Avatar of Michal Lahav

Michal Lahav WIM

Username: MichalL9

Playing Since: 2021-07-22 (Inactive)

Wow Factor: ♟♟♟

Chess.com

Rapid: 2279
22W / 10L / 2D
Blitz: 2255
127W / 144L / 21D
Bullet: 2322
28W / 51L / 2D

Michal Lahav: The Chess Maestro with a Dash of Mystery

Meet Michal Lahav, a Woman International Master (WIM) who dances across the 64 squares with a style that's as unpredictable as a chess puzzle nobody asked for. Known in the chess world as MichalL9, this player blends tactical wizardry with moments of early resignation (about 29.22% of the time – because why not keep opponents guessing?).

Michal's journey sees a curious ebb and flow of fortunes. Sporting a peak bullet rating over 2300 in 2025 and blitz maxing out close to 2400 in previous years, they've faced nearly as many ups and downs as a roller coaster designed by a grandmaster. Their rapid chess prowess shines particularly bright with a win rate soaring over 64%, proving that speed and strategy can sometimes coexist gloriously.

Don't let those early resignations fool you: Michal has a comeback rate flirting with 50%, and a knack for winning even after losing pieces. Basically, give this player a tough position and they'll probably say, "Hold my queen," before pulling a legendary turnaround.

Off the board, Michal's psychology reveals a tilt factor of 14, meaning frustration is occasionally part of the game—but hey, who doesn't get a little salty when the knight hops where it shouldn't? Their favorite game-time hours for victory stretch from early afternoon to late evening, and they've been known to achieve win streaks as long as 16 games straight. Yes, 16 wins without throwing in the towel: MichalL9's version of a chess marathon.

With a diverse record against opponents—ranging from flawless 100% win rates over some challengers to learning moments against others—Michal embodies the spirit of chess: ever-adapting, ever-evolving, and always ready to outsmart the clock and the competition.

In short, Michal Lahav is a formidable force on the chessboard who combines skill, tenacity, and a hint of whimsy. If you face them, be prepared for a game that's equal parts thrilling and mystifying. And remember: never underestimate a player who can turn a near-loss into a glorious comeback while keeping their pieces—and their humor—intact.


Coach's Avatar

Feedback for Michal Lahav

Michal, your recent games demonstrate solid fundamentals and strategic awareness, especially in your handling of the Reti and Owen's Defense openings. Your games show a clear understanding of positional play and timely tactical opportunities.

Strengths

  • Opening Preparation: Your choice of openings like the Reti and Owen's Defense is effective and suits your style. You consistently develop pieces actively and castle promptly.
  • Tactical Accuracy: In several wins, you spotted critical tactical shots, such as well-calculated exchanges and combinations that led to decisive material advantages or checkmate attacks.
  • Endgame Technique: Your endgame play is confident, converting small advantages into wins and showing good understanding of piece coordination and king activity.

Areas for Improvement

  • Time Management: In some of your losses, running low on time impacted your ability to find the best moves. Try to balance speed with accuracy, especially in critical positions.
  • Handling Pressure: Against strong opponents, you sometimes faced challenges in complex or cramped positions. Focus on remaining calm and reassessing plans to avoid tactical oversights.
  • Pawn Structure Awareness: Be cautious about creating weaknesses in your pawn structure early. Maintaining a solid and flexible pawn formation will support your middlegame plans better.

Sample Insight from Your Latest Win

In your checkmate victory against volkanyirik, you demonstrated excellent timing with your attack. Moves like 30. Nxg6 and 32. Rf5 showed good initiative, culminating in a decisive mating net. This game is a great example of coordinating your pieces to maximize pressure on the opponent's king.

Suggestions for Continued Improvement

  • Review key endgames and common tactical motifs to increase your confidence in both phases.
  • Practice time control games with slightly longer time to improve your calculation under less pressure.
  • Study pawn structures typical in your favored openings to plan more effectively in the middlegame.

Keep up the good work, and continue analyzing both your wins and losses deeply. Each game is an opportunity to learn!



🆚 Opponent Insights

Most Played Opponents
bejay90806 6W / 1L / 0D
crosahist 5W / 2L / 0D
goldenageofbug 6W / 1L / 0D
Lchicco 2W / 4L / 0D
short_bozo 6W / 0L / 0D

Rating

Year Bullet Blitz Rapid Daily
2025 2322 2255
2024 2022 2224
2023 2167 2194 2279
2022 2157 2223 2093
2021 2093
Rating by Year2021202220232024202523222022YearRatingBulletBlitzRapid

Stats by Year

Year White Black Moves
2025 61W / 38L / 1D 47W / 52L / 3D 33.1
2024 94W / 82L / 7D 101W / 90L / 7D 50.5
2023 6W / 9L / 3D 9W / 10L / 1D 78.3
2022 11W / 11L / 2D 8W / 15L / 2D 77.9
2021 3W / 1L / 0D 3W / 2L / 0D 76.3

Openings: Most Played

Blitz Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
Unknown 235 150 84 1 63.8%
Barnes Defense 64 28 32 4 43.8%
Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation 42 19 20 3 45.2%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack 37 25 8 4 67.6%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation 18 5 12 1 27.8%
Amar Gambit 15 9 5 1 60.0%
King's Indian Attack 14 7 6 1 50.0%
Hungarian Opening: Wiedenhagen-Beta Gambit 12 5 7 0 41.7%
Caro-Kann Defense 9 5 4 0 55.6%
Scandinavian Defense 9 5 4 0 55.6%
Bullet Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
Barnes Defense 18 6 10 2 33.3%
Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation 17 7 10 0 41.2%
Hungarian Opening: Wiedenhagen-Beta Gambit 5 1 4 0 20.0%
King's Indian Attack 4 4 0 0 100.0%
Amar Gambit 4 1 3 0 25.0%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation 4 0 4 0 0.0%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense 4 0 4 0 0.0%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense 4 1 3 0 25.0%
Döry Defense 3 0 3 0 0.0%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack 3 2 1 0 66.7%
Rapid Opening Games Wins Losses Draws Win Rate
Hungarian Opening: Wiedenhagen-Beta Gambit 5 3 1 1 60.0%
French Defense: Exchange Variation 2 0 2 0 0.0%
Réti Opening 2 2 0 0 100.0%
French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation 2 1 1 0 50.0%
French Defense 2 1 1 0 50.0%
French Defense: Burn Variation 2 1 1 0 50.0%
Budapest: 3...Ng4 4.e3 2 2 0 0 100.0%
Benoni Defense 2 0 2 0 0.0%
Catalan Opening: Closed 1 0 0 1 0.0%
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation 1 0 1 0 0.0%

🔥 Streaks

Streak Longest Current
Winning 16 0
Losing 14 1