Aleksander Kardaś: The Rapid Tapir
Aleksander Kardaś, known to online opponents as SzachowyTapir, is a rapid chess marathon runner. Since late 2022, he has played more than 5,200 rated Rapid games, climbing from a floor around 440 to a Rapid peak of 1175 (2023-07-19) in July 2023. The tapir is a true Rapid specialist, with enough games to fill several chess lifetimes.
Opening Repertoire: 1.e4 and the Blackburne Shilling Gambit
Aleksander almost always grabs the center with 1.e4, and he is magnetically drawn to the Blackburne Shilling Gambit. The position after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 appears in more than 500 of his Rapid games. If you reach this board, you have stepped into tapir territory.
He is also very comfortable facing the Philidor Defense, where his patience pays off with a 63 percent score as White. The tapir can be a predator when he needs to be.
The One Sided Rivalry and the Streaks
Every hero needs a rival, and for SzachowyTapir that rival is ostredebiuty. In 69 Rapid meetings, Aleksander has zero wins, 68 losses, and a single draw. It is a brutal head to head, yet the tapir keeps coming back for more. Call it stubbornness, call it training, or call it an unusual friendship.
The rest of his career is full of drama too. He once won 14 games in a row, and at another point lost 15 in a row. His numbers suggest his best chess happens around 2 a.m., when the board is quiet and the tapir can graze in peace.
The Tapir's Lasting Legacy
- More than 5,200 rated Rapid games, with a white win rate near 49 percent and a black win rate near 42 percent.
- A comeback rate above 70 percent, meaning he rarely goes down without a fight.
- A 40 percent win rate even after losing a piece, which explains why his games are never boring.
- Almost half of his games reach an endgame, and his wins tend to run longer than his losses. Grinding is a lifestyle.
- He still shows up for more games, even after a 15 game losing streak. The tapir never stops walking.