Miguel Gwapo

Miguel Gwapo: The Blitz Bandit with a Scandinavian Flair

Meet Miguel Gwapo, better known on the boards as HarlyCurt – a chess player whose games are as colorful as his name suggests. A fierce competitor in the fast-paced world of online chess in 2025, Miguel has carved a niche for himself, particularly in blitz, rapid, and bullet formats.

A Journey Through The Ratings

Miguel’s peak blitz rating stands proudly at 465 (April 2025), with a rapid peak even higher at 566 – proving he’s no stranger to careful calculation even under pressure. Bullet? Not quite his playground, maxing out at 409, but hey, who can resist the siren call of blitz? Whether it’s a 5-minute brawl or a rapid dance of queens and knights, Miguel’s rating history tells a tale of a player who’s learning, adapting, and occasionally throwing down the gauntlet with enough fire to entertain.

Opening Repertoire: The Scandinavian Maverick

Miguel’s favorite opening? The mighty Scandinavian Defense, specifically the Mieses-Kotrc Variation – where he boasts a dazzling 83-85% win rate! That’s right, when Miguel decides to “dive into the north,” opponents better be ready for some serious counterpunching. On the flip side, his King’s Pawn Opening is a battlefield with a modest 45% win rate, proving that even the bravest knights have their tough days.

Playing Style: Early Resignations & Epic Comebacks

With an early resignation rate of nearly 39%, Miguel is not afraid to admit defeat when the position looks grim – no sore loser here! But don’t count him out; his comeback rate is an impressive 71%, showing the fighting spirit that defines his style. Matches usually last around 47 moves to victory, but if he’s losing, games tend to be shorter, averaging around 34 moves.

Psychology of a Player

Miguel prefers the clandestine hours of the early morning (2:00 AM is his prime time) to unleash his best moves, and it shows: the win rate around that time spikes spectacularly. Despite a slight tendency to tilt (a factor of 9), he keeps bouncing back with dogged determination and learns from each tactical misstep.

Notable Games & Rivalries

Among his most recent battles, Miguel’s victory over “Klopsztang” by checkmate in the Scandinavian Defense hinted at his tactical prowess and love for complex positions. Yet, even heroes face setbacks. His recent loss to “Abosev71” by checkmate was a harsh reminder that the queen’s gambit is never a guaranteed win.

Fun Facts & Trivia

• Wins more than half of the games on Sundays and Saturdays – weekend warrior alert!
• Plays with the White pieces slightly better than with Black, but only by a hair;
• Timeout victories outnumber losses by a fair margin, hinting at some serious clock pressure tactics;
• Miguel’s opponents include some well-known online challengers, but few escape his keen tactical eye.

In summary, Miguel Gwapo aka HarlyCurt is the kind of player who brings a tactical brawl to every encounter, mixing cautiously calculated opening choices with a knack for comebacks that makes every game unpredictable – a real treat for spectators and a challenge for opponents.