resignation rate of just 5.7% suggests Michael rarely throws in the towel prematurely — though his tilt factor of 17 reminds us that even the best can have "bad hair days" over the board. His best time to play? Bright and early at 6 AM, when his mind is sharp and his pawns ready to march.
Opening Secrets
Always keeping opponents guessing with a Top Secret opening approach (literally named “Top Secret”), Michael has mastered the art of surprise on the chessboard. Occasionally he's known to dip into classical waters with precise moves like the Pirc Defense Classical Variation or French Defense Steiner Variation — efficiency meets creativity.
Recent Battles
Michael’s recent games reveal a warrior comfortable winning on time pressure or delivering clean checkmates. In one standout bullet battle against troplebossssss, Michael navigated a complex Pirc Defense to victory by time, showing nerves of steel under the clock. And yes, sometimes even Michael faces a checkmate — his latest setback was a gritty fight ending with the Italian Game, proving he’s always ready to learn and adapt.
Opponent Chronicles
He has faced thousands of opponents, with a long-standing rivalry against nicolas_delacolina (1200 games!), reminding us he’s no stranger to legendary rivalries and repetitive challenges. Michael’s win rates fluctuate — sometimes crushing newcomers with double-digit margins and sometimes caught off-guard by relentless challengers.
Fun Facts
- Longest winning streak: 22 games — like a bishop slicing through diagonal chaos!
- Longest losing streak: 17 games — even grandmasters have those “why does the board hate me?” moments.
- Average moves per win: ~68 moves — patience is a virtue... and apparently a necessity.
- Favorites to crush: anyone playing openings other than "Top Secret" — shhh!
Michael Guan lives and breathes chess — a relentless tactician, a strategic thinker, and sometimes, a pawn sacrificing comedian. If there's a duel to be had, you can bet farpecan1 will be there, ready to castle, capture, and occasionally blunder with flair.
In the game of life and chess, Michael isn't just playing the board; he's playing the players.