Дмитрий Николаев (cockgosl)
Meet Дмитрий Николаев, the rapid chess enthusiast whose rating rockets faster than a knight on a gallop! Known online as cockgosl, Дмитрий has been battling it out on Chess.com with a peak rapid rating of 895 as of May 2025. Not one to be pigeonholed, he dabbles in blitz, bullet, and daily formats too — though rapid remains his playground and comfort zone.
About Дмитрий
With over 400 rapid games under his belt in just the first half of 2025, Дмитрий has carved a respectable win record, boasting 184 wins to 139 losses, with a few draws sprinkled in for spice. His style? A curious blend of persistence and tactical cunning, punctuated by a knack for comebacks (a whopping 76.44% win rate after falling behind!). While he’s got a tilt factor of 6 — hey, who doesn't get a little frustrated when the queen slips away? — his resilience in the endgame shines bright, playing over half his games into the endgame with patient precision.
Opening Repertoire
Дмитрий's favorite rapid opening is the Queen's Pawn Opening, where he’s seen fair success. However, his true secret weapons appear to be the King's Pawn Opening - King's Knight Variation with a crisp 63.64% win rate, and both the Van 't Kruijs Opening and the French Defense Normal Variation — each giving him a sweet 75% win rate. A sneaky smile might appear when he launches into these lines, since opponents know trouble is brewing.
Memorable Moments
May 31, 2025, was a good day: Dmitрий cruised through a checkmate victory over Al_Helfe using the King's Pawn Opening King's Knight Variation, showcasing his methodical attacking prowess.
Just minutes earlier, he had abandoned an opponent in a game with the Van 't Kruijs Opening (link here), proving that sometimes it’s best to say "thanks, I win" early on.
Playing Style & Quirks
Дмитрий prefers a solid game with an average of almost 54 moves per win. His win rates: 53.6% when playing White and not far behind at 51.65% on Black. He tends to shine the brightest early in the mornings around 7 AM, and oddly dips around 9-11 AM — maybe chess brain takes a coffee break too? Also, if you’re looking to wear him down, Thursday through Saturday aren’t his best days to battle.
Fun fact: his longest winning streak is an impressive 8 games. But don’t underestimate his resilience; after a loss, he bounces back smarter and sharper.
Not Just a Statistic
Behind these numbers is a tenacious player who loves the game’s rich strategies and surprises. Sometimes, Дмитрий resigns early to save time (5.96% early resignation rate), but when he locks in, his opponents better be ready for a fight lasting well beyond the opening moves. And if chess was a party, he'd be the guy who punches the air with joy after a checkmate, or grins wryly when another tricky gambit goes sideways — because every loss is just a setup for a comeback.
Summary Stats at a Glance
- Peak Rapid Rating: 895 (May 2025)
- Total Rapid Games Played: 406+
- Win/Loss/Draw in Rapid: 184 / 139 / 21
- Favorite Openings: King's Pawn - King's Knight Variation, Van 't Kruijs, French Defense Normal Variation
- Best Time to Play: Morning (around 7 AM)
- Longest Winning Streak: 8 games
- Comeback King: Wins 76.44% of games after losing material
So if you want to challenge Дмитрий Николаев, beware: beneath his calm is a fighter who plays not just to win, but to enjoy the game—one knight fork at a time.
