Players
Francesco Sonis
Photo: Charlotte Chess Center
GM

Francesco Sonis

ItalyBorn 2002 (age 24)FIDE ID 895733

Luft classical

250025502600265027002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2533
FIDE

FIDE classical

220024002600201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2547
Luft

Flair

Francesco Sonis'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

Francesco Sonis's classical titles

1 classical title, newest first

  • Italian Championship 20241st
  • Italian Championship 

Attributes

Tactics 68Positional 79Endgame 84Openings 74Composure 75Defence 77Speed 72Consistency 81

Luft classical rating

2533No. 208

From 22 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2518 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2518 level, blended with their FIDE rating−5
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+4
Activity22 classical games in top events−3

Openings

Their most-played, from 37 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Queen's Gambit Declined540%
King's Indian Defense463%
French Defense2100%
Ruy Lopez275%
Sicilian Defense275%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation225%
Three Knights Variation1100%
Queen's Knight Variation150%
Janowski Variation10%

King's Indian Defense

With White: 4 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 1 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Fianchetto Variation383%
Orthodox Variation10%

French Defense

With White: 2 games, won 2, drew 0, lost 0 · 100%

VariationGamesScore
Winawer Variation2100%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense1100%
Closed150%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Moscow Variation1100%
Delayed Alapin Variation150%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation333%
Giuoco Pianissimo150%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 3 · 13%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation30%
Chekhover Variation150%

Queen's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Fianchetto Variation1100%
Miles Variation150%

Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
London System1100%

King's Indian Attack

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

VariationGamesScore
Spassky Variation1100%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20267½/10+9+9
Brasov Grand Prix Classic 202631 Jul 2026½/2−3−3
2026 President's Cup: National College Chess Championship22 Mar 2026½/2−6−7
2026 Saint Louis Masters1 Mar 20266/9+12+11
2025 US Masters30 Nov 20255/7+4+4

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMM. Warmerdam13 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242679
GMN. Abasov20 Nov 2023 · European Team Championship2679
GML. Budisavljevic28 Feb 2026 · 2026 Saint Louis Masters2501
IMH. Celik27 Feb 2026 · 2026 Saint Louis Masters2495
GMR. Preotu30 Nov 2025 · 2025 US Masters2485

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
FME. UruciLast 12 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242101
GMM. BoyerLast 22 Mar 2026 · 2026 President's Cup: National College Chess Championship2020
GMJ. Santos LatasaLast 31 Jul 2026 · Brasov Grand Prix Classic 20262011
GMR. MarkusLast 12 Nov 2023 · European Team Championship1010
GMV. BologanLast 13 Nov 2023 · European Team Championship1010

Compare Luft

GMFrancesco SonisItaly

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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.