Overview
Samuel Martel, known online as TONTON-35, is a prolific online chess player who built a reputation as a Blitz specialist. Active on the server since 2012, Samuel turned thousands of frantic 3- and 5-minute games into a laboratory for daring attacks and rapid-fire pattern recognition. If chess were a sprint, Samuel would be the runner who smiles while tripping over the finish line and still crossing first sometimes.
Preferred time control - Blitz. For the numbers fans, here is a quick visual snapshot:
- Career Blitz trend -
- Personal best in Blitz - 1944 (2015-08-25)
Career Highlights
Samuel rose from modest beginnings into a feared blitz opponent. A few notable milestones:
- Online presence since 2012 with steady improvement and several high-volume months of play.
- Known for dramatic comebacks - an impressive comeback rate of 88.13 percent suggests Samuel never gives up a fight.
- Accumulated deep experience - more than 11,000 games analyzed in internal check statistics, making Samuel a walking opening book and endgame clinic when the clock is low.
Playing Style
Fast, tactical, and a little theatrical. Samuel prefers complications and thrives when the position turns messy and practical instincts matter more than long calculation. Key style traits:
- High tactical awareness - strong rescue and comeback ability when down material.
- Endgame savvy - frequent endgame play and long average game lengths suggest persistence and technical follow through.
- Quick decision maker - average first capture comes early, and many wins arrive after long, gritty fights.
Openings and Preferences
Samuel maintains a loyal and sometimes surprising opening repertoire. He loves attacking setups and is comfortable both as White and Black.
- Favorite umbrella - Amazon Attack - heavily used and often played with aggressive ideas.
- Solid Black choice - Caro-Kann Defense shows up frequently as a counterpunching tool.
- Gambit spice - Amar Gambit is a go-to when Samuel wants imbalanced, decisive play.
- Versatile approach - also plays Scandinavian and Sicilian structures when the position calls for it.
Sample blitz miniature for study or amusement:
Notable Records and Streaks
Samuel has had marathon runs and learning streaks. A few stats that capture the roller coaster nature of online play:
- Longest winning streak - 29 games.
- Longest losing streak - 18 games.
- Strong blitz volume - thousands of blitz games across many years and seasons.
Rivals, Memorable Opponents, and Community
Samuel has squared off against many regulars. The most-played opponent list includes a rivalry with arawak. For quick reference:
- Most played - arawak (recorded battles that shaped Samuel's adaptation and opening choices)
- Other frequent opponents include stalingrado72 and riguitin, each bringing their own stylistic tests.
Fun Facts and Quirks
Because every strong online persona needs a bit of personality:
- Often chooses low-theory but sharp lines - the kind that make both players sweat the clock.
- Has a slightly higher tendency to resign early less than average - fights often go the distance.
- Best playing hour tends to cluster around midday - an unusual but effective schedule.
- Samuel is a friendly competitor - expect a short chat, a quick joke, and then a sudden tactical fork.
Want to Study More?
Explore openings and trends Samuel favors - those same choices appear repeatedly in tournament practice and online marathons. Try these terms for deeper reading:
If you want a closer look at a recent game, paste the moves here and Samuel will often add commentary or a playful note - or use the inline game viewer to replay one of the many blitz classics from the server.