gtothecomo — Rapid-focused chess profile

gtothecomo is a spirited online chess player best known for fast, resilient Rapid games and an unapologetic love of offbeat openings. A regular in the Rapid arena, they combine gritty comebacks with long endgames — the kind of player who will outlast you, then politely checkmate you at 2:00 AM.

Preferred time control: Rapid (plays the majority of games here)
Style highlights: comeback specialist, endgame-oriented, creative opening choices

Peak snapshot: 1205 (2022-04-25) (also notable: 1327 (2023-07-16)).

Playing style & tendencies

If chess had a personality archetype, gtothecomo would be the marathon sprinter — slow to finish but dangerous late. Their games often run long (AvgMovesPerWin ≈ 60), and they thrive in endgames (EndgameFrequency ≈ 54%). When things look bleak, they don't fold: a ComebackRate over 67% makes them dangerous even when down material.

Avg moves per win: 59.6
Avg moves per loss: 53.0
Endgame frequency: 53.97%
Comeback rate: 67.08% — expect resourceful turnarounds
Early resignation rate: 5.48% — sticks around for battles
Best time of day to play (per their data): 02:00
Tilt factor: 13 (they care — but not catastrophically)

Signature openings & repertoire

gtothecomo favors entertaining, aggressive, and sometimes eccentric openings. Their favorite by volume and success is the Amar Gambit, a weapon they launch often as White. As Black they frequently face (and deploy) the Barnes Defense family — a mix that says "I like to unbalance the game early."

Most-played opening (Rapid): Amar Gambit — ~1,034 games, ~55% win rate.
Frequent Black choice: Barnes Defense — many games, mixed results (solid experience vs. opponents).
Other notable choices: Czech Defense, Elephant Gambit, Scandinavian Defense

As White, the Amar Gambit and unexpected sidelines (Bishop's Opening, Elephant Gambit lines) are common; as Black, Barnes Defense and Czech/Australian setups show a penchant for tactical skirmishes and imbalance.

Memorable runs & streaks

gtothecomo has experienced both hot streaks and cold spells — a sign of a player who challenges many styles and ratings.

Longest winning streak: 15 games — when everything clicked.
Longest losing streak: 13 games — they’ve paid their dues and bounced back.
Current streak (at last update): losing streak of 2 games.

For a flavor of their tactical play, here's a sample position replay (viewer may show the sequence):

Notable opponents & a recent close match

gtothecomo has a handful of repeat foes. The most-played opponent is gsaontheway, a rivalry with 43 encounters — tense, tactical, and a true test of consistency.

gsaontheway — 43 games (record: 17–24–2)
Other multi-game opponents: matt2023g (4 games), dan2d (3), arnazzzzing (3)

Watch a recent close match: Close Match vs gsaontheway

Quick performance snapshot (why opponents should beware)

Overall Rapid win/loss/draw volume: a high-volume player who practices in the trenches.
Strength-adjusted win rate (Rapid): ~51% — solid against a range of opponents.
Win rate by hour: strongest spikes in the early morning (notably around 02:00 and small-sample spikes at 03:00 and 04:00).
Plays long, resourceful games — don't assume a material advantage is decisive.

Why follow gtothecomo?

They’re entertaining, stubbornly tenacious, and love offbeat openings that make for instructive and amusing games. Perfect content for anyone who likes dramatic comebacks, long endgames, and a personality at the board. Subscribe to watch more Amar Gambit theatrics and Barnes Defense experiments.

Want deeper dives? Try searching their openings (Amar Gambit, Barnes Defense) and sample the PGN viewer above for move-by-move study.