Players
Ferenc Berkes
Photo: Andreas Kontokanis, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Ferenc Berkes

HungaryBorn 1985 (age 41)FIDE ID 718572

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2587
FIDE

FIDE classical

240026002800200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2605
Luft

Flair

Ferenc Berkes'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

Ferenc Berkes's classical titles

8 classical titles, 4 medals, newest first

  • European Team Championship 2019Gold, board 3 · Hungary
  • Hungarian Championship 20181st
  • Hungarian Championship 20161st
  • European Team Championship 2015Bronze, team · Hungary
  • Hungarian Championship 20141st
  • Hungarian Championship 20131st
  • Hungarian Championship 20121st
  • European Team Championship 2011Bronze, team · Hungary
  • Hungarian Championship 20101st
  • Chess Olympiad 2008Bronze, 1st reserve board · Hungary
  • Hungarian Championship 20071st
  • Hungarian Championship 20041st
  • Hungarian Championship×8

Attributes

Tactics 80Positional 76Endgame 83Openings 79Composure 77Defence 79Speed 76Consistency 84

Luft classical rating

2587No. 125

From 15 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2561 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2561 level, blended with their FIDE rating−11
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−3
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+1
Activity15 classical games in top events−5

Openings

Their most-played, from 40 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Queen's Indian Defense367%
Queen's Pawn Game350%
Nimzo-Indian Defense275%
Semi-Slav Defense250%
Indian Defense250%

Queen's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation1100%
Spassky System150%
Fianchetto Variation150%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation250%
London System150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Sämisch Variation275%

Semi-Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Meran Variation250%

Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Przepiorka Variation250%

French Defense

With Black: 7 games, won 0, drew 5, lost 2 · 36%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation438%
Rubinstein Variation333%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Barmen Variation250%
Main line150%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line1100%
Caro-Kann Defensive System150%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed250%

Bogo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Grünfeld Variation1100%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Serbian Super League 202613 Oct 20265/10−9−10
Austrian Bundesliga 2025/2619 Apr 20263/5+20
First League of Serbia 202528 Sep 20255½/11−7−8
Austrian Bundesliga 2024/2513 Oct 20241½/4−6−7
45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 202421 Sep 20243/5−1−2

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMB. Gelfand3 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232668
GMR. Ponomariov9 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232664
IMHarshavardhan G B.15 Apr 2026 · Austrian Bundesliga 2025/262492
GMR. Dimitrov9 Oct 2026 · Serbian Super League 20262486
IMS. Baumegger13 Apr 2023 · Österreichische Bundesliga 20222440

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMN. HuschenbethLast 16 Apr 2026 · Austrian Bundesliga 2025/262020
P. DariniLast 31 Jul 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232101
GMB. GelfandLast 3 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232110
GMN. VitiugovLast 6 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232020
GMR. PonomariovLast 10 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232110

Compare Luft

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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.