Meet Tim, a.k.a. thol4 — The Chess Maverick
Tim is not your average chess player; he's a Rapid specialist who excels at turning the board into his personal playground. With a peak Rapid rating of 412 reached in March 2024, Tim has shown that patience combined with a little bit of daring can make up for everything else.
Although Tim's journey through the ranks has been a rollercoaster — with wins and losses close to neck-and-neck (460 wins to 472 losses in Rapid!) — he always bounces back with a resilient spirit, clocking an impressive comeback rate of over 51%. If knocking down your opponent’s pieces doesn't work, Tim’s psychological strategy kicks in with a tilt factor of just 8, which is pretty much zen for battling intense chess duels.
Favorite Moves & Openings
Tim has a complex love affair with rare and offbeat openings, with a fondness for the Van Geet Opening's Reversed Nimzowitsch Variation and the ever-tricky Van t Kruijs Opening. His win rates hover around the mid-40%s to the high 50%s in several lines, proving he knows how to keep opponents guessing.
- Van Geet Opening Reversed Nimzowitsch Variation: 137 games, 44.53% win rate
- Van t Kruijs Opening: 133 games, almost 50% win rate
- Nimzowitsch Defense: 57.14% win rate — sharp and sneaky!
Playing Style & Quirks
Tim averages about 52 moves per win, which means he doesn't rush. His games reflect a philosophical battle: sometimes a battle of endurance, sometimes explosive tactics. He tends to resign early around 12% of the time, but hey, even chess warriors know when to pick their battles wisely.
Despite a humble bullet scene presence, Tim's Bullet peak rating hit an impressive 450 in March 2024 — just enough speed to remind everyone he’s got quick reflexes when it counts.
Memorable Moments
Tim’s most recent victories are not just wins but statements — resounding resignations from opponents and elegant checkmates pepper his recent games. His confidence is especially shining against opponents like jackleventreur2 and benkett, both who Tim has bested with a perfect 100% record.
Not all days go smoothly—Tim has faced some tough losses too, especially against players like r4ley. But the true test of a player is in how they bounce back, and Tim does so with aplomb.
Fun Facts
- Peak Blitz rating of 432 reached in March 2024
- Known to thrive best around noon, a prime time to outsmart opponents
- Has battled through over 1800 Rapid games with a nearly even split of wins and losses
- Average first capture move: about the 7th move, proves he likes to feel the position before taking action
Current Challenge
Tim is currently navigating a slight dip in performance in 2025 but remains a fierce competitor ready to re-ignite his climb. With his long streaks of both 7 wins and 8 losses, Tim keeps us on the edge of our seats — never boring, always unpredictable.