About Adrianus van Willigen (adrianus9999)
Adrianus van Willigen — who often signs his moves as "adrianus9999" — is a determined rapid specialist with a taste for long, dramatic endgames and cheeky opening surprises. A prolific Rapid player (nearly 5,000 rapid games on record), Adrianus mixes unorthodox gambits with stubborn endgame technique and an uncanny ability to fight back when down material.
Preferred time control: Rapid. Track a recent rating arc:
. Peak Rapid: 593 (2023-02-20).Playing style & personality
Adrianus is an endgame-loving pragmatist who enjoys long fights: games that go the distance suit him. He resigns early rarely and likes to wear opponents down.
- Endgame frequency: frequently reaches complex endgames (not afraid of the long haul).
- Comeback specialist: high comeback rate (71%+), so never count him out after a blunder.
- Psychology: moderate tilt (TiltFactor ≈ 13) — best to avoid trash talk after move 20.
- Best time to challenge him: evenings around 22:00 (his reported sweet spot).
- Typical game length: long — average decisive games often exceed 50 moves.
Favorite openings & where he scores
Adrianus delights in lively, non-standard play. He tends to open with eccentric, biting systems and is comfortable both as White and Black in sharp lines.
- Amar Gambit — a signature weapon in many time controls; used often and with spirit. Amar Gambit
- Amazon Attack — another favorite for sharp tactical skirmishes. Amazon Attack
- Scandinavian Defense — solid and direct when facing 1.e4. Scandinavian Defense
- Australian Defense — a reliable surprise choice. Australian Defense
Rapid opening highlights: Amar Gambit (≈663 games), Amazon Attack (≈621 games), Scandinavian Defense (≈554 games) — a steady diet of creative opening choices.
Memorable moments & sample game
Adrianus has recorded some memorable turnarounds and long fights. A representative mini-demo of his typical opening mood:
For one of his highlight battles against a frequent opponent, see the archive link: A memorable clash with christabelp. Challenge logs and opponent pages: christabelp.
Trends, streaks & competitive notes
- Streaks: longest winning run of 11 games, longest losing run of 13; currently working through a rough patch (recent losing streak noted).
- Volume: extremely active in Rapid — tens of thousands of moves analyzed across many seasons.
- Time behavior: best win rates late at night and around 22:00; solid performance in afternoon peak hours as well.
Training tips for Adrianus (and players like him)
- Work on clean technique in rook-and-pawn endgames — long games are his playground, so converting small advantages is key.
- Study tactical motifs to reduce one-sided blunders; this will compound his already-strong comeback skill.
- When preparing openings, focus on the Amar Gambit and Amazon Attack sidelines to sharpen surprise value.
- Play some weekend tournaments around his peak hours (22:00) — statistics say he plays his best then.
Quick facts
- Username: adrianus9999
- Preferred time control: Rapid
- Signature openings: Amar Gambit, Amazon Attack, Scandinavian Defense
- Stubborn endgames, high comeback ability, and an appetite for long, entertaining battles.