Peter Burn

Peter Burn (aka HlARCS)

Meet Peter Burn, a chess enthusiast who dances with knights and pokes pawns with a vengeance on Chess.com under the username HlARCS. With a peak blitz rating soaring to 2102 back in 2016, Peter showed he’s no stranger to fast-paced battles, while his bullet games reached a blistering peak of 1924 in late 2017. Not bad for someone whose opponents frequently wonder whether they're playing an impenetrable fortress or a trap waiting to snap shut!

Peter’s style leans into gritty endgames and calculated comebacks—his tactical awareness manifests in an impressive 87% comeback rate. Though he can occasionally tilt (tilt factor of 10, because who doesn't?), his persistence and love for the game shine through with an average of nearly 66 moves per win in his longer matches.

Openings? Oh yes, Peter has his special startup moves. He truly shines with the Ponziani Opening Jaenisch Counterattack, boasting a stellar win rate near 78% in blitz games, though he’s still working on taming that pesky Budapest Gambit (a humble 0% win rate in one variation — don't worry, Peter, every great player has their kryptonite). When in bullet mode, his successes with the Scandinavian Defense Mieses Kotrc Variation are a testament to quick thinking under pressure.

Under the hood, Peter prefers playing with the white pieces slightly more confidently, with a 46.74% success rate, compared to 43.21% as black. Whether it’s lightning-fast bullet or intense blitz, he’s always ready to outwit opponents like zer0nine and jaemz, having tussled multiple times with notable rivals.

When does Peter play his best? Early mornings at 6 AM appear to be his sweet spot — perhaps fueled by coffee or sheer stubbornness. His winning percentage varies throughout the day, peaking around 6 AM to 7 AM, with some surprisingly high success rates during odd hours, so don’t be surprised to find him joining the chess battlefield at the crack of dawn or the dead of night.

Petery Burn’s love for chess is evident not just in numbers but in his resilience, quirky style, and a penchant for complex endgames that can make even the tough opponents break a sweat. His favorite way to win? Winning on time—Peter’s got a knack for making folks run out of clock while juggling those frantic bullet and blitz matches.

And let’s be honest, if chess were a sport about enduring psychological warfare and tactical ninja moves, Peter would have a black belt by now.

Check out one of his recent dazzling victories in the Sicilian Defense Canal Attack, where he patiently maneuvered to checkmate his opponent after a tense 28-move dance. Or witness some of his nail-biting losses, which serve only to fuel his fighting spirit.

In the unpredictable world of online chess, Peter Burn is both a formidable strategist and a relentless competitor—ready for the next challenge, one calculated move at a time.