Gastón Needleman IM

Gastón Needleman: International Master and Master of Mayhem

Meet Gastón Needleman, a chess virtuoso proudly bearing the title of International Master awarded by FIDE. Known in the digital arena by the enigmatic handle etesungam, Gastón's chess journey is a rollercoaster of brilliant wins, tactical comebacks, and the occasional humbling defeat.

Gastón’s blitz rating has soared as high as 2492 in May 2020, while their bullet performance reached an eye-popping peak of 2575 in January 2025—just shy of rocket science levels. Playing lightning-fast games with an almost uncanny tactical flair, they boast a stunning comeback rate of nearly 93%, proving that losing a piece is just a plot twist, never the end of the story. Their style? Think of it as a bold mix of patience and aggression—waiting for the perfect moment to pounce with an average of 78 moves per win (because fast is good, but precise is better).

Gastón’s favorite technique might just be the “early resignation” strategy, with opponents frequently conceding before moves 40, likely intimidated by Gastón’s endgame wizardry—which occurs over 84% of their games. When playing white, their win rate is a respectable 45.5%, but as black, they hold their ground stoutly with nearly 44%.

Interestingly, Gastón shines brightest around 1 PM, boasting a win rate of almost 62% during that hour—proof that afternoon caffeine and chess domination go hand in hand. Sundays are also lucky days, with a win rate nudging just above 50%, so maybe avoid scheduling games on gloomy Tuesdays (only a 39% win rate then).

Winning Streaks & Memorable Battles

Holding a personal record of 11 consecutive wins and a thorns-in-the-flesh longest losing streak capped at 8, Gastón shows both resilience and the occasional moment of humbling grace. Recent victories have demonstrated mastery of complex openings like the Caro-Kann Defense (B12) and the Italian Game, often concluding games by resignation or checkmate with a flourish.

Head-to-Head Highlights

Facing a cavalcade of opponents, Gastón has bested many with a perfect 100% win rate against over a dozen challengers, while also learning humbling lessons from others, with room to improve against rivals like sanbruh and marik_spb. The battles are fierce, the tactics sharp, and the spirit undeterred.

Final Thoughts

Whether dazzling with quick tactical strikes in bullet matches or grinding through blitz games with ironclad endgame strategies, Gastón Needleman embodies the unpredictable spirit of chess: part artist, part warrior, and part magician refusing to disappear from the board without a fight—even if it means resigning with style more often than most (a modest 0.84% early resignation rate).

Keep an eye on this IM, whether you’re a seasoned challenger or just here for the witty banter—the chessboard is never boring when Gastón Needleman is playing.

“Checkmate isn’t just the endgame, it’s the beginning of the story you’ll tell next time.”