Thomas Dowling

Thomas Dowling (aka Touckdowning)

Thomas Dowling is a chess player who approaches the game with a mixture of tenacity, tactical flair, and perhaps a pinch of delightful chaos. Known online as Touckdowning, Thomas has had an adventurous journey through the ranks of blitz, bullet, and rapid chess in 2023 and 2024.

Playing Strength & Style

While Thomas’s peak ratings might not terrify grandmasters—his highest blitz rating peaked at a respectable 514, bullet maxed out at 100 (cough, casual bullet enthusiast?), and rapid at 392—his commitment to the fight is unquestionable. With a notable comeback rate of over 77%, Thomas rarely gives up without a fight, proving that resilience often trumps raw rating points.

His style features a healthy dose of endgames (appearing in 60% of his games!) and an early resignation rate of just 11%, which means he often fights until the chess clock screams "time's up!" — or until his opponent hilariously blunders. Average moves per game show that Thomas enjoys a good think: nearly 61 moves per win, hinting at battles that are more marathons than sprints.

Tactical Highlights and Notable Records

Thomas maintains an intriguing differential in his win rates: roughly 40% in rapid and down to the low 30s in blitz, suggesting that given a few extra seconds (minutes?), his strategic prowess shines even brighter.

He has a soft spot for the mysterious “Top Secret” opening—used widely across all formats—perhaps because keeping openings secret is half the fun. While his blitz win rate here is a modest 32%, he holds steady at about 40% in rapid on the same mystery opening, showing some clear room for both growth and surprise tactics.

Against his most-played opponents, Thomas has had a mixed bag of results. He holds a commendable 83% win rate against 33dowling (a must-be interesting family rivalry?), but struggles against the likes of wrigleyq38 with no wins out of six encounters.

Memorable Moments

One of Thomas’s most recent victories came with the White pieces in a Queen’s Pawn Opening - Chigorin-Shaviliuk Gambit, where he forced his opponent to resign in a grueling, nearly 32-move battle. Demonstrating both patience and precision, this game was a fine example of his tactical nerve and enduring fighting spirit.

However, no chess career is free of defeats. A notable recent loss was a checkmate delivered by Knight_Knapper in January 2024, reminding Thomas—and us—that even the most determined warriors occasionally get checkmated by sneaky knights.

Fun Facts & Psychological Quirks

• Best Time to Play: 1 AM — Thomas is apparently a nocturnal strategist, hitting his peak when most sleep!
• Tilt Factor: 6 — which means while Thomas occasionally gets grumpy when losing, he’s far from throwing his queen off the board in a fit of rage.
• Timeout Specialist: He’s won 8 games via opponent timeout, suggesting that his opponents often underestimate his procrastination skills or time management prowess.
• White vs Black Win Rate: Almost equal, with White at 38% and Black at 37%, so don’t let color fool you — Thomas plays to win regardless of the army he commands.

In summary, Thomas Dowling is a spirited chess enthusiast, someone who balances strategic depth with a whimsical approach to battle. Whether he's unlocking secret openings, fighting stubborn endgames, or making heroic comebacks, Thomas’s chess story is one of perseverance, humor, and checkmate dreams.