Meet Fred Fredrickson, aka gnatguy
Fred Fredrickson, known to the chess world as gnatguy, is a battle‑hardened online warrior who has been clicking clocks since 2013. With over 7,000 rated games across all time controls, Fred is the kind of player who never met a pawn structure he couldn't complicate. His preferred habitat is the bullet board, where the clock is always screaming and the pieces fly like angry gnats.
While his blitz and rapid play show a steady, grinding style, Fred truly comes alive when the time control shrinks to one minute. His bullet rating peaked at 1972 (2025-03-23) in March 2025, a number he reached through sheer volume, stubbornness, and an uncanny ability to flag opponents in lost positions.
The Bullet Addict
Fred's love affair with bullet is no secret. He has played over 1,900 bullet games, winning 906 and losing 942, with 78 draws. That's a nearly even record, but the journey was wild. In May 2020 alone, he played 238 bullet games in a single month, climbing from 1284 to 1634. His rating chart looks like a roller coaster designed by a caffeinated squirrel.
His best time of day to play is midnight, which explains why his opponents often face a sleep‑deprived but dangerous gnat. He wins 52.7% of games played at 00:00, a stat that suggests he either thrives on darkness or just enjoys punishing night owls.
Opening Repertoire: Chaos with a Side of Theory
Fred is not a one‑trick pony; he's a whole circus. As white, he almost exclusively plays 1.e4, and as black he's happy to face anything. His most frequent opening is the Scandinavian Defense, which he plays in both blitz and bullet with a solid 54% win rate. He also loves the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, a tricky gambit that often leaves opponents scratching their heads after 2...Nf6? 3.Nxe5?? Nc6!.
His opening stats show a particular fondness for the Amar Gambit and the Barnes Defense, both of which are about as mainstream as a unicycle in a marathon. But Fred doesn't care; he's here to have fun and win on time.
Rivalries and Records
Every hero needs a nemesis, and Fred has found his in Ashton Jin. The two have faced each other 302 times, with ace_mar holding a staggering 277‑22 advantage (plus 3 draws). It's a one‑sided rivalry that would break a lesser player, but Fred keeps coming back for more. Perhaps he's a glutton for punishment, or perhaps he's secretly studying ace_mar's every move. Either way, we salute his persistence.
On the flip side, Fred has a dominant record against yellowmamba50, winning 18 of 21 games. He also enjoys a healthy 13‑1 record against hockeyit. These wins keep his confidence alive.
Fred's longest winning streak is 12 games, and his longest losing streak is 17. That losing streak likely happened during a particularly brutal encounter with ace_mar, but Fred bounced back with a 79.35% comeback rate, meaning he rarely stays down for long.
Playing Style and Quirks
Fred is an endgame enthusiast, with 61.97% of his games reaching the endgame. He averages 65 moves per win and 59 moves per loss, suggesting he fights to the bitter end. His early resignation rate is a minuscule 2.45%, so you'll have to checkmate him or flag him; he won't resign.
He has a peculiar habit of giving check: his most common checking piece is the queen, and he delivers his first check on move 6 on average. When he gets the first check, he wins 58.44% of the time. His tactical awareness is solid, winning 45% of games after losing a piece, and he only gets blown out in 5.4% of games.
Fred's tilt factor is 17, which means he occasionally goes on tilt, but his best time to play is midnight, so maybe that's when he's most zen. He also performs 27.54% better in rated games than casual ones, so he takes his rating seriously.
Career Highlights
- Peak bullet rating: 1972 (2025-03-23) (March 2025)
- Peak blitz rating: 1823 (2025-03-10) (March 2025)
- Peak rapid rating: 1699 (2021-01-30) (January 2021)
- Over 2,700 career wins in blitz alone
- Longest winning streak: 12 games
- Longest losing streak: 17 games (but he came back!)
Fred's journey from a 791‑rated blitz player in 2013 to a 1823 peak is a testament to his dedication and love for the game. He's played through the rise of online chess, through pandemics, and through countless opponents who underestimated the gnat.
Final Thoughts
Fred Fredrickson is the everyman of online chess: a player who loses more than he wins against some, but never stops clicking. He's the guy you see at 3 AM playing bullet, the guy who will sac a piece for fun, and the guy who will flag you with 0.1 seconds left. He's gnatguy, and he's here to stay.
If you ever face him, bring your A‑game, your mouse, and maybe a snack. You'll need it.