bill pennucci

Meet Bill Pennucci

Bill Pennucci, known on the board as rica-maca, is one of online chess's great volume artists. With more than 74,000 rated games, he did not just play chess. He basically moved into a time control and started paying rent. His profile lists Rapid? No. Actually his profile says he prefers Rapid, and who are we to question a man who has played about 12 Rapid games and more than 72,000 bullet games?

In other words, Bill is a bullet specialist with a Rapid dream, and that distinction is part of his charm.

Bullet? More Like a Fire Hose

Bill's bullet adventure started around 2012 at modest ratings, then became a long, loving grind to a peak of 2224 (2026-07-30). The chart below shows why his opponents often need a nap after playing him.

He also reached 2039 (2025-12-16) in Rapid, where he played a smaller sample with a sparkling 11-1 record. If there were a trophy for "best player who ignores their preferred time control," Bill would win it in a tiebreak.

Opening Signature: Unusual, Bold, and Repeated

Bill is not a one-trick pony, but he is definitely a one-paddock pony. As White, he loves the Nimzo-Larsen Attack and the Amar Gambit. As Black, he frequently reaches for the Alekhine Defense against 1.e4, and he clearly keeps the French Defense in his back pocket. He also plays the Modern Defense so often that it should probably send him a birthday card every year.

A typical Bill white game can look quiet at first, then suddenly everything is attacked:

For a visual taste of how these openings treated him, check

Rivalries and Repeats

Some players seek novelty. Bill seeks revenge, rematch, and sometimes a third rematch. His most frequent opponent is Henrik Dalsgaard, with 529 bullet encounters that sit almost perfectly balanced at 262-260 in Bill's favor. He also traded blows with MKAPHO6206 in 526 games and converted 111 wins against claycassiusclay in 232 meetings.

These rivalries show a rare quality: durability. Some chess friendships are measured in moves or years, but Bill's are measured in hundreds of games.

Fighting Spirit and Fun Facts

• His longest winning streak was 25 consecutive games, and his longest losing streak was 13. That is called emotional range.
• He wins 54.3 percent of games even after losing a piece, so never assume the game is over.
• His comeback rate is around 78.9 percent, which means Bill has seen more swindles than a street magician.
• He reaches an endgame in more than 82 percent of his games, which in bullet is basically a five-hour epic compressed into five minutes.
• His best hour is 11:00, because even chess players need a second breakfast before finding tactics.
• Against lower-rated opponents he wins about 65.5 percent of the time, and against higher-rated players he still manages 32.3 percent. Not bad for a man who usually has less than one minute on his clock.

The Verdict

Bill Pennucci is a chess server's most loyal customer: he plays fast, plays often, and plays to win. His record against lower-rated opponents is deadly, his Alekhine Defense is a crowd pleaser, and his rivalry file is deeper than most databases. If he ever decides to take his preferred Rapid time control seriously, the Rapid pool may never recover.