Players
Alexei Shirov
Photo: Yunfan Zhao
GM

Alexei Shirov

SpainBorn 1972 (age 54)FIDE ID 2209390

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2566
FIDE

FIDE classical

25002600270028002900200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2597
Luft

Flair

Alexei Shirov's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Fighter63% decisive: 6 wins, 4 losses
  • 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
  • AdaptableTactics and Positional both 90+
  • PositionalPositional 90+: slow, quiet games they steered
  • PodiumTop 3 in at least half of their elite events
  • Fighter

Trophy cabinet

Alexei Shirov's classical titles

2 classical titles, 3 medals, newest first

  • European Team Championship 2021Bronze, board 1 · Spain
  • European Team Championship 2019Silver, board 3 · Spain
  • Spanish Championship 20191st
  • Spanish Championship 20021st
  • European Team Championship 1999Gold, board 1 · Spain
  • Spanish Championship×2

Attributes

Tactics 76Positional 81Endgame 82Openings 74Composure 77Defence 78Speed 71Consistency 85

Luft classical rating

2566No. 151

From 16 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2493 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2493 level, blended with their FIDE rating−14
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−9
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−3
Activity16 classical games in top events−5

Openings

Their most-played, from 66 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense1168%
Ruy Lopez658%
Bogo-Indian Defense438%
Caro-Kann Defense367%
Italian Game275%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 11 games, won 5, drew 5, lost 1 · 68%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation463%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack367%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation1100%
Accelerated Dragon1100%
Four Knights Variation150%
Richter-Rauzer Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 6 games, won 1, drew 5, lost 0 · 58%

VariationGamesScore
Closed250%
Open1100%
Morphy Defense150%
Berlin Defense150%
Open Berlin Defense150%

Bogo-Indian Defense

With White: 4 games, won 1, drew 1, lost 2 · 38%

VariationGamesScore
Grünfeld Variation250%
Retreat Variation225%

Caro-Kann Defense

With White: 3 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 0 · 67%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation275%
Tartakower Variation150%

Italian Game

With White: 2 games, won 1, drew 1, lost 0 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Giuoco Pianissimo275%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 6 games, won 3, drew 2, lost 1 · 67%

VariationGamesScore
Taimanov Variation350%
Modern Variations1100%
Chekhover Variation1100%
Moscow Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 5 games, won 0, drew 5, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense250%
Open150%
Berlin Defense150%
Closed150%

Semi-Slav Defense

With Black: 3 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 0 · 83%

VariationGamesScore
Marshall Gambit1100%
Main line1100%
Normal Variation150%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Colle System150%
Symmetrical Variation150%
London System150%

Catalan Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense350%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20264/7−11−11
German Bundesliga 2025/2626 Apr 20265/10−12−15
V Open Chess Menorca 202612 Apr 2026=12th+5+4
European Team Chess Championship 202513 Oct 20252½/6−7−9
FIDE Grand Swiss 202515 Sep 2025=20th+20+23

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMP. Eljanov8 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252682
GMJ. Bjerre13 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252651
GMP. Pultinevicius11 Nov 2023 · European Team Championship2589
GME. van den Doel11 Jan 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262558
GMA. Fawzy25 Oct 2023 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20232535

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMM. MchedlishviliLast 6 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252011
GMD. PopovicLast 25 Feb 2023 · Bundesliga 20221010
FML. CostaLast 26 Feb 2023 · Bundesliga 20221001
GMB. PredojevicLast 18 Mar 2023 · Bundesliga 20221010
GMM. FeyginLast 19 Mar 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.