Players
Maxime Lagarde
Photo: Krzysztof Szeląg, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Maxime Lagarde

FranceBorn 1994 (age 32)FIDE ID 662399

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2615
FIDE

FIDE classical

20002200240026002800200620102014201820222026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2597
Luft

Flair

Maxime Lagarde's classical flairs

2 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • ReliableConsistent across all top events (average performance 2621)
  • Fighter56% decisive: 12 wins, 6 losses
  • 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
  • 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
  • AdaptableTactics and Positional both 90+
  • PositionalPositional 90+: slow, quiet games they steered
  • PodiumTop 3 in at least half of their elite events
  • Reliable
  • Fighter

Trophy cabinet

Maxime Lagarde's classical titles

1 classical title, 2 medals, newest first

  • French Championship 

Attributes

Tactics 80Positional 79Endgame 84Openings 76Composure 82Defence 85Speed 79Consistency 89

Luft classical rating

2615No. 99

From 32 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2623 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2623 level, blended with their FIDE rating+9
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+2
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+6
Activity32 classical games in top events+1

Openings

Their most-played, from 104 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense1164%
English Opening961%
Caro-Kann Defense956%
Ruy Lopez667%
French Defense475%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 11 games, won 4, drew 6, lost 1 · 64%

VariationGamesScore
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack475%
Closed250%
Najdorf Variation250%
Richter-Rauzer Variation1100%
Accelerated Dragon1100%
Moscow Variation10%

English Opening

With White: 9 games, won 4, drew 3, lost 2 · 61%

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation463%
Anglo-Indian Defense275%
Symmetrical Variation275%
Agincourt Defense10%

Caro-Kann Defense

With White: 9 games, won 2, drew 6, lost 1 · 56%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation438%
Two Knights Attack250%
Tartakower Variation1100%
Maróczy Variation1100%
Endgame Offer150%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed367%
Morphy Defense1100%
Open Berlin Defense1100%
Cozio Defense10%

French Defense

With White: 4 games, won 3, drew 0, lost 1 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Tarrasch Variation2100%
Advance Variation1100%
Classical Variation10%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 15 games, won 5, drew 8, lost 2 · 60%

VariationGamesScore
Four Knights Variation450%
Richter-Rauzer Variation275%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack250%
Closed250%
Alapin Variation1100%
Najdorf Variation1100%
Dragon Variation150%
Delayed Alapin Variation150%
Moscow Variation150%

French Defense

With Black: 10 games, won 3, drew 5, lost 2 · 55%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation438%
Tarrasch Variation383%
Winawer Variation350%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation463%

Queen's Indian Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 1, drew 3, lost 0 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Fianchetto Variation250%
Petrosian Variation1100%
Spassky System150%

Semi-Slav Defense

With Black: 3 games, won 0, drew 2, lost 1 · 33%

VariationGamesScore
Stoltz Variation250%
Normal Variation10%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 20262/30−1
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20265/8+4+2
French Chess Championship 202613 Aug 20261½/2+5+5
European Individual Chess Championship 202619 Apr 2026=24th+1+1
Reykjavik Open 202631 Mar 2026=10th−4−4

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMV. Artemiev14 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252664
GMM. Karthikeyan28 Jul 2024 · Dole France Throphy Nextlane Grand Prix 20242627
GMM. Maurizzi12 Aug 2026 · French Chess Championship 20262619
GML. McShane9 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252614
GMY. Kuzubov8 Dec 2025 · IV President Cup Uzbekistan 20252610

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMV. StefanssonLast 15 Apr 2026 · European Individual Chess Championship 20262200
Y. SantiagoLast 31 Jul 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232110
GMR. PraggnanandhaaLast 3 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232011
GML. LodiciLast 6 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252020
GMA. IndjicLast 7 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252002

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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.