Bahadur Ben (Username: rautqq)
Meet Bahadur Ben, a rapid chess enthusiast who’s been climbing the rating ladder one game at a time – sometimes with a graceful waltz, occasionally with a frantic scramble, but always with a smile (probably after the game is over!). Known in the chess community as rautqq, Ben has a passion for the Kings Pawn Opening, which he’s executed over 460 times in rapid games. His win rate with this classic? A respectable 48.7%, proving that even centuries-old strategies can still pack a punch.
Starting his 2024 with a humble rapid rating of 296, Ben’s journey has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. With steady improvements, he reached a peak rapid rating of 1054 in March 2025. Not bad for someone who apparently learned the art of sacrifice not only on the board but sometimes with his rating (thanks, losing streaks!). His blitz rating might not break records – maxing out at 703 – but his calculated pace in rapid chess is where the magic happens.
When playing rapid, Ben’s games tend to be marathon affairs with an average of around 59 moves to victory. Lose? Well, that tends to stretch to nearly 65 moves, probably because he refuses to give up until the queens and kings are thoroughly exhausted. He’s got an endgame frequency of over 63%, so don’t expect short checkmate fireworks, but rather the slow, patient grinding down of opponents. And speaking of checkmates, he’s won 568 games that way, which is basically a declaration that Ben likes to send his opponents off with style.
Ben’s psychological resilience deserves a shoutout too: his comeback rate is an impressive 77.4%! It seems losing a piece doesn’t rattle him much – he holds a steady 44.4% win rate after dropping material. But beware his tilt factor of 10 – enough to know that occasional emotional hiccups may occur, though nothing that fazes him beyond a quick mental reset (ideally with a cup of tea and a clever opening preparation).
Speaking of openings, aside from his staple Kings Pawn, Ben enjoys mixing things up with the Top Secret and Van t Kruijs Openings, peppering his play with Scandinavian Defense quirks, and even dabbling in the Philidor Defense. Sometimes it feels like he’s a chess mad scientist testing wild mixtures, but often it makes for unpredictable victories and games that keep spectators on the edge.
Ben's recent rapid battles include hard-fought wins like a brilliant checkmate against Fabe16 on June 1st, 2025, demonstrating sharp tactical awareness and patience. However, even warriors stumble, as his recent loss to Shing-Mastermind reminds us; after all, every chess hero has their dark days.
Off the board, Ben is probably the kind of player who laughs off defeats, immediately challenges a new opponent, and perhaps is secretly plotting his next middlegame masterpiece. All in all, Bahadur Ben is a spirited competitor who might not be grandmaster material (yet), but certainly embodies the heart and soul of the game: resilience, passion, and a pinch of fun. Keep an eye on rautqq – the chessboard is his playground, and every game is a new adventure!
