roland grathwohl FM

Roland Grathwohl - FIDE Master Extraordinaire

Meet Roland Grathwohl, a chess virtuoso who proudly carries the title of FIDE Master. Roland’s journey on the 64 squares reads like an epic tale of resilience, occasional brilliance, and the eternal struggle against merciless chess engines.

A Career in Ratings

Starting with a rapid rating of 1387 in 2015, Roland quickly climbed to a respectable 1862 that year. Blitz chess, however, is where he truly shines, peaking at an impressive 2283 in 2019—proving that when the clock ticks down, Roland’s mind speeds up. Bullet chess? A perfect 7 wins from 7 games in 2015, reminding us all that lightning-fast decisions can sometimes be winning decisions.

The Rollercoaster of Wins and Losses

With over 2,600 blitz games under his belt, Roland’s record is a rollercoaster—433 wins, 385 draws, but also a humbling 2,198 losses. Yet, his comeback rate of 95% and a win rate after losing a piece of 100% tell us that Roland never surrenders and thrives in the chaos.

Playing Style: The Long Game and Psychological Fortitude

Roland delights in long battles, averaging nearly 115 moves per win in intense endgames, which make up almost 78% of his games. He prefers to fight to the bitter end rather than early resignations, which occur a mere 0.53% of the time. His tilt factor is 33, meaning a few lost pawns might ruffle his feathers—but don’t be fooled; he’s a strategist who bounces back stronger.

Secret Openings and Opponent Trivia

Much of Roland’s game strategy is Top Secret (literally named so in his records), where he’s played thousands of rapid and blitz games with win rates around 15%. His toughest opponents include various versions of the Komodo chess engine, against which victories are rare but oh-so-sweet. Some humans have better luck—like “martin-bot” who faces a 100% win rate from Roland (or possibly the other way around, the stats never lie!).

When Does Roland Play Best?

If you want to catch Roland at his peak, aim for the afternoon hours between 11 AM and 3 PM, when his win rates soar beyond 30%. Sundays and Tuesdays are his lucky days, boasting win rates of 17% and 18% respectively—perhaps reflecting his fondness for midweek chess battles and weekend brainpower.

Final Thoughts

Roland Grathwohl’s chess story is one of perseverance, humor, and a love of long, grueling battles against human and computer foes alike. Whether blitzing, bulleting, or slowly squeezing out wins in the endgame, FM Roland reminds us all that chess is not just a game—it’s an adventure full of surprises, defeats, and glorious victories.