[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":120},["ShallowReactive",2],{"bot-kerek":3},{"id":4,"aboutLong":5,"age":6,"botId":7,"country":8,"countryCode":9,"dataHash":10,"dateModified":11,"elo":12,"extension":13,"faq":14,"favoriteQuote":24,"gender":25,"hello":26,"introduction":27,"isTrophy":28,"liveDate":29,"luckyCharm":30,"meta":31,"name":32,"occupation":33,"openingAxes":34,"openingsAnalysis":36,"playstyle":37,"playstyleSummary":40,"ratingHistory":41,"shortName":83,"similar":84,"stem":117,"trophyQuirk":36,"trophyUnlock":36,"whoShouldPlay":118,"__hash__":119},"bots/bots/kerek.json","Bálint Kerekes is a 41-year-old board waxer from Hungary who tends the long pale wooden chess boards drifting on the warm yellow water of Budapest's Széchenyi-style thermal baths. He learned the trade twenty winters ago from an older bath man and has cared for the same floating boards ever since, sealing joints against the steam between coats of beeswax. Chess, for Bálint, is something he picked up sideways, a few unhurried games on whatever board the bathers leave half-finished. He has never studied theory or worked through a repertoire, and at an estimated 129 ELO he plays at a level barely above random, knowing how the pieces move but rarely seeing a plan past the next square. Visitors should expect a gentle, slow opponent who treats the game like board care and gives away material almost every game.","41","kerek","Hungary","hu","4bae1977d4572c3194113a030601c8c6ddf3ff8d98f7cb69c463518814ee91d6","2026-07-06",129,"json",[15,18,21],{"question":16,"answer":17},"What rating is Bálint?","Bálint plays at an estimated 129 ELO, which is barely above random play. He knows how each piece moves but cannot follow a plan and blunders material almost every game. This puts him at the very bottom of the rating ladder, suitable only for true beginners.",{"question":19,"answer":20},"What opening does Bálint play?","Bálint has no fixed opening repertoire on file. He has never studied theory and plays whatever feels steady from move one, so his openings tend to be quiet, offbeat, and inconsistent from game to game. Expect early piece trades rather than any named system.",{"question":22,"answer":23},"Is Bálint a good first opponent for someone learning chess?","Yes, Bálint is well suited as a first opponent. At 129 ELO he blunders pieces regularly and avoids sharp, complicated positions, which gives a brand-new player room to spot tactics, practice basic checkmates, and finish a full game without being overwhelmed. He is one of the gentlest opponents on the roster.","A well-waxed board floats forever.","male","Jó reggelt, friend. Pull up a stool by the warm yellow water and we will float a board between us. I waxed this one fresh this morning, so the tiles should glide easy. Köszönöm for stopping by the bath.","Bálint waxes the long pale wooden chess boards that float on the warm yellow water of Budapest's Széchenyi-style thermal baths, sealing every joint so the steam never warps a single square. He learned the trade from an older bath man twenty winters ago and has cared for the same drifting boards ever since. Between coats of beeswax he plays unhurried games on whichever board the bathers leave half-finished.",false,"2026-05-08T00:00:00.000Z","A pale beeswax block carved with his initials, kept in his apron pocket",{},"Bálint Kerekes","Budapest thermal-bath floating-chess board waxer",{"solid_sharp":35,"unprepared_theoretical":35},0,null,{"defensive_aggressive":38,"simplifying_complicating":38,"category":39},-0.9,1,"Bálint plays in a strongly defensive, trade-happy manner. He shies away from aggression, prefers to scrape pieces off the board through exchanges rather than keep tension on the position, and almost never invites complications. His opening choices have no theoretical bent, neither sharp nor solid by design, just whatever feels steady at the moment. Expect quiet structures, early simplifications, and frequent blunders once the position needs a real plan.",[42,44,46,48,50,52,54,56,58,60,62,64,66,68,70,72,74,77,79,81],{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":43},1778299800818,{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":45},1778316936206,{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":47},1778345494578,{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":49},1778428524215,{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":51},1778457452971,{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":53},1778457523663,{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":55},1778523132398,{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":57},1778523399979,{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":59},1778523981043,{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":61},1778528024238,{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":63},1778641485414,{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":65},1778670018594,{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":67},1778697477018,{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":69},1778797888738,{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":71},1778846280546,{"rating":12,"msSinceEpoch":73},1778946542066,{"rating":75,"msSinceEpoch":76},128,1778984848049,{"rating":75,"msSinceEpoch":78},1779079199537,{"rating":75,"msSinceEpoch":80},1779144792236,{"rating":75,"msSinceEpoch":82},1779275263005,"Bálint",{"sameStyle":85,"different":104},[86,92,98],{"botId":87,"name":88,"elo":89,"country":90,"countryCode":91,"category":39},"bezzol","Andri Bezzola",115,"Switzerland","ch",{"botId":93,"name":94,"elo":95,"country":96,"countryCode":97,"category":39},"mocan","Andrei Mocanu",144,"Romania","ro",{"botId":99,"name":100,"elo":101,"country":102,"countryCode":103,"category":39},"Hiems","Sjoerd Hiemstra",100,"Netherlands","nl",[105,110],{"botId":106,"name":107,"elo":108,"country":90,"countryCode":91,"category":109},"eberl","Verena Eberle",132,2,{"botId":111,"name":112,"elo":113,"country":114,"countryCode":115,"category":116},"rauni","Mirjam Raunig",126,"Austria","at",5,"bots/kerek","Absolute beginners and players still building up from the 100 to 400 ELO range will find Bálint a comfortable, low-pressure opponent. Anyone learning to convert simple material advantages, practice basic checkmating patterns with king and queen or king and rook, or get used to the rhythm of a full game without being punished for early mistakes will benefit. His defensive, simplifying habits give learners plenty of time to think and recover.","3Evv0ONT-AvOEyXl-gtRyKFcKciCWK-0SkAuJovO_zU",1784583540849]