Players
Niclas Huschenbeth
Photo: Stefan64, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Niclas Huschenbeth

GermanyBorn 1992 (age 34)FIDE ID 24604747

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2588
FIDE

FIDE classical

20002200240026002800200420082012201620202024
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2580
Luft

Flair

Niclas Huschenbeth's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Black Belt6/9 with black (67%), against 46% with white
  • 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
  • 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
  • Black Belt

Trophy cabinet

Niclas Huschenbeth's classical titles

2 classical titles, newest first

  • German Championship 20191st
  • German Championship 20101st
  • German Championship×2

Attributes

Tactics 78Positional 83Endgame 83Openings 78Composure 75Defence 75Speed 76Consistency 79

Luft classical rating

2588No. 124

From 21 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2583 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2583 level, blended with their FIDE rating+1
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event0
Activity21 classical games in top events−3

Openings

Their most-played, from 76 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense1065%
Ruy Lopez1065%
Italian Game939%
Caro-Kann Defense540%
Petrov's Defense275%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 10 games, won 4, drew 5, lost 1 · 65%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation350%
Four Knights Variation2100%
Accelerated Dragon1100%
Moscow Variation1100%
Taimanov Variation150%
Closed150%
Richter-Rauzer Variation10%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 10 games, won 4, drew 5, lost 1 · 65%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense475%
Morphy Defense367%
Open250%
Closed150%

Italian Game

With White: 9 games, won 1, drew 5, lost 3 · 39%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation333%
Giuoco Pianissimo275%
Two Knights Defense20%
Paris Defense150%
Giuoco Piano150%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation333%
Endgame Offer150%
Two Knights Attack150%

Petrov's Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Attack1100%
French Attack150%

Petrov's Defense

With Black: 6 games, won 0, drew 5, lost 1 · 42%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Attack350%
Modern Attack250%
Millennium Attack10%

Queen's Gambit Accepted

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Defense367%
Furman Variation150%

Four Knights Game

With Black: 4 games, won 0, drew 4, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Scotch Variation Accepted250%
Spanish Variation250%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 4 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 1 · 38%

VariationGamesScore
Open350%
Morphy Defense10%

Queen's Pawn Game

With Black: 4 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 1 · 38%

VariationGamesScore
London System438%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 20262/3+5+4
German Chess Championship 202625 Jul 20262½/7−11−11
German Bundesliga 2025/2626 Apr 20263½/7−1+1
Austrian Bundesliga 2025/2619 Apr 20264/6+9+11
FIDE World Cup 20255 Nov 20252/40+3

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMD. Navara25 Oct 2023 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20232689
GMN. Abasov25 Mar 2023 · Österreichische Bundesliga 20222646
GMD. Kollars22 Jul 2026 · German Chess Championship 20262634
GMR. Svane21 Aug 2024 · German Championships & Masters 20242633
GMK. Venkataraman17 Apr 2026 · Austrian Bundesliga 2025/262594

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMM. RaggerLast 15 Apr 2026 · Austrian Bundesliga 2025/264040
GMD. NavaraLast 25 Oct 2023 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20233120
GMD. KollarsLast 22 Jul 2026 · German Chess Championship 20263120
GMR. SvaneLast 20 Jul 2026 · German Chess Championship 20263111
GML. CostaLast 17 Jul 2026 · German Chess Championship 20263120

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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.