Death Match 10 Predictions!

Though I don't always get around to writing a "preview blog" for every Blitz Death Match we host here on Chess.com, I figured the first big event of the new year definitely deserved some attention!

Firstly, I must say that even though I don't seem to have quite as much "funny juice" in me today as I did when I previewed Adamson v Ippolito back in October  (for the record, I did pick the winner) -- I will say that I could not be more excited about this match if the players were dedicating it to me personally (which is still a possibility you know )... So let's get started!

This Saturday's match up features two men, one desire, 3 rabbits, and 7 leprechauns -- BUT we can only have one winner! So the question I always ask myself, when I'm talking to myself (about myself ) is which one of these players *wants* it more.

Generally speaking, with the exception of 1 or 2 Death Matches, all of our "blitz battles" have been pretty close to equal in terms of strength of opponents. In the end, motivation and determination truly are as big of factors as talent. Or I just made all that up and you should just statistically pick the higher rated player and you will end up being right more often than not... Your call !

When I look at these two men I see pride, I see power, I see a couple of bad a** motha's who won't take nothin' from nobody...

Anyhow, I see two extremely strong Grandmasters with all the tools needed to be crowned our 10th Blitz Death Match Champion. Both young, good rapid players, and both with a ton of experience playing online blitz and bullet chess (on Chess.com no less).

I think we have the makings for one of our most epic struggles yet! On paper we'd have to consider GM Negi to be the favorite. Playing consistently at a higher level than GM Ramirez these days, he comes in weighing a whopping 147 pounds! Oh, and he has a FIDE Rating of 2641 !

Negi, or as his friends call him, "Dr. P", has been moving up the ranks for years, crushing "young Latin chess dreams" every step of the way, and has currently established himself as the 4th highest ranked player in India. A no brainer, right Lee?

Though GM Ramirez may barely crack triple digits on the weight scale, what he lacks in muscle he makes up for with nicknames! Affectionately known to his fans as "A-Ram" and "Ale-J", his friends as, "Handi", his family as Alejandro Tadeo Franklin Alvarez Ramirez, people who don't really like him as "Sasha", his roommates as "Rent-Less" and his girlfriend as, well, that's not PG .

LittlePeasant (yes, that's his username here on Chess.com - and you can look it up) has proven time and time again that he's not so little, nor is he a peasant where it really counts... I'm talking about his play on the chessboard of course !

In all seriousness, LittlePeasant is well-known as one of the best online blitz and bullet players in the world, and he likely has a *tad* more experience with this type of straight-non-stop-blitz-bullet chess than Mr Negi (especially when you consider Handi's days in the Costa Rican prison where he grew up ).

So that's it, I'm taking my favorite little person - er, I mean LittlePeasant, and calling it: Ramirez to win in a tightly contested match! Mark your calendars for the biggest online chess event so far in 2013 (and yes, bigger than Tata... sorry Netherlands ).

Don't miss all the action LIVE as we cover it on www.Chess.com/tv! Me and my boy IM Pruess will have the blow by blow commentary for ALL our members to enjoy .