Players
Alexey Sarana
Photo: Yunfan Zhao
GM

Alexey Sarana

SerbiaBorn 2000 (age 26)FIDE ID 24133795

Luft classical

26002700280029002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2683
FIDE

FIDE classical

150020002500201020132016201920222025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2679
Luft

Flair

Alexey Sarana's classical flairs

2 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Ironman61 classical games over the last 12 months
  • Fighter56% decisive: 26 wins, 8 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
  • 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
  • Ironman
  • Fighter

Trophy cabinet

Alexey Sarana's classical titles

2 classical titles, newest first

Attributes

Tactics 79Positional 85Endgame 85Openings 87Composure 83Defence 86Speed 85Consistency 82

Luft classical rating

2683No. 42

From 61 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2662 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2662 level, blended with their FIDE rating−8
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+3
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+1
Activity61 classical games in top events+8

Openings

Their most-played, from 172 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Queen's Gambit Declined2374%
Nimzo-Indian Defense1958%
Grünfeld Defense764%
Semi-Slav Defense750%
Queen's Gambit Accepted692%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 23 games, won 13, drew 8, lost 2 · 74%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation881%
Barmen Variation383%
Ragozin Defense367%
Queen's Knight Variation275%
Main line250%
Three Knights Variation225%
Tartakower Defense1100%
Charousek Variation1100%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense1100%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With White: 19 games, won 6, drew 10, lost 3 · 58%

VariationGamesScore
Normal Variation1164%
Classical Variation367%
Kmoch Variation275%
St. Petersburg Variation20%
Three Knights Variation150%

Grünfeld Defense

With White: 7 games, won 2, drew 5, lost 0 · 64%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation350%
Stockholm Variation1100%
Three Knights Variation1100%
Brinckmann Attack150%
Main line150%

Semi-Slav Defense

With White: 7 games, won 2, drew 3, lost 2 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Main line250%
Semi-Meran Variation1100%
Anti-Moscow Gambit150%
Chigorin Defense150%
Moscow Variation150%
Marshall Gambit10%

Queen's Gambit Accepted

With White: 6 games, won 5, drew 1, lost 0 · 92%

VariationGamesScore
Furman Variation2100%
Normal Variation1100%
Classical Defense1100%
Main line1100%
Mannheim Variation150%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 30 games, won 7, drew 17, lost 6 · 52%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation1850%
Modern Variations367%
Moscow Variation250%
Closed1100%
Chekhover Variation1100%
French Variation150%
Old Sicilian150%
Delayed Alapin Variation150%
Four Knights Variation10%
Alapin Variation10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 12 games, won 2, drew 7, lost 3 · 46%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation530%
Ragozin Defense250%
Modern Variation1100%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense150%
Three Knights Variation150%
Janowski Variation150%
Neo-Orthodox Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 8 games, won 2, drew 6, lost 0 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense570%
Closed250%
Open Berlin Defense150%

King's Indian Attack

With Black: 8 games, won 2, drew 5, lost 1 · 56%

VariationGamesScore
Double Fianchetto550%
Main line275%
Pachman System150%

Catalan Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense350%
Closed250%
Main line1100%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
41st European Chess Club Cup 202623 Oct 20266/7+8+8
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 20262/3+10
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20266/1000
KazChess Masters Almaty 20268 Jul 20266/9+2+3
Aktobe Open 202611 Jun 20266/9−4−4

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMW. So9 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232769
GMS. Mamedyarov14 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252742
GMV. Fedoseev24 Jan 2025 · Tata Steel Chess 20252717
GMB. Deac18 Nov 2023 · European Team Championship2700
K. Shevchenko6 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232694

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMJ. van ForeestLast 8 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20255122
GMR. SvaneLast 13 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20253120
GMA. ErigaisiLast 26 Jan 2025 · Tata Steel Chess 20253021
GMA. VolokitinLast 25 Oct 2025 · European Chess Club Cup 20253111
GMJ. Martinez AlcantaraLast 29 Mar 2026 · KazChess Masters 20263021

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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.