Rafail Antoniou CM

Rafail Antoniou (RantomOpening) - Candidate Master Extraordinaire

Meet Rafail Antoniou, the chess warrior sporting the esteemed title of Candidate Master bestowed by FIDE. Whether it's blitz, bullet, or rapid play, Rafail’s foes often wonder if the real secret weapon is just a lucky rabbit’s foot or sheer tactical genius.

Rating & Performance

• Peak Blitz Rating: 2853 (April 2025) - approaching grandmaster territory while probably sipping coffee.
• Peak Bullet Rating: 2822 (October 2024) - because lightning-fast reflexes are his middle name.
• Peak Rapid Rating: 2433 (January 2025) - rapid-fire brainpower on full display.
• Peak Daily Rating: 1519 (October 2024) - proving patience wins at snail’s pace too.

Playing Style

Rafail is not just a strategist but a marathon runner of chess battles: with an average winning game lasting 89 moves, this player savors every moment on the board. The game isn’t over until his opponent’s king taps out – resignation is rare, and checkmates frequent. He’s capable of epic comebacks (88.95%!), so never count him out, even when material looks bleak.

Tactical Trivia & Quirks

• Comeback King: An astounding almost 9 in 10 times, Rafail bounces back after being behind.
• Early Resignation Rate: A stubborn 0.53% - quitting is for quitters, and Rafail is not one.
• Favorite Time to Play: 3 AM - Why sleep when you can calculate chess sacrifices like a nocturnal ninja?
• Win rates: White pieces see a respectable 47.28%, Black not far behind at 43.43%.

Opening Repertoire Highlights

Rafail’s openings range from the mysterious “Unknown Opening” where opponents might lose track of reality, to favorites like the Alapin Sicilian Defense and the Sicilian Defense Four Knights variations. For rapid games, he leans on the Unknown Opening with an impressive 57.26% win rate, proving unpredictability is power.

Recent Gladiator Battles

On June 5, 2025, in a clash of titans, Rafail (aka RantomOpening) brought the house down by outmaneuvering a 2845-rated opponent in just 22 moves, winning with a resignation – proof that sometimes style (and a sneaky queen) beats brute force.

However, not every day is flawless. Just hours later, Rafail experienced defeat by resignation against a 2704-rated adversary in a Slav Defense showdown. Even the best stumble, but Rafail’s comeback rate hints this is just fuel for an epic return.

Fun Facts

• With over 5,500 wins in blitz alone, Rafail could host a chess-themed stand-up show titled “Blitz & Giggles.”
• His longest winning streak is 30 games – enough wins to carry a small country’s chess hopes!
• He strategically resists tilt, with only 16 tilt factor points – calm as a zen master, cool as a cucumber.

Whether dazzling you with creative sacrifices, or grinding out endgames lasting upwards of 80 moves, Rafail Antoniou is a chess personality who blends dogged determination with a hint of mystery — all while rocking the username RantomOpening in online battles. Watch out world; he’s plotting his next brilliant move!