Players
IM

Mark Smirnov

KazakhstanBorn 2012 (age 14)FIDE ID 13764594

Luft classical

20002200240026002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2492
FIDE

FIDE classical

15002000250020222023202420252026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2439
Luft

Flair

Mark Smirnov's classical flairs

2 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Underdog4 wins against players rated 50+ higher
  • RisingRating increased by +72 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
  • Fortress25+ games in a row without a loss
  • Black BeltDoes better with black than with white
  • IronmanPlayed 50+ games 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
  • Rising

Trophy cabinet

No classical titles on record yet.

Attributes

Tactics 72Positional 74Endgame 76Openings 71Composure 79Defence 79Speed 64Consistency 76

Luft classical rating

2492No. 292

From 26 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2566 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2566 level, blended with their FIDE rating+46
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+5
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+3
Activity26 classical games in top events−1

Openings

Their most-played, from 22 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense2100%
Ruy Lopez250%
King's Indian Defense1100%
Tarrasch Defense1100%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack150%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Accelerated Dragon1100%
Closed1100%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 2 games, won 0, drew 2, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense150%
Closed150%

King's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line1100%

Tarrasch Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line1100%

Nimzo-Larsen Attack

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation150%

Petrov's Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Modern Attack225%
Millennium Attack150%
Main line10%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 3 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Accelerated Dragon250%
Grand Prix Attack150%

East Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line150%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Kmoch Variation10%

Recent events

EventPlace+/−+/−
KazChess Masters Almaty 20263 Nov 20269½/18+40+36
Atyrau Open 202620 Oct 20260/2−7−7
V Open Chess Menorca 202612 Apr 2026=34th+10+10

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMS. Shankland6 Jul 2026 · KazChess Masters Almaty 20262658
GMD. Makhnev3 Nov 2026 · KazChess Masters Almaty 20262581
IMS. Nurgaliyev29 Oct 2026 · KazChess Masters Almaty 20262526
GMA. Ansat4 Jul 2026 · KazChess Masters Almaty 20262500
GME. Mamedov1 Nov 2026 · KazChess Masters Almaty 20262474

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMK. NogerbekLast 30 Jun 2026 · KazChess Masters Almaty 20262020
GMD. MakhnevLast 3 Nov 2026 · KazChess Masters Almaty 20262101
IMA. NurmanLast 27 Oct 2026 · KazChess Masters Almaty 20262110
GMA. HongLast 8 Apr 2026 · V Open Chess Menorca 20261010
GMD. GhoshLast 9 Apr 2026 · V Open Chess Menorca 20261010

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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.