Players
GM

Liam Putnam

United StatesBorn 2008 (age 18)FIDE ID 30938279

Luft classical

2200240026002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2499
FIDE

FIDE classical

1800200022002400260020182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2495
Luft

Flair

Liam Putnam's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Underdog3 wins against players rated 50+ higher
  • TitanLuft classical rating averaging 2800+ over the last 4 years
  • Serial WinnerWon 2+ elite events in the last 12 months
  • 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
  • Underdog

Trophy cabinet

No classical titles on record yet.

Attributes

Tactics 77Positional 83Endgame 70Openings 72Composure 80Defence 70Speed 63Consistency 72

Luft classical rating

2499No. 273

From 10 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2595 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2595 level, blended with their FIDE rating+11
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year0
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event0
Activity10 classical games in top events−7

Openings

Their most-played, from 10 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
French Defense225%
Sicilian Defense1100%
Ruy Lopez1100%
Nimzo-Indian Defense10%
English Opening10%

French Defense

With White: 2 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 1 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation150%
Rubinstein Variation10%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation1100%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed1100%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With White: 1 game, won 0, drew 0, lost 1 · 0%

VariationGamesScore
Normal Variation10%

English Opening

With White: 1 game, won 0, drew 0, lost 1 · 0%

VariationGamesScore
Neo-Catalan10%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
St. Petersburg Variation1100%
Kmoch Variation150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 1 game, won 0, drew 1, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Barmen Variation150%

Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Anti-Grünfeld10%

Recent events

EventPlace+/−+/−
V Open Chess Menorca 20269 Apr 2026=54th−4−3
2026 Saint Louis Masters1 Mar 20264½/8+17+18
2025 US Masters27 Nov 20250/1−6−6

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMG. Dudin28 Feb 2026 · 2026 Saint Louis Masters2596
GMB. Bok26 Feb 2026 · 2026 Saint Louis Masters2592
GMH. Bharathakoti27 Feb 2026 · 2026 Saint Louis Masters2538

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
IME. ZhaoLast 27 Nov 2025 · 2025 US Masters1001
GMA. ChopraLast 25 Feb 2026 · 2026 Saint Louis Masters1001
GMB. BokLast 26 Feb 2026 · 2026 Saint Louis Masters1100
GMV. AkobianLast 26 Feb 2026 · 2026 Saint Louis Masters1001
GMA. MishraLast 27 Feb 2026 · 2026 Saint Louis Masters1010

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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.