Raphael Lagunow: International Master and Blitz Specialist
Raphael Lagunow, better known online as RaphCamora, is a FIDE International Master with a serious addiction to blitz chess. From a modest 1573 start to a peak of 2583 (2022-09-01), his online journey is a masterclass in rating climbing, Sicilian warfare, and 6 AM dominance.
Early Days and the Big Climb
In January 2019, Raphael's blitz rating sat at a humble 1573. By March he had already crossed 2300, and by April he was knocking on 2400. The real peak came in September 2022, when he touched 2583 (2022-09-01) and made the rest of the blitz pool very nervous.
The rating chart shows a player who collects points in bursts, with his longest winning streak reaching 11 straight games. His longest losing streak, by contrast, was a manageable 7, which for a blitz grinder is practically a vacation.
The Sicilian Love Affair
Raphael's opening repertoire is built around 1.e4 and a lifelong commitment to the Sicilian Defense. His most played line is the Sicilian Four Knights Variation, Cobra Variation, with over 150 blitz games. When he wants to get theoretical, he reaches for the Najdorf Variation, where his win rate jumps to a sparkling 63.83%.
As White, he counters the Sicilian with the Alapin Variation and happily faces the Caro-Kann Defense and French Defense. The Italian Game's Two Knights Defense also makes regular appearances, proving that old school ideas still work at internet speed.
Rivalries and Resilience
No online career is complete without rivals. Raphael's most lopsided rivalry is with Celine, who has faced him 15 times and walked away with just a single draw. Robert Baskin and Johannes Mundorf have been far tougher customers, splitting their matches almost evenly with the IM.
Raphael is also notoriously hard to put away. His comeback rate sits at 85.33%, and he still wins 49.67% of games after losing a piece. His average victory takes more than 75 moves, and his endgame frequency of nearly 82% suggests he enjoys grinding opponents down in rook endgames. Speaking of rooks, they are his favorite checking piece by a wide margin.
Prime Time and Party Tricks
Raphael is at his deadliest at 6:00 AM, when his win rate hits a perfect 100%. Friday is his strongest day of the week, while Wednesday is apparently his chess kryptonite. His tilt factor of 7 is remarkably restrained for someone with more than 1,700 blitz games under his belt.
Here is a classical Najdorf setup he might use with the white pieces:
Career Snapshot
- Title: FIDE International Master
- Preferred time control: Blitz
- Blitz record: 902 wins, 687 losses, 165 draws
- Peak blitz rating: 2583 (2022-09-01) (September 2022)
- Longest winning streak: 11 games
- White win rate: 55.82%
- Black win rate: 48.54%
- Favorite opening as Black: Sicilian Defense, Four Knights Variation, Cobra Variation