Kevin Chen (aka "fathugo")
Kevin Chen is a relentless rapid chess enthusiast who has climbed the rating ladder from humble beginnings around 800 in early 2017 to an impressive peak over 2300 by 2025. Known online as "fathugo," Kevin’s chess journey is a tale of perseverance, tactical wizardry, and the occasional dramatic comeback.
Chess Odyssey
Starting off with a Rapid rating barely touching 800, Kevin quickly found his stride, smashing through milestones and showing a fondness for the Philidor Defense—his winning percentage there rounds a stellar 72%. Whether it’s the Giuoco Piano or the Sicilian Defense variations, Kevin prefers classics with a twist. His sharp mind and fighting spirit serve him well as he approaches the 2300+ barrier, proving that dedication and a touch of creative audacity go hand in hand.
Playing Style & Personality
Kevin’s games typically last about 66 moves when victorious, slightly longer in defeat—which hints at battles fought in deep endgames. His endgame frequency is a whopping 68%, indicating he’s a patient player who thrives in the later stages of the battle. With a early resignation rate of just 3.1%, giving up is simply not in his vocabulary.
Psychologically, Kevin has a respectable comeback rate of 76%, meaning when things look bleak (like losing a piece), he's the guy calculating the counters over drinks, ready to turn defeat into victory. His tilt factor is a modest 8, proving he can keep cool under pressure—except maybe when the coffee runs out.
Time Control Mastery
While "fathugo" is a rapid grandmaster-in-the-making, he’s no slouch in blitz and bullet. His best blitz win rate climbs above 80% with favorite attacks like the Closed Sicilian Defense. The bullet ratings show flashes of brilliance too—because sometimes, making lightning-fast decisions wins the day (or loses spectacularly, but mostly wins).
Kevin’s peak ratings:
- Rapid: 2368
- Blitz: 2370
- Bullet: 1258
Recent Highlights
Kevin's most recent triumph was against FreeChessAcademy, where he skillfully employed the Slav Defense’s modern line, winning by resignation after a strategic tussle that lasted 33 moves. His games often conclude by resignation, a sure sign that opponents respect the storm he unleashes on the board.
Opponent Notes & Friendships
Kevin has locked horns with many rivals, with some fierce rivalries apparent in repeated encounters against players like "maverik495" and "rakesh71." His win rate fluctuates depending on the opponent, but foes beware: "fathugo" has a habit of turning the tables, making every match a nail-biting spectacle.
The Lighter Side
When not plotting knight forks or queen traps, Kevin enjoys the moments of humor in chess. After all, what's a checkmate but a friendly reminder to your opponent, “Gotcha!” Expect a thoughtful player who also loves a good chess pun and occasionally blames the losing streak on "opening theory conspiracy."
With a mix of patience, tactical sharpness, and a heart that never says quit, Kevin Chen is a name to watch in the chess world. Whether rapid, blitz, or bullet, "fathugo" is always up for a challenge — just don’t ask him to play chess late at night without coffee!
Explore Kevin’s games and keep an eye out for his next brilliant sacrifices and come-from-behind victories. The chessboard is his playground, and the pieces—his playful warriors.
What went well in your recent bullet games
- You demonstrated strong tactical vision in your latest win, creating pressure and converting a sharp sequence into victory.
- Your openings show comfort with dynamic, tactical structures, and you’re willing to enter aggressive lines that create chances.
- You kept the initiative in several middlegames and coordinated pieces effectively to target weaknesses in the opponent's position.
Key areas to improve
- Time management in bullet games: the loss on time suggests you can benefit from steadier pacing and prioritizing solid, safe moves early in the middlegame.
- Endgame and simplification: when you gain material or enter calmer positions, consider simplifying to a winning or drawing endgame rather than chasing tactical complications with limited time.
- Opening consistency: your openings include a mix of sharp lines; focus on a small, well-practiced repertoire to reduce mistakes and improve transition to the middlegame.
- Avoid overextension: aggressive lines can leave your position unstable if your attack is neutralized; ensure king safety and aim for solid pawn structure before committing to many pawn pushes.
- Calculation discipline: in forcing lines, confirm each move’s objective and check for tactical motifs (threats, captures, checks) to avoid blundering into worse positions.
Opening performance insights
Your openings show strength in dynamic, tactical setups. A few notes to maximize results:
- Sicilian Defense: Closed has yielded positive results—keep refining typical middlegame plans (control of central squares, active piece play) in this line.
- Blackburne Shilling Gambit and other sharp lines can be rewarding with precise calculation; continue sharpening these, but be mindful of solid defense if your opponent handles the traps well.
- Unknown lines can hinder consistency; aim to stabilize your repertoire by focusing on a reliable set of openings and studying common replies to your chosen moves.
Progress and planning
Your rating history shows steady gains over multiple periods, indicating solid improvement. Build on this with targeted practice and clear goals per session:
- Use a timer to develop a steady pace: dedicate time to openings, tactic drills, and endgame puzzles in each session.
