Mohamed Rafeq (aka MedoWasel)
Mohamed Rafeq, or as the chessboard knows him, MedoWasel, is a rising star in the realm of online rapid chess, wielding his digital pawns and knights like a modern-day chess gladiator. With a peak rapid rating of 618 achieved in May 2025, MedoWasel's chess journey is a rollercoaster of brilliant wins, nail-biting losses, and those all-important draws that keep fans on the edge of their seats.
Playing Style & Strengths
Known for an aggressive approach to the opening, MedoWasel loves the King's Pawn Opening (boasting a strong 65% win rate), but never shies away from mixing it up with the Van t Kruijs Opening and the versatile French Defense. He is a strategist who knows that early sacrifices can lead to sweet victories, with an average first capture happening around move 7.
Though his endgames can be long and grueling—averaging over 50 moves per game—MedoWasel has a knack for turning the tide, boasting a 50% comeback rate after losing material, refusing to cower under pressure. Mind you, his occasional early resignations keep opponents guessing whether it's tactical humility or a cunning psychological ploy.
Performance Highlights
- Rapid: 190 wins, with a current winning streak of 7 games.
- Blitz and Bullet: More of a rapid fire expert, though his blitz peak hit 306 and bullet peaked at 423.
- Daily: A stubborn battler with a peak rating of 800 and one crushing loss to humble the legend.
Psychological Insights
With a tilt factor of 7, MedoWasel is no stranger to the emotional rollercoaster of competitive chess. However, his best time to wreak havoc on opponents? The ungodly hours around 2 AM, when most mortals are asleep—proving that chess mastery often thrives in the quiet, mysterious witching hour.
Memorable Games
One recent masterpiece was a swift checkmate victory using the Vienna Game against mixayilov, where MedoWasel's precise rook maneuver sealed his opponent's fate in just 48 moves:
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Opponent Records & Rivalries
MedoWasel has an impressive track record against many opponents, boasting a near flawless win rate over players like mixayilov, bishandchips9, and michelsslll. However, lurking in the shadows are a few nemeses such as bolloco1993, who has managed to snag a win, keeping Medo’s humility intact.
Fun Facts
- Despite loving the tactical fights, MedoWasel rarely relies on time scrambles — his timeout wins indicate he sometimes applies psychological pressure so well his opponents forget to move!
- He’s happiest playing with white pieces, but black pieces net him a respectable near 49% success rate — because who said black is bad?
- If you see him resign early, don't be fooled—it might just be a strategic retreat to preserve energy for the next thrilling encounter.
In short, Mohamed Rafeq is a master of patience and cunning, a competitor who melts defense and turns pressure into checkmate. A player to watch—just don't blink, or you'll miss his next dazzling move!
