José Luis Meraz Ríos (Merazunico) — The Knight Who Never Quits
Meet José Luis Meraz Ríos, also known as Merazunico, a battling chess enthusiast whose journey through the 64 squares is nothing short of epic. Starting from humble beginnings with rapid ratings hovering around the 1000 mark in 2020, José has shown remarkable resilience and steady progress, reaching a rapid peak of 1537 by 2023. His style? A classy mix of strategic patience and stubborn fighting spirit, reflected in his average 68 moves per win – because why finish fast when you can savor the sweet taste of victory?
José is a player who knows the value of endurance, boasting a longest winning streak of 34 games – surely enough to make even grandmasters raise an eyebrow. His comeback rate is an astonishing 80.79%, proving that he refuses to throw in the towel, even when the chips are down – and when he loses a piece, watch out, because he converts those tough situations into wins with a mind-blowing 100% success rate!
His tactical sharpness is complemented by a distinct psychological edge. Despite a few tilt moments (Tilt Factor of 18, so he’s mostly calm), Merazunico keeps outperforming expectations with a rated vs casual win difference of 14.14%. That’s like playing chess with a poker face and a winning smile.
On the clock, José plays mostly Rapid, having completed over 50,000 rapid games with nearly an equal number of wins and losses, plus a handful of draws to keep life interesting. He’s ventured into Blitz and Bullet too, albeit with less success in Bullet (perhaps Bullet chess moves too fast for his careful style!).
As for his opening secrets – well, those remain a bit of a mystery, but with a nearly 47.5% win rate over thousands of games, José clearly knows what he's doing when the board is set.
Off the board, José’s sense of humor shines through his nickname, Merazunico, hinting maybe he’s a unique blend of a chess addict and a perpetual optimist who enjoys the game’s rich complexity. Whether he’s triumphing or analyzing (endgames are a frequent guest, as 57.21% of his games reach that phase), José Luis Meraz Ríos is a worthy opponent and a dedicated craftsman of checkmates, one move at a time.
Notable Facts:
- Current Rapid Rating (2025): ~1250–1300 range
- Total Rapid Games: 55,000+ games played
- Longest Win Streak: 34 consecutive victories
- Average Moves per Win: 68 (chess is a marathon, not a sprint!)
- Comeback Artist: Wins comeback games 80.79% of the time
- Win Rate After Losing Material: 100% - don't count him out!
