[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":126},["ShallowReactive",2],{"bot-besse":3},{"id":4,"aboutLong":5,"age":6,"botId":7,"country":8,"countryCode":9,"dataHash":10,"dateModified":11,"elo":12,"extension":13,"faq":14,"favoriteQuote":24,"gender":25,"hello":26,"introduction":27,"isTrophy":28,"liveDate":29,"luckyCharm":30,"meta":31,"name":32,"occupation":33,"openingAxes":34,"openingsAnalysis":36,"playstyle":37,"playstyleSummary":40,"ratingHistory":41,"shortName":93,"similar":94,"stem":123,"trophyQuirk":36,"trophyUnlock":36,"whoShouldPlay":124,"__hash__":125},"bots/bots/besse.json","Walter Bessey is a 76-year-old Norfolk reed thatcher from a flint-and-brick hamlet near Hickling, in the United Kingdom. He learned the trade from his father and has rethatched cottages from Stalham to Wroxham across more than fifty winters on the Broads. Chess, by contrast, has only ever been a quiet pastime between jobs, picked up in pub corners and never properly studied. His estimated rating of 524 reflects an absolute beginner who knows the rules and the basic captures but tends to leave pieces hanging and miss obvious threats every few moves. He carries a small hazel spar in his pocket, smoothed by years, cut from the first ridge he ever finished on his own. Opponents can expect a calm, unhurried game with plenty of mistakes on both sides, the sort of match where patience wins out over any clever scheme.","76","besse","United Kingdom","gb","9aa716fdfd4c94f07777c21f5b40521ff8f44f99ccc5ecb2ccfeff179c71887b","2026-07-06",524,"json",[15,18,21],{"question":16,"answer":17},"What rating is Walter?","Walter has an estimated rating of 524, placing him firmly in the absolute beginner bracket. He knows the rules and basic captures but hangs pieces and misses obvious threats every few moves.",{"question":19,"answer":20},"What opening does Walter play?","Walter has no fixed opening repertoire on file. He has never studied theory in any serious way, so his first moves drift between offbeat and solid choices depending on the game.",{"question":22,"answer":23},"Is Walter a good first opponent for someone learning chess?","Yes, Walter is well suited to someone just learning the game. At around 524 rating he plays at a true beginner level, swaps pieces willingly, and avoids sharp tactics, which gives a new player time to think and practise without being overwhelmed.","Slow hands lay long roofs.","male","Morning to you. Name's Walter, Norfolk man, thatcher by trade. I'll have a sit-down game with you if you've a mind, though I warn you now, I'm slow on the board same as I am on a roof, and I drop the odd bundle when I'm not paying mind.","Walter has spent more than fifty winters laying Norfolk reed on the cottages of the Broads. Born in a flint-and-brick hamlet near Hickling, he learned the trade from his father and has rethatched roofs from Stalham to Wroxham. He still climbs the eaves on dry mornings, legget in hand, and reckons a well-laid ridge will outlast most of the people who admire it.",false,"2026-05-08T00:00:00.000Z","A small hazel spar, smoothed by years in his pocket, cut from the first ridge he ever finished on his own.",{},"Walter Bessey","Norfolk reed thatcher",{"solid_sharp":35,"unprepared_theoretical":35},0,null,{"defensive_aggressive":38,"simplifying_complicating":38,"category":39},-0.9,1,"Walter plays in a markedly defensive, trade-happy fashion. He shies away from sharp complications, swaps pieces off whenever the chance comes, and prefers a quiet position to a tense one. With no settled repertoire and only a passing acquaintance with theory, his opening choices wander between solid and offbeat depending on the day. The result is a slow, simplifying game where he tries to keep the board tidy rather than chase an attack.",[42,45,48,51,53,56,58,60,63,66,69,71,74,76,78,81,83,85,87,90],{"rating":43,"msSinceEpoch":44},518,1778273107234,{"rating":46,"msSinceEpoch":47},512,1778356607435,{"rating":49,"msSinceEpoch":50},505,1778359946237,{"rating":49,"msSinceEpoch":52},1778425008999,{"rating":54,"msSinceEpoch":55},500,1778498318779,{"rating":54,"msSinceEpoch":57},1778523858924,{"rating":54,"msSinceEpoch":59},1778560779798,{"rating":61,"msSinceEpoch":62},499,1778821216432,{"rating":64,"msSinceEpoch":65},491,1778946962647,{"rating":67,"msSinceEpoch":68},490,1778947314205,{"rating":67,"msSinceEpoch":70},1778965870814,{"rating":72,"msSinceEpoch":73},482,1778971479746,{"rating":72,"msSinceEpoch":75},1778985758447,{"rating":72,"msSinceEpoch":77},1779058850037,{"rating":79,"msSinceEpoch":80},481,1779070716112,{"rating":79,"msSinceEpoch":82},1779070982475,{"rating":79,"msSinceEpoch":84},1779095104644,{"rating":79,"msSinceEpoch":86},1779213251259,{"rating":88,"msSinceEpoch":89},468,1779318886649,{"rating":91,"msSinceEpoch":92},467,1779333303621,"Walter",{"sameStyle":95,"different":110},[96,100,104],{"botId":97,"name":98,"elo":99,"country":8,"countryCode":9,"category":39},"ashby","Florence Ashby",504,{"botId":101,"name":102,"elo":103,"country":8,"countryCode":9,"category":39},"penge","Kerensa Pengelly",545,{"botId":105,"name":106,"elo":107,"country":108,"countryCode":109,"category":39},"hollo","Marcus Holloway",483,"USA","us",[111,118],{"botId":112,"name":113,"elo":114,"country":115,"countryCode":116,"category":117},"kazla","Danutė Kazlauskienė",528,"Lithuania","lt",3,{"botId":119,"name":120,"elo":121,"country":8,"countryCode":9,"category":122},"prich","Bethan Pritchard",520,5,"bots/besse","Walter suits absolute beginners rated below 700 who want a relaxed game against an opponent at their own level. Players learning to spot hanging pieces, practise basic tactics, and convert simple material advantages will find plenty of chances here. His defensive, simplifying approach also gives improving players room to try out attacking ideas without facing sharp counterplay, making him a gentle sparring partner for early-stage learners.","zext0__N75olxypoN40WY_OvmF9ati9TScZ2yKh9U6Y",1784583534557]