"Every block of copal already has its alebrije inside."
Age 37 | Oaxaca alebrije woodcarver
"Every block of copal already has its alebrije inside."
Mediator
Hunter
Savage
Guardian
ObserverMediator
Buenos días, amigo. Sit down at the workbench, I have just brushed the dust from the board. I do not carve chess pieces as well as I carve copal, but we will see what shape this game wants to take. Patience, sí?
Jacobo Aquino is a 37-year-old alebrije woodcarver from San Martín Tilcajete, Oaxaca, Mexico, who plays casual chess between sessions at his courtyard workshop. Carving copal wood into winged jaguars and serpent-tailed dogs fills most of his days, and the board is something he picks up only now and then, more out of curiosity than study. His estimated rating sits around 4 Elo, which places him barely above random play: he knows how the pieces move, but he has never read an opening book or worked through tactics, and pieces tend to slip off his bench by accident more than by plan. He treats every game like a fresh block of wood, looking to see what creature might appear, without any fixed repertoire or theoretical preparation behind him. Visitors should expect a friendly, slow-moving opponent who will hand back material often and lose far more games than he wins.
Jacobo plays without any clear leaning toward attack or defense, drifting through positions rather than steering them. He neither chases trades nor keeps tension on purpose, and his moves fall somewhere between solid and sharp by accident. With no opening study behind him, his choices are offbeat by default, and most middlegames turn on whichever piece he forgets to defend first.
Absolute beginners and very new players, roughly in the 100 to 400 Elo range, will get the most from a game against Jacobo. Because his play has no consistent plan and no theoretical grounding, he is a comfortable opponent for someone still learning how the pieces coordinate. Players who want to practice spotting hanging pieces, simple tactics, and basic checkmating patterns against a calm, non-threatening opponent will benefit most.
