Nicolas HOTTOT (nik0laos) - The Bullet Barrage Maestro
Meet Nicolas HOTTOT, known in the chess circles by the enigmatic alias nik0laos. A swift striker and a tenacious tactician, Nicolas’s chess journey reads like an epic tale of ups, downs, and occasional “what just happened?” moments on the 64 squares.
Rating Rollercoaster and Speed Madness
Specializing in Bullet chess, Nicolas has embraced lightning-fast games with a passion, playing hundreds of matches in rapid-fire style. Despite the chaos of sub-minute time controls, he’s managed to soar up to a peak Bullet rating of 364 in June 2025 — which is impressive, considering his longest losing streak once dragged him down by 10 games straight. But Nicolas doesn’t just fold; his comeback rate sits at a hearty 62.96%, proving he’s the phoenix of the chess battlefield.
Opening Adventures
Nicolas is a fan of keeping opponents on their toes, wielding everything from the classical Alekhine's Defense (54% win rate) to the sneaky Englund Gambit (where he both wins and loses roughly half the time, keeping us guessing). On Blitz boards, his top-performing weapon is the Van 't Kruijs Opening, boasting nearly a 55% win rate. When it comes to daily and rapid games, Nicolas experiments a bit more, dabbling occasionally in the French Defense and Reti Opening. Basically, if there's an opening, he has probably tried it, maybe even on purpose.
Playing Style & Quirks
- Nicolas has mastered the art of the early exit with an Early Resignation Rate of 5.19% — sometimes it’s better to grab a snack than toss more time at a losing battle.
- He tends to grind his endgames with an Endgame Frequency of 43.57%, playing a lot of games past the middlegame, with matches often around 48 moves.
- Interestingly, his White Win Rate is a hair better than his Black, at 49.37%, but we’re pretty sure his real secret weapon is just distraction tactics... like tricky opening choices.
- Don’t let him get tilted easily though — a modest Tilt Factor of 10, but watch out for the early morning sessions around 9:00 AM: that’s when the magic truly happens.
Notable Battles & Rivals
Nicolas has tangled with many opponents (and foes), with some like stympertrekk and thai-christoph never managing to get a point off him, boasting a perfect 100% win record against them. Yet, not everyone escapes unscathed; the infamous kuma-gawa has had Nicolas on a rollercoaster with a 36% win rate across 47 gruelling duels, proving that even knights can stumble.
Recent Highlights
Just days ago, Nicolas showcased his mastery in a fierce battle of the Caro-Kann Defense - Panov Attack, winning on time and securing another notch in his Bullet legacy. For a glimpse at his recent winning touch, check out this dramatic victory:
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So, whether slicing through defenses in bullet or taking a slower daily game stroll, Nicolas HOTTOT keeps the chess world guessing — a player who’s as unpredictable as a squirrel on a chessboard! Keep an eye out, he just might make your king dance the next time you face off.
