Players
Maksim Chigaev
Photo: Stefan64, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Maksim Chigaev

SpainBorn 1996 (age 30)FIDE ID 4108116

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2593
FIDE

FIDE classical

2000220024002600280020082012201620202024
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2622
Luft

Flair

Maksim Chigaev's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Fortress25 games in a row without a loss
  • 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
  • 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
  • Fortress

Trophy cabinet

No classical titles on record yet.

Attributes

Tactics 88Positional 78Endgame 74Openings 80Composure 79Defence 79Speed 72Consistency 81

Luft classical rating

2593No. 120

From 45 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2572 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2572 level, blended with their FIDE rating−22
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−2
Activity45 classical games in top events+5

Openings

Their most-played, from 96 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense1055%
English Opening771%
Italian Game764%
French Defense475%
Ruy Lopez3100%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 10 games, won 2, drew 7, lost 1 · 55%

VariationGamesScore
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack450%
Najdorf Variation2100%
French Variation250%
Scheveningen Variation150%
Chekhover Variation10%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Agincourt Defense383%
King's English Variation367%
Anglo-Indian Defense150%

Italian Game

With White: 7 games, won 3, drew 3, lost 1 · 64%

VariationGamesScore
Two Knights Defense383%
Giuoco Pianissimo275%
Scotch Gambit150%
Classical Variation10%

French Defense

With White: 4 games, won 2, drew 2, lost 0 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Steinitz Variation275%
Classical Variation1100%
Tarrasch Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 3 games, won 3, drew 0, lost 0 · 100%

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense2100%
Closed1100%

King's Indian Defense

With Black: 7 games, won 3, drew 3, lost 1 · 64%

VariationGamesScore
Orthodox Variation350%
Makogonov Variation1100%
Petrosian Variation1100%
Normal Variation1100%
Semi-Averbakh System10%

Caro-Kann Defense

With Black: 7 games, won 1, drew 6, lost 0 · 57%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation367%
Two Knights Attack150%
Panov Attack150%
Classical Variation150%
Exchange Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 5 games, won 0, drew 4, lost 1 · 40%

VariationGamesScore
Closed350%
Fianchetto Defense150%
Morphy Defense10%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 2, drew 2, lost 0 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation1100%
Pin Variation1100%
Closed150%
Four Knights Variation150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 0, drew 2, lost 2 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Main line150%
Rubinstein System150%
Kmoch Variation10%
Classical Variation10%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
41st European Chess Club Cup 202622 Oct 20264/5+1+2
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20264½/9−9−8
Oskemen Open 202629 Jul 2026=5th−3−2
KazChess Masters Almaty 20268 Jul 20264½/9−10−9
German Bundesliga 2025/261 Mar 20265½/8+12+10

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMA. Sarana24 Nov 2025 · KazChess Masters2675
GMM. Bluebaum11 Nov 2024 · European Individual Chess Championship 20242654
GME. L'Ami8 Feb 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262632
GMD. Dardha7 Apr 2024 · Menorca Open 20242630
GMA. Donchenko16 Nov 2024 · European Individual Chess Championship 20242617

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMJ. van ForeestLast 9 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20253030
GMK. NogerbekLast 23 Jul 2026 · Oskemen Open 20263030
GMA. IndjicLast 13 Nov 2024 · European Individual Chess Championship 20242011
GMA. DonchenkoLast 4 Jul 2026 · KazChess Masters Almaty 20262110
GMA. ErigaisiLast 19 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262011

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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.