Players
Elina Danielian
Photo: Yunfan Zhao
GM

Elina Danielian

ArmeniaBorn 1978 (age 48)FIDE ID 13300210

Luft classical

23002400250026002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2393
FIDE

FIDE classical

2300240025002600201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2391
Luft

Flair

Elina Danielian'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

Elina Danielian's classical titles

7 classical titles, 5 medals, newest first

  • European Women's Team Championship 2023Bronze, board 3 · Armenia
  • European Championship 20211st
  • European Women's Team Championship 2007Silver, board 1
  • European Women's Team Championship 2007Bronze, team · Armenia
  • Armenian Championship 20041st
  • European Women's Team Championship 2003Gold, board 1
  • European Women's Team Championship 2003Gold, team · Armenia
  • Armenian Championship 20031st
  • Armenian Championship 20021st
  • Armenian Championship 19991st
  • Armenian Championship 19941st
  • Armenian Championship 19931st
  • European Championship 
  • Armenian Championship×6

Attributes

Tactics 72Positional 70Endgame 65Openings 69Composure 58Defence 69Speed 59Consistency 57

Luft classical rating

2393No. 399

From 24 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2398 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2398 level, blended with their FIDE rating+1
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−7
Activity24 classical games in top events−2

Openings

Their most-played, from 53 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
King's Indian Defense675%
Queen's Gambit Declined650%
Nimzo-Indian Defense450%
Zukertort Opening250%
Catalan Opening250%

King's Indian Defense

With White: 6 games, won 3, drew 3, lost 0 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Normal Variation367%
Fianchetto Variation275%
Main line1100%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 6 games, won 2, drew 2, lost 2 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation383%
Main line225%
Queen's Knight Variation10%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With White: 4 games, won 0, drew 4, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Rubinstein System250%
Classical Variation150%
Normal Variation150%

Zukertort Opening

With White: 2 games, won 1, drew 0, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Queen's Gambit Invitation1100%
Reversed Grünfeld10%

Catalan Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed150%
Open Defense150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Sämisch Variation250%
Romanishin Variation150%
Normal Variation150%
Kmoch Variation150%

French Defense

With Black: 5 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 2 · 40%

VariationGamesScore
Winawer Variation1100%
Steinitz Variation150%
Tarrasch Variation150%
Alekhine-Chatard Attack10%
Advance Variation10%

Pirc Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line20%
150 Attack1100%

Queen's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Capablanca Variation1100%
Fianchetto Variation150%

English Opening

With Black: 2 games, won 1, drew 0, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation1100%
Anglo-Indian Defense10%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
41st European Chess Club Cup 202623 Oct 20265/7+12+10
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20267/10+6+10
25th European Chess Championship 20265 Jun 2026=30th−16−8
Austrian Bundesliga 2025/2619 Apr 20262/6−25−27
European Chess Club Cup 202525 Oct 20255/7+6+6

Best wins

OpponentRating
IMY. Osmak14 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252478
IMM. Arabidze19 Nov 2023 · European Team Championship2458
IMS. Tsolakidou20 Oct 2026 · 41st European Chess Club Cup 20262451
WGMA. Shukhman11 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252420
IMA. Matnadze Bujiashvili29 Oct 2023 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20232400

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
IMO. BadelkaLast 4 Jun 2026 · 25th European Chess Championship 20263021
IMA. Matnadze BujiashviliLast 21 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242200
IMD. DeshmukhLast 16 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242002
GMI. KrushLast 24 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262200
GMA. StefanovaLast 10 Jul 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20252020

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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.