Players
Ding Liren
Photo: TheBoburshokh, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Ding Liren

ChinaBorn 1992 (age 34)FIDE ID 8603677

Luft classical

26002700280029002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2705
FIDE

FIDE classical

2200240026002800200420082012201620202024
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2723
Luft

Flair

Ding Liren's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Chameleon7 different defences in 8 games with black
  • 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
  • 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
  • Chameleon

Trophy cabinet

Ding Liren's classical titles

4 classical titles, newest first

Attributes

Tactics 86Positional 86Endgame 87Openings 85Composure 85Defence 84Speed 86Consistency 95

Luft classical rating

2705No. 25

From 17 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2692 level, with 1 win against the top 10.

ResultsPlayed at a 2692 level, blended with their FIDE rating−11
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−1
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−2
Activity17 classical games in top events−4

Openings

Their most-played, from 70 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
English Opening956%
Queen's Gambit Declined438%
Sicilian Defense367%
Ruy Lopez350%
Italian Game350%

English Opening

With White: 9 games, won 2, drew 6, lost 1 · 56%

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation450%
Agincourt Defense275%
Anglo-Indian Defense1100%
Neo-Catalan150%
Symmetrical Variation10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Charousek Variation150%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense150%
Ragozin Defense150%
Austrian Defense10%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 3 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 0 · 67%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation1100%
Richter-Rauzer Variation150%
Accelerated Dragon150%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense225%
Berlin Defense1100%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Two Knights Defense150%
Giuoco Pianissimo150%
Classical Variation150%

Italian Game

With Black: 4 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation350%
Giuoco Pianissimo150%

French Defense

With Black: 3 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 0 · 67%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation275%
Exchange Variation150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Kmoch Variation150%
Normal Variation150%
Classical Variation150%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
London System150%
Colle System150%
Symmetrical Variation10%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed317%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
2026 Chinese Chess League Division A31 Oct 20264½/8−9−8
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20266/11−10−8
2026 Chinese Team Chess Championship26 Apr 2026=27th+4+4
FIDE World Championship 202412 Dec 20246½/14+6+23
45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 202422 Sep 20243½/8−8−5

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMH. Nakamura6 Jun 2024 · Norway Chess 20242794
GMGukesh D.9 Dec 2024 · FIDE World Championship 20242783
GMV. Keymer21 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262764
GMPraggnanandhaa R.28 May 2024 · Norway Chess 20242747
GMM. Warmerdam27 Jan 2024 · Tata Steel Masters 20242625

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMGukesh D.Last 12 Dec 2024 · FIDE World Championship 202415393
GMF. CaruanaLast 22 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20245041
GMPraggnanandhaa R.Last 3 Jun 2024 · Norway Chess 20245122
GMA. FirouzjaLast 7 Jun 2024 · Norway Chess 20244013
GMN. AbdusattorovLast 23 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 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.