Players
Olga Zimina
Photo: Frank Hoppe, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
IM

Olga Zimina

ItalyBorn 1982 (age 44)FIDE ID 4132190

Luft classical

22002300240025002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2256
FIDE

FIDE classical

22002300240025002600201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2284
Luft

Flair

Olga Zimina's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Underdog3 wins against players rated 50+ higher
  • TitanLuft classical rating averaging 2800+ over the last 4 years
  • Serial WinnerWon 2+ elite events in the last 12 months
  • 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
  • Underdog

Trophy cabinet

Olga Zimina's classical titles

6 classical titles, newest first

  • Italian Championship 20251st
  • Italian Championship 20231st
  • Italian Championship 20221st
  • Italian Championship 20201st
  • Italian Championship 20171st
  • Russian Championship 20011st
  • Russian Championship 
  • Italian Championship×5

Attributes

Tactics 58Positional 59Endgame 66Openings 57Composure 46Defence 69Speed 50Consistency 34

Luft classical rating

2256No. 483

From 16 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2226 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2226 level, blended with their FIDE rating−5
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−8
Activity16 classical games in top events−5

Openings

Their most-played, from 21 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Queen's Pawn Game530%
English Opening30%
Catalan Opening275%
Tarrasch Defense150%
Indian Defense10%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation225%
London System225%
Barry Attack150%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Agincourt Defense20%
Symmetrical Variation10%

Catalan Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed1100%
Open Defense150%

Tarrasch Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation150%

Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
London System10%

Slav Defense

With Black: 2 games, won 1, drew 0, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Modern Line1100%
Exchange Variation10%

Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Anti-Nimzo-Indian1100%

Réti Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Anglo-Slav Variation1100%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation1100%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed1100%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20263½/9−41−46
25th European Chess Championship 20265 Jun 2026=7th+40+40
Mitropa Cup 20268 May 20261/20+1
Italian Team Championship 202627 Apr 2026½/2−11−11
European Team Chess Championship 202514 Oct 20254½/8+1+5

Best wins

OpponentRating
IML. Javakhishvili3 Jun 2026 · 25th European Chess Championship 20262442
GMB. Khotenashvili27 May 2026 · 25th European Chess Championship 20262415
WGMM. Mkrtchyan4 Jun 2026 · 25th European Chess Championship 20262365
IMA. Matnadze Bujiashvili7 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252321
WGME. Mirzoeva14 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252300

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
WIMZ. UrhLast 5 May 2026 · Mitropa Cup 20262110
GMA. UsheninaLast 27 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262002
WGMN. TonchevaLast 18 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262011
WCMG. NevskaLast 11 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20241100
WIMG. VargasLast 12 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20241010

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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.