Players
Erwin L'Ami
Photo: Frans Peeters, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Erwin L'Ami

NetherlandsBorn 1985 (age 41)FIDE ID 1007998

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2531
FIDE

FIDE classical

2200240026002800200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2578
Luft

Flair

Erwin L'Ami'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

Erwin L'Ami's classical titles

1 classical title, newest first

  • Dutch Championship 20221st
  • Dutch Championship 

Attributes

Tactics 73Positional 77Endgame 78Openings 72Composure 72Defence 81Speed 71Consistency 70

Luft classical rating

2531No. 218

From 34 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2485 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2485 level, blended with their FIDE rating−32
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−8
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−8
Activity34 classical games in top events+1

Openings

Their most-played, from 119 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense1040%
Queen's Gambit Declined844%
Queen's Indian Defense580%
Slav Defense475%
Indian Defense383%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 10 games, won 1, drew 6, lost 3 · 40%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation333%
Kan Variation250%
Delayed Alapin Variation150%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%
Moscow Variation150%
Classical Variation150%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 8 games, won 0, drew 7, lost 1 · 44%

VariationGamesScore
Semi-Tarrasch Defense250%
Ragozin Defense250%
Semi-Slav150%
Three Knights Variation150%
Harrwitz Attack150%
Charousek Variation10%

Queen's Indian Defense

With White: 5 games, won 4, drew 0, lost 1 · 80%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation2100%
Kasparov-Petrosian Variation250%
Fianchetto Variation1100%

Slav Defense

With White: 4 games, won 2, drew 2, lost 0 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Main line275%
Czech Variation1100%
Soultanbeieff Variation150%

Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Anti-Nimzo-Indian275%
Dzindzi-Indian Defense1100%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 15 games, won 2, drew 10, lost 3 · 47%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation844%
Moscow Variation438%
Accelerated Dragon275%
Hyperaccelerated Dragon150%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 10 games, won 2, drew 7, lost 1 · 55%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense438%
Morphy Defense367%
Closed275%
Exchange Variation150%

Caro-Kann Defense

With Black: 6 games, won 1, drew 5, lost 0 · 58%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation350%
Exchange Variation1100%
Panov Attack150%
Endgame Variation150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation367%
Ragozin Defense150%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation383%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 20261½/3+1+4
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202625 Sep 20262/6−19−18
Dutch Meesterklasse 202619 Sep 20261/1+3+3
German Bundesliga 2025/2626 Apr 20267½/15−7−1
Tata Steel Chess 20261 Feb 202611th−32−32

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMS. Vidit25 Oct 2023 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20232716
GMA. Korobov5 Feb 2023 · Bundesliga 20222672
GMD. Howell11 Jan 2025 · German Bundesliga 2024/252668
GMN. Grandelius24 May 2025 · TePe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 20252637
GMJ. Pechac29 Jan 2023 · Tata Steel Challengers 20232637

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMR. VaishaliLast 2 Feb 2025 · Tata Steel Chess 20253111
GMA. KorobovLast 1 Mar 2024 · Prague Chess Festival 20243111
GMM. MaurizziLast 1 Mar 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/263030
GMV. IvicLast 23 Jan 2026 · Tata Steel Chess 20263012
GMF. SvaneLast 28 Feb 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/263030

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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.