Juan Tapia Mena (JJTMChess2002): A Chess Biography
Juan Tapia Mena, known online as JJTMChess2002, is a high-volume online chess competitor who has played more than 27,000 rated games since 2019. His profile lists Daily as his preferred time control, which is adorable given that he has also played more than 15,000 bullet games. From 950-rated scrambles to 2,400-rated battles, Juan has become a familiar name in queues across every time control.
A Tireless Competitor
Few players can match Juan's sheer appetite for chess. He has collected more than 14,000 wins, once rattled off a 27-game winning streak, and somehow survived an 18-game losing streak without hanging up the board. His comeback rate of 82.66% and his 51.42% win rate after losing a piece suggest that Juan is at his most dangerous when things look worst.
- Longest winning streak: 27 games
- Longest losing streak: 18 games
- Comeback rate: 82.66%
- Win rate after losing a piece: 51.42%
- Early resignation rate: just 1.61%
Style and Opening Repertoire
Juan's opening tastes have evolved dramatically. In his early years he was a devoted 1.e4 player, but he gradually migrated to 1.d4 and the London Poisoned Pawn Variation London Poisoned Pawn Variation, a line he has played more than 700 times in blitz alone. As Black, he favors the rock solid Caro-Kann Defense Caro-Kann Defense, while keeping a sense of adventure with the Blackburne Shilling Gambit Blackburne Shilling Gambit and the Amazon Attack. Against the Sicilian Defense Sicilian Defense, he wins 65% of his rapid games, and his rapid results with the Amar Gambit are simply silly at 88.89%.
Rivalries and Recurring Battles
Every player needs a nemesis, and Juan found his in ajedrezconmonchess Rodrigo Casares. The pair have faced each other 704 times. Juan has won 150, lost 529, and drawn 25, yet he keeps coming back for more. Against j3sus589 J3sus589, the rivalry is far more balanced: 316 wins, 265 losses, and 34 draws across 615 meetings. And when pedrocordova pedrocordova shows up, Juan tends to dominate, winning 165 of 201 games.
The Climb
Juan started his rated journey in late 2019 with a blitz rating around 950. From there, he climbed steadily, crossing 1,700 in 2021, 2,000 in 2024, and reaching a peak of 2383 (2026-05-23) in blitz. In bullet, he went even higher, peaking at 2430 (2025-11-14). His preparation depth tells a similar story, growing from a median of zero moves in 2019 to five moves by 2026.
Habits and Superstitions
Juan is a creature of habit. Wednesday is his best day, with a 58.68% win rate, and his peak hour is 10:00 a.m., when he wins 83.33% of his games. His queen does a lot of heavy lifting: he has delivered 27,589 checks with the queen, more than with any other piece. When Juan lands the first check, he goes on to win 62.45% of the time, so his opponents may want to avoid giving him the initiative.
Final Thoughts
Juan Tapia Mena is a grinder in the best sense of the word. He plays a staggering number of games, shrugs off losing streaks, and never stops tinkering with his openings. Whether he is battling his old rival ajedrezconmonchess or hunting for another queen check at 10 a.m., Juan plays every game like it matters. That is what makes him one of the most entertaining players to follow.