Espen Paasche

Espen Paasche (paaschehare)

Meet Espen Paasche, also known in the chess realms as paaschehare—a resilient blitz enthusiast and a cunning tactician with a flair for dramatic comebacks. Starting with humble beginnings and rating dips that would make any rook shudder, Espen has managed a steady climb to a blitz peak rating north of 1100 by mid-2025. Not quite Magnus Carlsen, but definitely someone who knows the value of a good puzzle and the thrill of a checkmate.

Chess Journey and Style

Espen’s chess career, at least in recorded blitz games since 2021, shows a rollercoaster ride from a modest 449 up to a battle-hardened rating around 1122 in early 2025. This player doesn’t just grind out games; they relish complex endgames, reaching an impressive 70.6% endgame frequency, proving patience can be a dangerous weapon.

Known for a comeback rate of 73.7%, Espen can shrug off losses and strike back with gusto. Even after losing a piece, winning 41.6% of the time suggests an uncanny ability to resist pressure and create chaos. Although an early resignation rate near 3.13% indicates Espen sometimes throws in the towel, it’s most probably on a tactically hopeless board or when the cat is clearly out of the bag.

Opening Repertoire

The Top Secret opening dominates Espen’s chess life, with over 5000 blitz games recorded in this mysterious category, a near-even split of wins and losses—a sign that Espen is no stranger to high-risk, high-reward play. When venturing into known theory, the King's Pawn Opening shines brightest with a sharp win rate of nearly 71%, hinting at a fondness for classical open games.

Recent Battles & Highlights

Espen’s latest triumph was a beautiful display of determination and strategy, edging out opponent cornbas02 by checkmate after fifty-nine moves — a battle of queens, pawns, and knights where strategy prevailed over raw power. No slouch in other time controls either, Espen boasts rapid peaks exceeding 1350 and daily ratings peaking over 1160, showing versatility beyond blitz.

Psychological Tendencies & Fun Facts

Surprisingly, Espen’s best time of day to play is 3 AM — because nothing says tactical brilliance like chess played under the spell of the witching hour. Despite the odd tilt factor of 10 (who doesn’t get a little salty now and then?), this player seems to recover quickly, maintaining an almost zen-like perseverance backed by solid game preparation.

Espen's record against other players is a mixed bag of rivals nurtured over thousands of games, featuring quite the collection of “100% win rates” against some and “0%” against a few pesky nemeses. But hey, every chess hero needs their arch-enemies!

In Summary

Espen Paasche’s chess story is one of steadfast improvement, playful experimentation, and relentless fightbacks. Whether rapidly deploying queens early or dragging long endgames into checkmate, Espen’s journey is a perfect reminder that chess mastery is a marathon, not a sprint — with plenty of hilarious blunders and brilliant victories along the way.

Keep an eye on paaschehare — the hare with a keen eye, swift moves, and a stubborn heart!