Francisco Orantes Taboada
FIDE Master, streamer, and bullet chess enthusiast known online as Forantes.
From Casual Moves to FIDE Master
Francisco Orantes Taboada, better known by his username Forantes, is a FIDE Master with a serious love for the fastest format in chess. He began his online journey in 2015, and within a few years he was already firing off thousands of bullet chess games. His rise from a 1500 level bullet player to a 2700 peak is a story of volume, creativity, and a stubborn refusal to play boring chess.
The Repertoire of a Speed Demon
Forantes has a distinctive opening style. As White he frequently reaches for the Bird Opening or a London System line so spicy that the opening database labels it the "Poisoned Pawn Variation" and redacts part of the name. As Black he is a devoted Sicilian Defense player, especially in the Closed and Accelerated Dragon setups. His games are rarely quiet, and his opponents rarely get a rest.
Rivalries and Marathon Matches
No player has crossed swords with Forantes more often than Daniel Motos Abellan, a rivalry spanning over 250 games. Forantes holds the better record in that series, but he has also survived losing streaks that would break lesser players. His longest losing streak hit 16 games, yet his comeback rate is sky high, and he once rattled off 32 consecutive wins. That is the mark of someone who treats every game as a fresh adventure.
Fun Facts
- Earned the FIDE Master title through over the board excellence.
- Streams his fast paced games to an audience that loves chaos.
- Boasts nearly identical win rates with White and Black, showing true versatility.
- Reached a bullet peak of 2704 (2021-03-25) in March 2021.
- Loves the endgame, with endgames appearing in over 80% of his games.