Players
GM

Nikita Afanasiev

RussiaBorn 2000 (age 26)FIDE ID 24183555

Luft classical

24002500260027002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2547
FIDE

FIDE classical

18002000220024002600201120142017202020232026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2527
Luft

Flair

Nikita Afanasiev'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 76Positional 81Endgame 79Openings 75Composure 74Defence 75Speed 73Consistency 81

Luft classical rating

2547No. 189

From 14 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2611 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2611 level, blended with their FIDE rating+15
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+7
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+3
Activity14 classical games in top events−5

Openings

Their most-played, from 17 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
English Opening488%
King's Indian Defense1100%
King's Indian Attack1100%
Queen's Gambit Declined1100%
Italian Game150%

English Opening

With White: 4 games, won 3, drew 1, lost 0 · 88%

VariationGamesScore
Agincourt Defense2100%
King's English Variation1100%
Anglo-Indian Defense150%

King's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Fianchetto Variation1100%

King's Indian Attack

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

VariationGamesScore
Sicilian Variation1100%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Anti-Tartakower Variation1100%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Two Knights Defense150%

French Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed150%

King's Indian Attack

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

VariationGamesScore
Keres Variation150%

Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
London System150%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation150%

Recent events

EventPlace+/−+/−
1st Chola Chess Open International Grandmasters Chess Tournament 20267 Nov 2026=6th+6+4
Oskemen Open 202629 Jul 2026=5th+3+3
First League of Serbia 202528 Sep 20256½/11+8+10
Almaty Region Open Qonaev Cup 202512 Aug 20254½/8+5+3

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMR. Markus26 Sep 2025 · First League of Serbia 20252553
GMM. Gharibyan7 Nov 2026 · 1st Chola Chess Open International Grandmasters Chess Tournament 20262493
IMM. Suyarov12 Aug 2025 · Almaty Region Open Qonaev Cup 20252488
IMN. Chasin19 Sep 2025 · First League of Serbia 20252474
GML. Paichadze3 Nov 2026 · 1st Chola Chess Open International Grandmasters Chess Tournament 20262471

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
IMA. IsanzhulovLast 4 Aug 2025 · Almaty Region Open Qonaev Cup 20251010
IMLee JunhyeokLast 5 Aug 2025 · Almaty Region Open Qonaev Cup 20251100
GMA. HakobyanLast 6 Aug 2025 · Almaty Region Open Qonaev Cup 20251001
FME. SuleimenLast 8 Aug 2025 · Almaty Region Open Qonaev Cup 20251010
IMR. KezinLast 9 Aug 2025 · Almaty Region Open Qonaev Cup 20251100

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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.