Players
Hans Moke Niemann
Photo: Frans Peeters, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr
GM

Hans Moke Niemann

United StatesBorn 2003 (age 23)FIDE ID 2093596

Playing now: Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 2026

Luft classical

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Monthly Luft ratings, now 2676
FIDE

FIDE classical

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Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2697
Luft

Flair

Hans Moke Niemann's classical flairs

2 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Lightning#12 at speed chess (blitz 2751, rapid 2718)
  • Ironman63 classical games 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Lightning
  • Ironman

Trophy cabinet

No classical titles on record yet.

Attributes

Tactics 88Positional 80Endgame 86Openings 82Composure 84Defence 83Speed 91Consistency 90

Luft classical rating

2676No. 50

From 63 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2662 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2662 level, blended with their FIDE rating−24
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−6
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+1
Activity63 classical games in top events+8

Openings

Their most-played, from 101 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Italian Game1060%
Ruy Lopez771%
Sicilian Defense560%
Petrov's Defense463%
Indian Defense367%

Italian Game

With White: 10 games, won 4, drew 4, lost 2 · 60%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation488%
Giuoco Pianissimo350%
Two Knights Defense333%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 7 games, won 3, drew 4, lost 0 · 71%

VariationGamesScore
Closed350%
Morphy Defense2100%
Cozio Defense1100%
Schliemann Defense150%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 5 games, won 2, drew 2, lost 1 · 60%

VariationGamesScore
Richter-Rauzer Variation1100%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack1100%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%
Moscow Variation150%
French Variation10%

Petrov's Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Attack383%
Nimzowitsch Attack10%

Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Dzindzi-Indian Defense1100%
Accelerated London System150%
Anti-Grünfeld150%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 13 games, won 3, drew 7, lost 3 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack540%
Najdorf Variation367%
Richter-Rauzer Variation1100%
Alapin Variation150%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%
Closed150%
Moscow Variation10%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 9 games, won 0, drew 6, lost 3 · 33%

VariationGamesScore
Closed729%
Berlin Defense250%

English Opening

With Black: 6 games, won 3, drew 2, lost 1 · 67%

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation275%
King's English Variation250%
Four Knights System1100%
Agincourt Defense150%

Semi-Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Accelerated Meran Variation275%
Chigorin Defense150%
Stoltz Variation10%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation333%
Normal Variation150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 202612 Nov 20263/4+5+7
U.S. Chess Championships 202621 Oct 2026=10th−20−16
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20267/11−7−6
Chennai Grand Masters 202622 Jul 20267th−5−4
3rd UzChess Cup 202615 Jun 2026=7th−11−12

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMPraggnanandhaa R.14 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252785
GMV. Fedoseev17 Jan 2026 · Tata Steel Chess 20262705
GMC. Aravindh20 Jan 2026 · Tata Steel Chess 20262700
GMD. Anton Guijarro5 Mar 2026 · Prague International Chess Festival 20262666
GMT. Nguyen30 Jan 2026 · Tata Steel Chess 20262656

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMA. ErigaisiLast 11 Nov 2026 · Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 20265041
GMN. AbdusattorovLast 16 Jul 2026 · Chennai Grand Masters 20264040
GMS. VokhidovLast 8 Jun 2026 · 3rd UzChess Cup 20263201
GMGukesh D.Last 22 Jul 2026 · Chennai Grand Masters 20263030
GMN. YakubboevLast 25 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.