Bullet Over Everything
Thore Perske, known online as Thjop, holds the International Master title, but don't let that make you think he plays like a quiet museum piece. He is a bullet player at heart, with a 2823 (2024-11-23) that would give even the most hardened speed demons pause. His love affair goes far beyond the 1 minute clock: it's the place where he punches the clock.
As White he often reaches for the Nimzo-Larsen Attack after 1.b3, a quirky weapon that makes his games look like a hypermodern rabbit hole. As Black he swims happily in the streets of the French Defense, soaking up that extra pawn tension. If that isn't enough spice, he has a 76% win rate in the somewhat illegal looking Amar Gambit, proving he will sacrifice common sense at the altar of speed chess.
Data From the Thunderdome
The match queue tells a story of a man who never left the chat. His online record includes nearly 6,000 logged games, split between bullet, blitz and the occasional patient daily game. He is most dangerous at 1 a.m., which probably explains why his chess personality is a mix of genius and permanent caffeine.
- Longest winning streak: 12 games. Longest losing streak: 8. He's still here.
- Early resignation rate: 0.5%, because quitting is for the other player.
- After losing a piece, he wins 46% of those games anyway.
- His comeback rate is 87.45%, so a two pawn deficit in bullet means absolutely nothing to him.
Want proof? Check
and see the selection of terror lines he likes to roll out.Frenemies Who Never Quit
If Thjop has a signature rival in this pool, it's gmjoey1. They've squared off in 52 games and Thjop holds a hard-earned 28 wins, but every exchange must have been a brawl because no one walks away after one game. You can check Rogelio Jr Antonio when you want to see a friendship forged in a Sicilian, complete with bruises.
The pattern is clear: he outplays people below and around his peak, and he needs a cup of coffee for everyone above it. Seldom draws, never bothers with late game closure. Simple.
A Captain's Log
Laterally, Thjop is what happens when a player combines a titled background with the personality of a speedrun streamer. Whether he's playing the Caro-Kann Defense for the hundredth time or amount half a knight up with 2 seconds on the clock, the game is always a story of stubbornness and fireworks. No one cares about the score on that brings. You just know you won't get those 3 minutes back.