Players
Aleksander Delchev
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
GM

Aleksander Delchev

SerbiaBorn 1971 (age 55)FIDE ID 2900394

Luft classical

230024002500260027002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2455
FIDE

FIDE classical

240026002800200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2441
Luft

Flair

Aleksander Delchev's classical flairs

0 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • TitanLuft classical rating averaging 2800+ over the last 4 years
  • Serial WinnerWon 2+ elite events in the last 12 months
  • UnderdogRegularly beats players rated 50+ higher
  • Fortress25+ games in a row without a loss
  • Black BeltDoes better with black than with white
  • IronmanPlayed 50+ games over the last 12 months
  • RisingAged 18 or under, Luft rating up 40+ over the last 12 months
  • Endgame SpecialistEndgame 90+: converting, saving and not throwing endgames
  • TacticianTactics 90+: sharp, tactical games they made sharp
  • LightningTop 20 at speed chess (mostly blitz, some rapid)
  • Hot StreakAt least 6 points from 7 straight games against strong opposition
  • SignatureSticks to one defence with black far more than most
  • ChameleonPlays a wide range of defences with black
  • WildcardBrilliant one event, off the next: hard to predict
  • ReliableConsistent across all top events
  • FighterRarely draws, and wins far more than they lose
  • AdaptableTactics and Positional both 90+
  • PositionalPositional 90+: slow, quiet games they steered
  • PodiumTop 3 in at least half of their elite events

No classical flair in the last year yet.

Trophy cabinet

Aleksander Delchev's classical titles

4 classical titles, newest first

  • Bulgarian Championship 20191st
  • Bulgarian Championship 20011st
  • Bulgarian Championship 19961st
  • Bulgarian Championship 19941st
  • Bulgarian Championship×4

Attributes

Tactics 76Positional 73Endgame 74Openings 69Composure 75Defence 70Speed 62Consistency 74

Luft classical rating

2455No. 343

From 15 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2498 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2498 level, blended with their FIDE rating+7
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+2
Activity15 classical games in top events−5

Openings

Their most-played, from 37 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense658%
Italian Game350%
Queen's Gambit Declined250%
Bogo-Indian Defense250%
Zukertort Opening150%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 6 games, won 2, drew 3, lost 1 · 58%

VariationGamesScore
Moscow Variation350%
Taimanov Variation1100%
Old Sicilian150%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack150%

Italian Game

With White: 3 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation250%
Giuoco Pianissimo150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 2 games, won 0, drew 2, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Ragozin Defense150%
Exchange Variation150%

Bogo-Indian Defense

With White: 2 games, won 0, drew 2, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Nimzowitsch Variation150%
Retreat Variation150%

Zukertort Opening

With White: 1 game, won 0, drew 1, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Main line150%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 4 games, won 1, drew 0, lost 3 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Closed250%
Morphy Defense20%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 2 games, won 0, drew 2, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Four Knights Variation150%
Accelerated Dragon150%

King's Indian Attack

With Black: 2 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 1 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Double Fianchetto150%
Symmetrical Defense10%

English Opening

With Black: 2 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 1 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation150%
Agincourt Defense10%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With Black: 2 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 1 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation150%
St. Petersburg Variation10%

Recent events

EventPlace+/−+/−
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 20262/3+11+11
German Bundesliga 2025/2626 Apr 20266½/14+10+12
German Bundesliga 2024/2526 Apr 20254½/13−6−10
Bundesliga 202230 Apr 20235/11+13+12

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMJ. Smeets28 Sep 2025 · German Bundesliga 2025/262566
GMI. Ivanisevic26 Feb 2023 · Bundesliga 20222547
GMJ. Seemann9 Oct 2026 · German Bundesliga 2026/272512
IMM. Agopov18 Mar 2023 · Bundesliga 20222464
GMU. Boensch1 Mar 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262454

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMA. DonchenkoLast 11 Oct 2026 · German Bundesliga 2026/272011
GMJ. SmeetsLast 10 Oct 2026 · German Bundesliga 2026/272110
GMI. SaricLast 21 Oct 2022 · Bundesliga 20221001
GMI. CheparinovLast 4 Feb 2023 · Bundesliga 20221001
GMR. SvaneLast 5 Feb 2023 · Bundesliga 20221010

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How attributes are calculated

From their games in top events over the last 12 months, each judged against the opponent's rating

  • TacticsHow well they score in sharp games they chose to make sharp.
  • PositionalHow well they score in quiet, manoeuvring games they steered.
  • EndgameHow they do in endgames against what the position promised when it began: converting a winning one earns a little, saving a losing one earns a lot, and throwing a winning one costs a lot.
  • OpeningsThe engine's verdict on their position around moves 15 to 20, against what's normal for that colour, as the score it points to. Over the last 4 years, with older games counting less.
  • ComposureHow well they score under pressure: the game straight after a loss, and the last 3 games of an event while they can still win it. Over the last 4 years.
  • DefenceHow they do in games where they were 0.8 pawns or more worse after move 18, against what that position usually scores: holding the draw earns, turning it around earns more, and losing costs a little.
  • SpeedTheir Luft rapid and blitz ratings. With neither, an estimate a little below their classical level.
  • ConsistencyTheir Luft rating, less their off days: tournaments (5+ games each) over the last 4 years where they played 50+ below it. Anything better never counts against them.

  • "How well they score" is a performance rating: the opponent's rating, plus 400 for a win and minus 400 for a loss, averaged. So it's always judged against who they played.

    The score out of 100: 80 is a 2600 level, and each 13 rating points adds one, so 2860 and up is 100.

    Fair to everyone: with only a few games of a kind, the result leans towards their overall Luft rating. Strengths and weaknesses are measured against their overall level and compared with the top 100, so a specialist's best side stands out. A little recent form is added to all but Speed.