Van

Meet Van (also known as Kyousakii)

Van is a rapidly rising chess player with a flair for dramatic swings and a quirky sense of timing. Specializing in Rapid games, Van has peaked impressively at a rating of 431 in 2025—a crescendo many aspire to but few achieve. While their Blitz rating tops out at a respectable 356, their Bullet adventures suggest a cautious caffeine break rather than a full sprint, maxing out at 176.

Van’s style can best be described as persistently unpredictable. They revel in long, intense battles averaging nearly 56 moves per win and loss, proving they’re neither quick nor dull. With an endgame frequency of 54%, they are no stranger to elbow grease in the final stages, often squeezing wins out of tight spots with a comeback rate of 66.67%. This shows Van’s ability to turn the tide after losing material — a true chess resilience!

Opening Repertoire Highlights

Van has an eclectic taste, mastering the French Defense Knight Variation with an astonishing win rate of 83.33% in Blitz, and keeping the Van t Kruijs Opening undefeated with a perfect 3-0 score. Though sometimes caught snoozing in the Queens Pawn Opening mainline (only 28.57% wins), Van cleverly counters with the Chigorin and Horwitz Defenses, each with a laser-focused 60% win rate.

Rapid games see Van favoring the French Defense Normal Variation, winning nearly 77% of those encounters, embracing solid, time-tested strategies to outlast opponents. And for the truly brave, Van dabbles in gambits like the Englund Gambit, winning two-thirds of their rapid gambit affairs.

Battlefield Bravado

Van is no stranger to streaks of glory or agony. Their longest winning streak stands at 9 games, proving that once the strategy clicks, the wins pour in like checkmates on a blitz board. However, the longest losing slide — a gut-wrenching 7 games — reminds us they’re human after all. Thankfully, the current form shows a confident winning streak, keeping Van’s spirit high.

Winning Against Friends and Foes

Van seems to have a love-hate relationship with some opponents, performing best against challengers like gem-m, kr0hnic, and jp789k with a perfect 100% win rate. Meanwhile, the nemesis vana_tuna gives Van a run for their money, holding a solid upper hand historically.

Quirks & Fun Facts

• Best time to face Van? 13:00 sharp — when their win rate at that hour is a flawless 100%!
• Psychological tilt factor is kept impressively low at 7, much like a grandmaster’s calm before the storm.
• Early resignations are rare (~4.5%), proving Van fights till the opponent begs for mercy or runs out of time.

Recent Highlight Game

In their last victorious encounter against meyl33n, Van's sharp play in the Queens Pawn Opening - Tartakower Variation led to a resignation victory after a cool 20 moves. The final moments were a study in tactical finesse and positional pressure, culminating in a decisive queen capture.

Summary

In short, Van — or Kyousakii — is that tricky player who keeps opponents on their toes with clever openings, solid rapid play, and a never-say-die attitude. Whether they’re outwitting foes with the French Defense or rewriting the rules of endurance chess, one thing’s for sure: Van’s games are never boring and always worth watching.