Players
Bobby Cheng
Photo: Lichess
GM

Bobby Cheng

AustraliaBorn 1997 (age 29)FIDE ID 4300033

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2568
FIDE

FIDE classical

240026002800201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2573
Luft

Flair

Bobby Cheng'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

Bobby Cheng's classical titles

1 classical title, newest first

  • Australian Championship 20161st
  • Australian Championship 

Attributes

Tactics 73Positional 83Endgame 83Openings 79Composure 83Defence 73Speed 72Consistency 79

Luft classical rating

2568No. 150

From 17 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2572 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2572 level, blended with their FIDE rating−1
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+1
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−1
Activity17 classical games in top events−4

Openings

Their most-played, from 39 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Catalan Opening463%
Bogo-Indian Defense383%
Indian Defense350%
Slav Defense333%
Queen's Indian Defense275%

Catalan Opening

With White: 4 games, won 1, drew 3, lost 0 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense350%
Closed1100%

Bogo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Grünfeld Variation2100%
Retreat Variation150%

Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Anti-Nimzo-Indian250%
Dzindzi-Indian Defense150%

Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Quiet Variation20%
Czech Variation1100%

Queen's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Fianchetto Variation275%

French Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 3, drew 1, lost 0 · 88%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation2100%
Tarrasch Variation275%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 4 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 1 · 38%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation225%
Three Knights Variation150%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense150%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 1 · 38%

VariationGamesScore
Moscow Variation350%
Najdorf Variation10%

Petrov's Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 1 · 38%

VariationGamesScore
Karklins-Martinovsky Variation150%
Modern Attack150%
Classical Attack150%
Nimzowitsch Attack10%

Queen's Pawn Game

With Black: 1 game, won 1, drew 0, lost 0 · 100%

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation1100%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20265½/9+3+4
German Bundesliga 2025/2622 Mar 20264½/10−3−2
FIDE World Cup 20255 Nov 20252/40−1
European Chess Club Cup 202525 Oct 20253/7−14−12
German Bundesliga 2024/251 Feb 20252½/5−4−5

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMR. Rapport23 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262726
GMD. Howell15 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242677
GMV. Ivanchuk13 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242635
GMM. Andersen22 Mar 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262562
GMP. Teclaf14 Jan 2024 · Bundesliga 2023/242553

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GML. EngelLast 21 Mar 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/263120
M. IskandarovLast 31 Jul 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232101
GMA. GiriLast 18 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262002
GMJ. SiddharthLast 2 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20252110
GMP. LekoLast 5 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20252011

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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.