Players
Awonder Liang
Photo: Charlotte Chess Center
GM

Awonder Liang

United StatesBorn 2003 (age 23)FIDE ID 2056437

Luft classical

26002700280029002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2692
FIDE

FIDE classical

17502000225025002750201120142017202020232026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2685
Luft

Flair

Awonder Liang's classical flairs

3 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • TacticianTactics 90, from 2 sharp games they made sharp
  • Hot Streak5 wins and 2 draws in 7 straight games
  • Fighter62% decisive: 11 wins, 5 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
  • LightningTop 20 at speed chess (mostly blitz, some rapid)
  • 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
  • Tactician
  • Hot Streak
  • Fighter

Trophy cabinet

Awonder Liang's classical titles

2 classical titles, newest first

Attributes

Tactics 90Positional 86Endgame 81Openings 85Composure 82Defence 82Speed 81Consistency 89

Luft classical rating

2692No. 34

From 26 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2707 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2707 level, blended with their FIDE rating+8
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−1
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+1
Activity26 classical games in top events−1

Openings

Their most-played, from 54 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense771%
Italian Game550%
Ruy Lopez475%
Caro-Kann Defense2100%
English Opening225%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 7 games, won 3, drew 4, lost 0 · 71%

VariationGamesScore
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack275%
Hyperaccelerated Dragon1100%
Chekhover Variation1100%
Closed150%
Dragon Variation150%
Modern Variations150%

Italian Game

With White: 5 games, won 1, drew 3, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation367%
Two Knights Defense225%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 4 games, won 2, drew 2, lost 0 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense475%

Caro-Kann Defense

With White: 2 games, won 2, drew 0, lost 0 · 100%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation1100%
Advance Variation1100%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation225%

Italian Game

With Black: 5 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 2 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation550%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense1100%
Closed1100%
Berlin Defense150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation250%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense150%

Catalan Opening

With Black: 3 games, won 0, drew 2, lost 1 · 33%

VariationGamesScore
Closed225%
Open Defense150%

Tarrasch Defense

With Black: 3 games, won 0, drew 2, lost 1 · 33%

VariationGamesScore
Two Knights Variation225%
Prague Variation150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
U.S. Chess Championships 202621 Oct 2026=6th00
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202626 Sep 20264½/7−7−9
2026 President's Cup: National College Chess Championship22 Mar 20262/3+1−1
American Cup 20268 Mar 20264/8+4+1
2025 US Masters30 Nov 20256½/8+4+3

Best wins

OpponentRating
GML. Dominguez Perez7 Mar 2026 · American Cup 20262738
GML. Aronian15 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262725
GMH. Niemann9 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262717
GMS. Sevian10 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262708
GMJ. van Foreest9 Aug 2025 · Chennai Grand Masters 20252697

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GML. AronianLast 15 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20265140
GMG. SargissianLast 23 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20263120
GMF. CaruanaLast 21 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20263021
GMM. YilmazLast 3 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232020
GMR. RobsonLast 19 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262020

Compare Luft

GMAwonder LiangUnited States

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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.