- Practice 2-3 tactical motifs weekly (for example, back-rank patterns, knight forks, and queen-rook coordination) to strengthen calculation under time pressure.
- After each game, write down 2-3 concrete improvements and 1 thing to avoid next time to reinforce learning.
Next steps and practice plan
- Improve time management: practice with a fixed pace and use a quick 2-minute check at key moments to prevent late-time pressure.
- Consolidate your opening repertoire: pick 2-3 lines for White and 2-3 for Black, and study typical middlegame ideas and common responses.
- Boost endgame proficiency: focus on rook endings and basic minor-piece endgames to improve conversion in longer games.
- Daily targeted practice: 15 minutes of tactic drills and 20 minutes of endgame puzzles to strengthen calculation and technique.
Practice example (optional)
Use this PGN to review a recent win and study the tactical motifs. If you’d like, load it in your viewer to explore the key ideas.
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Recent Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| BidakBaruwing | 1W / 0L / 0D | View |
| j1075 | 1W / 0L / 0D | View |
| chessppl | 0W / 0L / 1D | View |
| rakhmanov1 | 1W / 1L / 0D | View |
| huseyin042 | 1W / 0L / 0D | View |
| sinisa kovacevic | 0W / 0L / 1D | View |
| Lamm-d-az-roue | 0W / 1L / 0D | View |
| kilikidikoy | 1W / 0L / 0D | View |
| chess_22_7 | 1W / 1L / 0D | View |
| laylathecat | 1W / 0L / 0D | View |
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| maverik495 | 12W / 9L / 6D | View Games |
| rakesh71 | 15W / 4L / 3D | View Games |
| agussantos | 13W / 5L / 0D | View Games |
| davis3940 | 9W / 7L / 0D | View Games |
| sok4300 | 5W / 2L / 1D | View Games |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2377 | 2386 | ||
| 2024 | 2132 | 2309 | ||
| 2023 | 1258 | 2004 | 2238 | |
| 2022 | 1186 | 1938 | 2158 | |
| 2021 | 1055 | 1963 | 2106 | |
| 2020 | 1837 | 2019 | 1080 | |
| 2019 | 915 | 1352 | 1663 | 1013 |
| 2018 | 662 | 1528 | ||
| 2017 | 490 | 729 | 1364 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 74W / 33L / 10D | 72W / 35L / 13D | 77.8 |
| 2024 | 55W / 35L / 9D | 61W / 31L / 9D | 81.2 |
| 2023 | 89W / 42L / 20D | 70W / 59L / 18D | 75.3 |
| 2022 | 76W / 42L / 14D | 62W / 58L / 16D | 76.8 |
| 2021 | 99W / 66L / 14D | 87W / 78L / 22D | 76.8 |
| 2020 | 114W / 92L / 23D | 134W / 87L / 17D | 75.1 |
| 2019 | 32W / 20L / 4D | 29W / 20L / 2D | 64.2 |
| 2018 | 15W / 11L / 0D | 17W / 10L / 2D | 66.8 |
| 2017 | 180W / 111L / 9D | 140W / 145L / 16D | 55.3 |
Openings: Most Played
| Rapid Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackburne Shilling Gambit | 139 | 74 | 54 | 11 | 53.2% |
| Sicilian Defense: Closed | 139 | 72 | 52 | 15 | 51.8% |
| Modern Defense: Pterodactyl Variation | 104 | 48 | 46 | 10 | 46.1% |
| Sicilian Defense | 66 | 38 | 25 | 3 | 57.6% |
| Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Exchange Variation | 61 | 38 | 19 | 4 | 62.3% |
| London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation | 55 | 27 | 24 | 4 | 49.1% |
| Amazon Attack | 53 | 25 | 20 | 8 | 47.2% |
| Philidor Defense | 53 | 37 | 15 | 1 | 69.8% |
| French Defense | 50 | 30 | 18 | 2 | 60.0% |
| Amar Gambit | 49 | 24 | 23 | 2 | 49.0% |
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Closed | 33 | 24 | 7 | 2 | 72.7% |
| Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation, Cobra Variation | 27 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 59.3% |
| Sicilian Defense | 20 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 80.0% |
| Blackburne Shilling Gambit | 18 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 66.7% |
| Modern Defense: Pterodactyl Variation | 18 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 38.9% |
| Caro-Kann Defense | 17 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 47.1% |
| Amazon Attack | 13 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 38.5% |
| Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 66.7% |
| Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 66.7% |
| London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Bullet Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Closed | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.7% |
| Blackburne Shilling Gambit | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Nimzo-Larsen Attack | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Unknown | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation, Accelerated Dragon | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| English Opening: King's English Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Pirc Defense: Classical Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Giuoco Piano: Tarrasch Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Czech Defense | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Daily Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Modern Defense: Pterodactyl Variation | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Scandinavian Defense | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Elephant Gambit | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Nimzo-Larsen Attack | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Botvinnik Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Closed | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Unknown Opening* | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Amar Gambit | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Giuoco Piano: Tarrasch Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 14 | 2 |
| Losing | 8 | 0 |