tapu2: The International Master Who Never Sleeps
Meet tapu2, an International Master with a FIDE title and a serious love affair with blitz chess. While the profile nominates rapid as the preferred time control, the rating graph and thousands of games say otherwise: this is a player who lives in the fast lane, mostly after midnight.
Who Is tapu2?
Behind the username tapu2 is a titled FIDE International Master. Since 2020 tapu2 has piled up thousands of online games, with blitz as the clear main course. The best hours? Around 1 AM, when the win rate spikes and the rest of the platform is asleep. That mix of title, volume, and nocturnal scheduling makes tapu2 one of the more entertaining accounts to follow.
The Blitz Marathon
tapu2's blitz story is one of steady and sometimes violent ascent. From the 2400s in 2020 to a peak blitz rating of 2909 (2026-08-05), the climb included a 20 game winning streak, a few painful 10 game losing streaks, and a comeback rate near 90%. Opponents who score an early advantage quickly learn that tapu2 does not believe in hopeless positions. The chart below shows the whole ride.
Style and Openings
With white, tapu2 leans on sturdy, space grabbing setups. The Caro-Kann Defense is a recurring favorite, especially the Exchange Variation, which has delivered wins at a 66% clip. They also enjoy facing the Sicilian Defense in its Closed form and grinding against the Nimzo-Indian Defense. With black, the Sicilian Defense Najdorf Variation is a constant companion, and the Alekhine Defense has quietly become a scoring weapon. Recently, tapu2 has flirted with 1.Nf3 and King's Indian Attack setups, suggesting an old master who still loves new tricks.
Familiar Foes
No career is complete without rivals. Against ArwenNena, tapu2 has been ruthless, winning 76 of 85 meetings. Against Murad İbrahimli, the story flips, with murad_ibrahimli ahead 27 to 17. And against Kevin Bordi, a marathon 81 game series remains close, with tapu2 clinging to a 40 to 36 lead. Even Aradhya Garg has had tapu2's number, adding a dose of humility to an otherwise dominant record.
The Takeaway
tapu2 is proof that online blitz can be both an art and a science: patient endgames, stubborn defense, and a willingness to play until 1 AM. If you sit down across from them, bring a good opening book, a full battery, and maybe a snack. You are going to be there for a while.