Players
Meng Yihan
Photo: Vivian Passig
IM

Meng Yihan

ChinaBorn 2009 (age 17)FIDE ID 8631891

Playing now: Asian Nations Chess Cup 2026

Luft classical

180020002200240026002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2518
FIDE

FIDE classical

180020002200240026002020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2473
Luft

Flair

Meng Yihan's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • RisingRating increased by +66 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Rising

Trophy cabinet

No classical titles on record yet.

Attributes

Tactics 73Positional 75Endgame 82Openings 75Composure 82Defence 73Speed 69Consistency 79

Luft classical rating

2518No. 242

From 12 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2685 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2685 level, blended with their FIDE rating+50
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−2
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+3
Activity12 classical games in top events−6

Openings

Their most-played, from 24 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense530%
Italian Game383%
Philidor Defense1100%
Ruy Lopez150%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 5 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 2 · 30%

VariationGamesScore
Dragon Variation150%
Richter-Rauzer Variation150%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%
Four Knights Variation10%
Kan Variation10%

Italian Game

With White: 3 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 0 · 83%

VariationGamesScore
Two Knights Defense275%
Giuoco Pianissimo1100%

Philidor Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line1100%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense150%

Queen's Gambit Accepted

With Black: 5 games, won 1, drew 4, lost 0 · 60%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Defense367%
Central Variation150%
Furman Variation150%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line150%
Symmetrical Variation10%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation1100%

Nimzo-Larsen Attack

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation150%

London System

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

VariationGamesScore
Poisoned Pawn Variation150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Asian Nations Chess Cup 202613 Nov 20263/5−1−4
2026 Chinese Chess League Division A31 Oct 20266½/11+24+21
Asian Individual Chess Championship 20263 Jun 2026=9th+1+1
2026 Chinese Team Chess Championship27 Apr 2026=8th+10+10
2025 Chinese Chess League Division A 中国国际象棋甲级联赛26 Oct 20257½/14+10+10

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMBu Xiangzhi29 Oct 2026 · 2026 Chinese Chess League Division A2651
GMWang Yue26 Jun 2026 · 2026 Chinese Chess League Division A2623
GMZhao Jun27 Aug 2025 · 2025 Chinese Chess League Division A 中国国际象棋甲级联赛2532
IMChen Qi23 Apr 2026 · 2026 Chinese Team Chess Championship2484
Zhang Di19 Apr 2026 · 2026 Chinese Team Chess Championship2460

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
Huang RenjieLast 30 Oct 2026 · 2026 Chinese Chess League Division A3030
GMXu JunLast 18 Oct 2025 · 2025 Chinese Chess League Division A 中国国际象棋甲级联赛3030
GMBu XiangzhiLast 29 Oct 2026 · 2026 Chinese Chess League Division A3111
IMWang ShixuLast 30 Aug 2025 · 2025 Chinese Chess League Division A 中国国际象棋甲级联赛2110
GMZeng ChongshengLast 25 Jun 2026 · 2026 Chinese Chess League Division A2011

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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.