Carlos Meriño

Carlos Meriño - The Relentless Rapid Warrior

Meet Carlos Meriño, known in the online battlegrounds as rlszaid, a chess player who embraces the beautiful chaos of rapid chess with a passion and perseverance that's nothing short of heroic. With a peak rapid rating of 1356 achieved in late 2023, Carlos has shown a fighter's heart, enduring rollercoaster rating swings and fierce tactical battles.

Despite some tough patches — including a longest losing streak of 8 games — Carlos never gave up. His resilience shines impressively with an 81% comeback rate, meaning if things go downhill, expect a cinematic turnaround. If you lose a piece to Carlos, don’t be surprised if he still walks away victorious nearly half the time!

With over 190 rapid games logged, Carlos prefers the Scandinavian Defense, wielding it often enough to become a double-edged sword: a 70% win rate with the "plain" Scandinavian Defense, but a humbling 38% with the Mieses Kotrc variation. Clearly, he likes to spice things up — sometimes with mixed results — and has a decent repertoire ranging from the Queen’s Pawn Opening to the tricky Englund Gambit.

Playing style? Carlos might be the type who wills the game to last — averaging about 61 moves when he wins and a similar endurance when losing! And if you ever face him playing Black, better be prepared: he has a slight edge with a 51.5% win rate as Black, possibly catching you off-guard in those rapid time controls.

Fun fact: Carlos's best time to play is around 10 PM, when his win rate spikes to a dramatic 75%! So if you want to test your mettle, perhaps avoid the late-night sessions... or challenge him then for the ultimate thrill. Also, his longest winning streak of 9 shows that once he gets momentum, he's a tough nut to crack.

Carlos is a pragmatic player, with 51 of his wins coming by resignation — perhaps his opponents realize the writing is on the wall before checkmate strikes. Speaking of which, checkmate wins total 35, proving he knows how to deliver the final blow when opportunity knocks.

Recent games show that Carlos doesn't shy away from complex battles. In a recent victory against “giobelli,” he maneuvered skillfully through a Queen’s Pawn Opening into a victorious time win. On the flip side, he’s tasted defeat against “pekkasal,” reminding us all that chess is a game of endless learning.

Off the board, Carlos might be the kind who chuckles over blunders and losses alike, driven by love for the game and the thrill of the battle rather than trophies alone. His tilt factor is a modest 8, so even when the heat is on, he keeps his cool well enough to bounce back.

Carlos Meriño might not yet be a grandmaster, but to those who know him or face him across the board, he's that resilient storm cloud hovering just when you think the skies are clear — unpredictable, persistent, and always ready to challenge your strategy. Keep an eye out; this is a player growing in strength and spirit with every move.

"In chess as in life, the comeback is where the real story begins."