Mihai041005: The Chess Journey of a Strategist with a Dash of Drama
Meet Mihai041005, a blitz and rapid enthusiast whose chess life is a rollercoaster of epic comebacks, unexpected defeats, and relentless fighting spirit. With a peak blitz rating soaring to an impressive 2177 in April 2023, Mihai has shown flashes of brilliance on the board that even seasoned players would admire.
Mihai’s style could best be described as “never say die,” with a comeback rate of over 23%, proving they’re most dangerous when backed into a corner. While early resignations happen quite a bit (over 72%), perhaps a nod to strategic pragmatism or choosing battlefields wisely, every game they stick through often features spectacular tactical awareness.
Consistency? Well, chess is full of surprises, and Mihai’s ratings tell the tale: a peak in rapid at 2134 rating in early 2023, and a bullet highwater mark of 1740. Their blitz rating dances around 1600-1900, suggesting the fiery passion of rapid and blitz battles taught through thousands of games — over 11,000 blitz games alone, with nearly equal wins and losses, highlighting a fearless love for the fight.
Favorite openings include the Closed Sicilian Defense, Alapin Sicilian, and an affection for the Giuoco Piano, which recently produced a beautiful checkmate victory showcasing strategic patience culminating in a crescendo of attacks. The last win was sealed after a bold 46th move promotion and queen sacrifice leading to checkmate — no one said Mihai doesn’t know how to put on a show!
Mihai has battled the usual suspects on Chess.com, going toe-to-toe with opponents like cocolino31, lbarragan77, and rodin_mikl, showing commendable perseverance despite some tough rivalries. And who could forget their psychological mantra? Their best time to play is midnight — the witching hour when brilliance and fatigue probably collide on the board in equal measure.
When it's time to play, Mihai favors mornings and evenings, with their strongest performance statistically around midnight and early morning, perhaps powered by coffee and a little madness. With an average game lasting about 18 moves when they win, Mihai prefers quick, tactical skirmishes rather than marathon matches — a real headline grabber!
Beyond the numbers, Mihai041005 is the archetype of a passionate chess player who fights hard, learns from losses, and enjoys the beautiful complexity of the game — checkmate or resign, the adventure is what counts.
"In chess, as in life, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose; but the real fun is in the battle and the stories created along the way."
Follow Mihai's games to catch the next thrilling encounter live on Chess.com!
🆚 Opponent Insights
| Most Played Opponents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Teodor-Cosmin Nedelcu | 5W / 92L / 1D | View Games |
| Luis Barragan | 22W / 21L / 0D | View Games |
| rodin_mikl | 24W / 17L / 0D | View Games |
| redalert432 | 23W / 17L / 0D | View Games |
| w_Chill-D_w | 29W / 11L / 0D | View Games |
Rating
| Year | Bullet | Blitz | Rapid | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1317 | 1733 | 1883 | |
| 2024 | 1118 | 1624 | 1680 | |
| 2023 | 1237 | 1357 | 1569 |
Stats by Year
| Year | White | Black | Moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 393W / 329L / 24D | 338W / 362L / 30D | 64.8 |
| 2024 | 1660W / 1576L / 17D | 1669W / 1607L / 30D | 5.1 |
| 2023 | 376W / 457L / 34D | 401W / 462L / 31D | 43.5 |
Openings: Most Played
| Blitz Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 6823 | 3429 | 3363 | 31 | 50.3% |
| Caro-Kann: 2.Nf3 | 59 | 30 | 25 | 4 | 50.9% |
| Sicilian: 2...Nc6 3.Bc4 | 46 | 26 | 19 | 1 | 56.5% |
| Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense | 31 | 15 | 16 | 0 | 48.4% |
| Benoni Defense: Old Benoni | 25 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 48.0% |
| Sicilian: Alapin, 2...Nc6 3.d4 | 25 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 60.0% |
| Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack | 24 | 7 | 16 | 1 | 29.2% |
| Sicilian Defense: Open | 24 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 58.3% |
| French: 2.Nf3 d5 | 22 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 59.1% |
| Philidor Defense | 18 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 61.1% |
| Rapid Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philidor Defense | 54 | 23 | 30 | 1 | 42.6% |
| Caro-Kann: 2.Nf3 | 41 | 23 | 18 | 0 | 56.1% |
| Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack | 36 | 23 | 12 | 1 | 63.9% |
| Sicilian: 2...Nc6 3.Bc4 | 31 | 14 | 16 | 1 | 45.2% |
| Queen's Pawn Game | 31 | 17 | 12 | 2 | 54.8% |
| Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation | 27 | 14 | 12 | 1 | 51.9% |
| French Defense: Knight Variation | 26 | 14 | 12 | 0 | 53.9% |
| Bishop's Opening | 25 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 52.0% |
| Horwitz Defense | 21 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 52.4% |
| Duras Gambit | 18 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 61.1% |
| Bullet Opening | Games | Wins | Losses | Draws | Win Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Defense: Knight Variation | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50.0% |
| Van't Kruijs Opening | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.7% |
| Zukertort Opening: Tennison Gambit | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Four Knights Game | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Three Knights: 3...d6 4.d4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Parham Attack | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| King's Knight Opening: Normal Variation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Vienna Game | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Center Game | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Sicilian Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
🔥 Streaks
| Streak | Longest | Current |
|---|---|---|
| Winning | 18 | 0 |
| Losing | 20 | 1 |