Players
Boris Gelfand
Photo: TheBoburshokh, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Boris Gelfand

IsraelBorn 1968 (age 58)FIDE ID 2805677

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2653
FIDE

FIDE classical

25002600270028002900200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2640
Luft

Flair

Boris Gelfand'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

Boris Gelfand's classical titles

3 classical titles, 5 medals, newest first

  • Chess Olympiad 2010Bronze, team · Israel
  • World Cup 20091st
  • Chess Olympiad 2008Silver, board 1 · Israel
  • Chess Olympiad 2008Silver, team · Israel
  • European Team Championship 2005Silver, team · Israel
  • European Team Championship 2003Silver, team · Israel
  • Belarusian Championship 19851st
  • Belarusian Championship 19841st
  • World Cup 
  • Belarusian Championship×2

Attributes

Tactics 83Positional 80Endgame 81Openings 85Composure 84Defence 85Speed 77Consistency 85

Luft classical rating

2653No. 63

From 23 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2655 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2655 level, blended with their FIDE rating+4
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+8
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+3
Activity23 classical games in top events−2

Openings

Their most-played, from 44 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Catalan Opening650%
Queen's Gambit Declined350%
Bogo-Indian Defense317%
English Opening225%
Queen's Pawn Game1100%

Catalan Opening

With White: 6 games, won 1, drew 4, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense350%
Closed350%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Chigorin Defense1100%
Ragozin Defense150%
Main line10%

Bogo-Indian Defense

With White: 3 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 2 · 17%

VariationGamesScore
Retreat Variation225%
Grünfeld Variation10%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Agincourt Defense150%
Anglo-Indian Defense10%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation1100%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 13 games, won 2, drew 10, lost 1 · 54%

VariationGamesScore
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack658%
Accelerated Dragon225%
Modern Variations1100%
Four Knights Variation150%
French Variation150%
Alapin Variation150%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%

Semi-Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Chigorin Defense250%
Anti-Moscow Gambit150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Sämisch Variation150%
Kmoch Variation150%
Classical Variation10%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation225%

Vienna Game

With Black: 1 game, won 0, drew 1, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Stanley Variation150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
41st European Chess Club Cup 202623 Oct 20263/5−1−1
3rd Al-Beruniy International Chess Tournament21 Feb 2026=2nd+2+4
KazChess Masters29 Nov 20255/9−30
European Chess Club Cup 202525 Oct 20254/7−3−1
FIDE Grand Swiss 202515 Sep 2025=86th−16−14

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMB. Jobava4 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252590
GMA. Alonso Rosell22 Oct 2026 · 41st European Chess Club Cup 20262560
GMA. Mishra10 May 2023 · 2023 TePe Sigeman & Co2550
GMJ. Pechac19 Oct 2026 · 41st European Chess Club Cup 20262539
IMA. Ansat28 Nov 2025 · KazChess Masters2476

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMA. ErigaisiLast 25 Oct 2025 · European Chess Club Cup 20252011
GMV. KeymerLast 22 Oct 2025 · European Chess Club Cup 20252011
GMF. BerkesLast 3 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232011
GMV. MurzinLast 18 Feb 2026 · 3rd Al-Beruniy International Chess Tournament2020
GMP. SvidlerLast 5 May 2023 · 2023 TePe Sigeman & Co1001

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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.