martial guillou

Martial Guillou (bigoud29)

Meet Martial Guillou, better known in the chess world as bigoud29 — a rapid and blitz enthusiast whose games are a rollercoaster ride full of surprises, tactical skirmishes, and a sprinkle of drama. With a peak rapid rating of 630 in late 2024, Martial’s journey through the ranks is a colorful tale of perseverance, strategy, and, occasionally, a hint of madness.

The Rise and Fall (and Rise?)

Martial’s rapid ratings tell a story all on their own: from a high-flying 630 in November 2024, to a dip below 150 by the end of that year, then steadily climbing back up to a respectable 264 by May 2025. Apparently, Martial’s style is less about playing it safe and more about embracing the chaos — with almost as many wins as losses in rapid and one brave blitz game that ended in a loss. If you’re looking for consistency, well, this might not be your profile... but if you crave excitement, you’re in the right place!

Opening Specialist and Tactical Adventurer

Martial prefers to keep opponents guessing. His favored battlegrounds include the King's Pawn Opening and Queen's Pawn Opening, with subtle variations such as the Leonardis, Chigorin, and Mikenas Defense sprinkled in. Famous for squeezing victories out of tricky lines like the Queen's Pawn Horwitz Defense (with a solid 63% win rate!), Martial better watch out for the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings fan club—because each game reads like an adventurous chapter.

Playing Style: Hope for the Comeback

Known for an impressive comeback rate of 68%, Martial doesn’t back down easily after losing a piece — although the win rate after losing material hovers just below 41%. Games average about 42 moves when he wins, but climb over 53 when he loses, suggesting some seriously protracted battles on the board (or prolonged moments of “What just happened?”). His early resignation rate of about 10% hints that sometimes, even Martial knows when the ship is sinking.

Psychology and Timing

8 AM sharp is Martial’s prime time to dominate the board with a 100% win rate at this hour — clearly the perfect moment for plotting world domination, or at least checkmating unsuspecting opponents. Saturdays and Thursdays also bring out his competitive best, with above 50% win rates. Though he’s got a “Tilt Factor” of 9, Martial’s resilience keeps him firmly in the game, brushing off setbacks and coming back for more.

Notable Victories and Heartbreaking Defeats

The latest victory was a spectacular display of patience and tactical brilliance, sealing the game by resignation against tunninsamir. Follow the game link to witness a classic example of Martial’s stubborn, winning spirit. Losses, such as to orkaloverr, show that even the bravest warriors encounter dragons they can’t slay... yet.

Overall Impression

Martial Guillou might not be the grandmaster who never loses, but he embodies the spirit of chess: learning from every game, thriving on every challenge, and enjoying the unpredictable thrill of the checkered battlefield. Whether launching bold openings, fighting back from the brink, or amusingly shaking his head after a surprise loss, bigoud29 keeps the chess community entertained and inspired. Stay tuned — who knows what cunning move he’ll make next!