Players
IM

Benedict Krause

GermanyBorn 1997 (age 29)FIDE ID 12917990

Luft classical

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Monthly Luft ratings, now 2396
FIDE

FIDE classical

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Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2416
Luft

Flair

Benedict Krause'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

No classical titles on record yet.

Attributes

Tactics 69Positional 70Endgame 72Openings 68Composure 69Defence 69Speed 61Consistency 69

Luft classical rating

2396No. 398

From 10 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2381 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2381 level, blended with their FIDE rating−3
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event0
Activity10 classical games in top events−7

Openings

Their most-played, from 20 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Caro-Kann Defense383%
Sicilian Defense333%
French Defense250%
Italian Game10%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation383%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Moscow Variation150%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%
Najdorf Variation10%

French Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Steinitz Variation250%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation10%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 5 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 2 · 30%

VariationGamesScore
French Variation225%
Kramnik Variation150%
Four Knights Variation150%
Delayed Alapin Variation10%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Anglo-Indian Defense333%

Grünfeld Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation225%

Caro-Kann Defense

With Black: 1 game, won 0, drew 0, lost 1 · 0%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation10%

Recent events

EventPlace+/−+/−
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 20261/3−4−4
German Bundesliga 2025/2626 Apr 20263½/10−3+3
European Chess Club Cup 202524 Oct 20251/3−10
German Bundesliga 2024/2527 Apr 20254/10+4+5

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMR. Swinkels28 Feb 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262478
GMD. Hausrath22 Feb 2025 · German Bundesliga 2024/252450

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMV. IkonnikovLast 5 Oct 2024 · German Bundesliga 2024/251010
GMR. VogelLast 6 Oct 2024 · German Bundesliga 2024/251001
GMV. BologanLast 12 Jan 2025 · German Bundesliga 2024/251010
GMJ. LampertLast 2 Feb 2025 · German Bundesliga 2024/251001
GMD. HausrathLast 22 Feb 2025 · German Bundesliga 2024/251100

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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.