Players
Karthik Venkataraman
Photo: Biel International Chess Festival
GM

Karthik Venkataraman

IndiaBorn 1999 (age 27)FIDE ID 25006479

Luft classical

240025002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2515
FIDE

FIDE classical

150020002500201020132016201920222025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2542
Luft

Flair

Karthik Venkataraman's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • SignatureSicilian Defense in 6 of 8 games with black
  • 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
  • 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
  • Signature

Trophy cabinet

No classical titles on record yet.

Attributes

Tactics 75Positional 76Endgame 79Openings 71Composure 67Defence 77Speed 69Consistency 82

Luft classical rating

2515No. 248

From 20 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2513 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2513 level, blended with their FIDE rating−6
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−8
Activity20 classical games in top events−3

Openings

Their most-played, from 80 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense750%
English Opening675%
Semi-Slav Defense367%
Queen's Gambit Declined367%
Nimzo-Indian Defense350%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 7 games, won 2, drew 3, lost 2 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Lasker-Pelikan Variation225%
Four Knights Variation1100%
Najdorf Variation1100%
French Variation150%
Closed150%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack10%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Agincourt Defense367%
Symmetrical Variation1100%
King's English Variation1100%
Anglo-Indian Defense150%

Semi-Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line1100%
Stoltz Variation150%
Anti-Moscow Gambit150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Three Knights Variation1100%
Main line150%
Charousek Variation150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Sämisch Variation1100%
Rubinstein System150%
Normal Variation10%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 14 games, won 2, drew 9, lost 3 · 46%

VariationGamesScore
Lasker-Pelikan Variation463%
Najdorf Variation425%
Moscow Variation350%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack225%
Closed1100%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Giuoco Pianissimo350%
Two Knights Defense150%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense225%
Closed1100%
Berlin Defense150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Ragozin Defense250%
Barmen Variation250%

Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Modern Line1100%
Exchange Variation150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
1st Chola Chess Open International Grandmasters Chess Tournament 202630 Oct 2026=32nd−3−3
Atyrau Open 202617 Oct 2026½/3−15−15
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 20261/3−2−3
German Bundesliga 2025/2626 Apr 20264/7+1−2
Austrian Bundesliga 2025/2619 Apr 20263/6−2−5

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMC. Aravindh5 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20252713
GMN. Vitiugov23 Nov 2023 · Austrian Bundesliga 20232688
GMR. Kasimdzhanov6 Dec 2025 · German Bundesliga 2025/262671
GMV. Sanal15 Apr 2023 · Menorca Open 20232582
GMM. Ragger19 Apr 2026 · Austrian Bundesliga 2025/262581

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
G. KaidanovLast 31 Jul 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232110
GMH. NakamuraLast 3 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232020
GMA. GiriLast 18 May 2025 · Sharjah Masters 20252011
GMXiao TongLast 6 Apr 2024 · Menorca Open 20242110
IMT. KoelleLast 4 Apr 2025 · Austrian Bundesliga 2024/252110

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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.