Michelle Catherina, P WIM

Michelle Catherina, P - Woman International Master (WIM)

Meet Michelle Catherina, P, affectionately known in the chess circles and arenas as ItsCheckM8Mate. A proud Woman International Master, Michelle has danced across the 64 squares with a blend of precision, tenacity, and that unmistakable flair that only a true chess aficionado possesses.

A Journey Through the Ranks

Michelle’s rise in the chess world is the stuff of legends—well, at least in her local chess cafés. Beginning with a modest blitz rating barely breaking 1300 in 2015, she methodically climbed the ladder, setting her sights on the strongholds of 2400+ blitz rating by early 2025. Her bullet and rapid ratings tell a similar tale of ambition and gritty resilience, consistently hovering in the 2200+ to 2400+ zone.

Style & Strategy

Known for her calm demeanor and a surprisingly high come-back rate of over 77%, Michelle keeps opponents guessing. Lose a piece? No problem, because she still manages to snatch victory nearly half the time afterwards—now that's determination! Early resignations are basically her enemy (a mere 1.63%), proving she fights till the last move, often engaging in epic endgames averaging well over 65 moves per victory. Her love for the late-game battles tells us she’s a true strategic thinker who can navigate even the trickiest positions with finesse.

Weapon of Choice: The Openings

Her go-to opening for blitz games? The ever-mysterious "Top Secret" line (538 games played, 48% win rate)—if only we knew what secrets those are! In bullet, Michelle embraces the Top Secret too, alongside sprinkles of classical systems like the Queens Pawn Opening and the Italian Game—proof that she’s as versatile as she is fierce.

Winning & Losing - The Tale of Streaks

Michelle’s longest winning streak clocks in at a remarkable 14 games, while her longest losing streak stubbornly holds at 7. Currently, the scoreboard tells us she's cooling off a bit with a single loss streak—everyone needs a breather, after all!

The Human Side of the Machine

Did we mention Michelle has a tilt factor of just 7? For those unaware, that means she keeps her composure remarkably well, avoiding the dreaded rage-quit or keyboard-smash. She even holds a mysterious superpower: at 23:00 hours (yes, when most people are half-asleep or binge-watching shows), she reigns supreme at the board.

Not Just Stats – Recent Battles

Just a few days ago, Michelle won a thrilling game against a worthy challenger, AmolRama, showcasing her tactical prowess with the Modern Defense. Not long before, she executed a beautiful checkmate against ukgjammy_1 in the Accelerated London System. True to her nickname, ItsCheckM8Mate knows how to seal the deal with style.
Of course, even champions stumble—Michelle recently lost on time against feelurqi in a French Defense duel that was anything but dull. After all, everyone needs a little chess drama to keep life interesting!

Fun Facts

• Michelle’s sneak attack times are best around midnight (23:00), when the moon is high and opponents are mostly dreaming.
• She enjoys blitz chess so much, she’s played over 500 games in the "Top Secret" opening alone. One wonders if she’ll ever let the cat out of the bag...
• Her favorite defense might just be the Modern Defense, where she recently clinched a superb victory by resignation—a true chess magician.

In short, Michelle Catherina, P, aka ItsCheckM8Mate, is a force to be reckoned with—part grand strategist, part puzzle master, and 100% chess enthusiast. With every game played, she continues to write an intriguing, and sometimes hilarious, chapter in the ongoing saga of competitive chess.