The Quiet Storm of LikeWater
Alexander Velikanov, known online as LikeWater, is an International Master with a FIDE title and an endless appetite for online chess. His username is not just a login, it is a strategy. He flows through the board, changes shape with every opening, and then makes you castle into a flood.
Rapid by Nature
Although his bullet rating once touched 3144 and his blitz rating has gone past 3000, Velikanov's preferred time control is Rapid. It makes sense, even a water metaphor needs time to shape the rock. In Rapid he has collected 152 wins against 37 losses, with a peak rating of 2705 (2026-08-15). This is a player who treats 15 plus 10 like a fine tea ceremony.
A Repertoire That Refuses to Be Pinned Down
Against 1.e4, Velikanov often heads for the Sicilian Defense and the Caro-Kann Defense, with a special soft spot for the Alapin Variation. His Rapid record in the Amazon Attack: Siberian Attack is a perfect 6 wins out of 6, and he has never lost a Rapid game in the Döry Defense or the Blackburne Shilling Gambit. If your one hour of opening prep ends up facing the Philidor Defense, well, that is exactly what he wanted.
Marathon Man
Velikanov's endurance is almost supernatural. His longest winning streak is 26 games, and his worst losing streak is 23, so yes, he is also willing to drown for science. He has faced the relentless aakash-dalvi7 389 times, a rivalry that deserves its own documentary. Against Aakash Sharadchandra Dalvi, LikeWater has 231 wins, 133 losses and 25 draws, proving that even water eventually wears down the stone.
The Comeback Element
If you win the opening against LikeWater, do not celebrate. His comeback rate is 86.87%, and he wins nearly half of his games even after losing a piece. His one-sided loss rate is just 1.24%, meaning he almost never leaves without splashing back. History also says his best time of day is 15:00, so if you face him at 3 PM, bring an umbrella.