Players
Nderim Saraci
Photo: Yunfan Zhao
IM

Nderim Saraci

KosovoBorn 1996 (age 30)FIDE ID 6351921

Luft classical

23002400250026002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2462
FIDE

FIDE classical

2000220024002600201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2454
Luft

Flair

Nderim Saraci's classical flairs

0 of 19 earned 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
  • 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

No classical flair in the last year yet.

Trophy cabinet

No classical titles on record yet.

Attributes

Tactics 70Positional 72Endgame 76Openings 72Composure 71Defence 74Speed 66Consistency 66

Luft classical rating

2462No. 335

From 11 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2509 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2509 level, blended with their FIDE rating+10
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+4
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event0
Activity11 classical games in top events−6

Openings

Their most-played, from 36 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
French Defense2100%
Queen's Pawn Game275%
Sicilian Defense250%
King's Indian Defense250%
Slav Defense225%

French Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Winawer Variation1100%
Paulsen Variation1100%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation1100%
London System150%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Four Knights Variation150%
Alapin Variation150%

King's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Orthodox Variation150%
Exchange Variation150%

Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation225%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 5 games, won 0, drew 2, lost 3 · 20%

VariationGamesScore
Closed425%
Morphy Defense10%

French Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation150%
Exchange Variation150%
Rubinstein Variation150%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Accelerated Dragon10%
Chekhover Variation10%
Closed10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation150%
Harrwitz Attack10%

Catalan Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed10%
Open Defense10%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
41st European Chess Club Cup 202623 Oct 20265/7+9+8
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20266/11−7−9
European Individual Chess Championship 202614 Apr 2026=340th−5−3
European Chess Club Cup 202521 Oct 20251½/2+8+8
European Team Chess Championship 202513 Oct 20255/8+9+9

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMB. Gelfand18 Oct 2026 · 41st European Chess Club Cup 20262641
GMV. Stefansson7 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252506
GMN. Djukic23 Oct 2026 · 41st European Chess Club Cup 20262464
J. Jomon24 Jul 2023 · Biel Festival 20232409
IMH. Ra23 Jul 2023 · Biel Festival 20232406

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMV. IvanchukLast 14 Apr 2026 · European Individual Chess Championship 20262002
IMH. RaLast 23 Jul 2023 · Biel Festival 20231100
J. JomonLast 24 Jul 2023 · Biel Festival 20231100
GMA. ChopraLast 25 Jul 2023 · Biel Festival 20231001
WGMHuang QianLast 27 Jul 2023 · Biel Festival 20231010

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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.