William Gustafsson

William Gustafsson (williamg98) - The Rapid Riddler

Meet William Gustafsson, a.k.a. williamg98, the chess enthusiast who’s faster with pawns than most are with their morning coffee. Starting his rapid chess journey with a modest 311 rating in 2023, William didn’t just learn the ropes; he swung from them and climbed higher to reach an impressive 468 rating by 2025.

William’s rapid chess saga is filled with epic battles—222 games fought with a nearly perfectly balanced record of 105 wins, 105 losses, and 13 draws. His style? Let’s just say he loves to test your nerves, boasting a respectable longest winning streak of 4 and proudly carrying a current winning streak of 1—because who likes to get complacent?

True to a secret agent, William’s opening strategy is nothing short of classified: all 223 games in his arsenal fall under the mysterious “Top Secret” category, with a solid winning rate of about 47%. Opponents often find themselves caught off guard, especially those who underestimate his comeback wizardry—William pulls off victories 60% of the time after trailing behind, and always finds a way to win if he's lost a piece (a flawless 100% win rate after losing material—talk about turning lemons into checkmates!).

While William’s psychological defense system boasts a low tilt factor (12%), he definitely feels the heat of rated vs. casual matches, with a noticeable almost 47% better performance in rated games. That competitive fire burns brightest late at night; the hours between 9 PM and midnight are when William rules the board—sporting win rates frequently above 55%, with a dazzling 100% win rate at 9 AM (early bird or night owl, he plays like both!).

Known to part ways with games early only 5.7% of the time, he’s a fighter in the endgame, pushing on in over 61% of his matches, where deep strategy and patience shine. White pieces? He holds a clever 50% win rate. Black pieces? Still impressive at 44%. His average winning game length stands at 55 moves, proving that he’s not one to rush to victory—or defeat.

Off the board, William is charmingly mysterious, but on it, he’s a force to reckon with—whether it’s facing off against his frequent rivals like christian_budd, or surprising opponents with flawless wins against many. Opponents beware: when you face williamg98, you’re stepping into a game where tactics meet secrets, and every move could be your last.

William Gustafsson: not just playing chess, but playing minds.