Paul Holt (aka pobahoba)
Paul Holt is a relentless rapid chess enthusiast whose journey through the ranks is as colorful as his choice of openings. Known online as pobahoba, Paul has amassed over 3,000 rapid games, where he’s currently rated around 500. While he might not be a Grandmaster yet, his statistics suggest he’s a pesky opponent—racking up nearly as many wins as losses, and drawing a fair share of games where neither side could pry a win out.
His style? A healthy mix of tenacity and tactical cunning. With an average game length of just over 60 moves, Paul lovingly navigates the middlegame and endgame trenches with a tactical comeback rate bordering on heroic—he bounces back from lost pieces about 69% of the time. When it comes to openings, Paul has a soft spot for the Alekhine’s Defense, where he enjoys an impressive 55% win rate, and a tricky penchant for the Bishop’s Opening and Van 't Kruijs Opening, proving he’s not afraid to take the road less traveled.
Fun fact: Paul’s most victorious time of day to play is bright and early at 7 AM, a perfect time to catch his opponents groggy and on their morning coffee break. His longest winning streak stands at a solid 10 games, though the legend also speaks of a brutal 13-game losing streak—hey, no one said the path to chess mastery was easy!
Across the years, Paul has repeatedly outmaneuvered some of his favorite rivals, boasting a perfect record against a handful of opponents like amar-radha—an undefeated 100% win rate is nothing to sneeze at. However, he’s still got a few nemeses to conquer, including k_hugo and saquillo, who have caught him off guard more than once.
Recent Adventures
In his latest burst of brilliance, Paul demonstrated his aggressive Bishop’s Opening skills by delivering a swift checkmate against Amar-Radha in just 12 moves! It’s moves like Be6# that remind the chess world that Paul isn’t just here to play around—he’s here to finish the game with style.
Highlights from his latest win:
Paul's journey in the chess battlefield continues, full of passion, strategy, and the occasional rollercoaster of wins and losses. If you ever fancy a match, remember: he's tactical, stubborn, and never short on surprises.
