Players
Pentala Harikrishna
Photo: Lichess
GM

Pentala Harikrishna

IndiaBorn 1986 (age 40)FIDE ID 5007003

Luft classical

26002700280029002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2688
FIDE

FIDE classical

240026002800200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2659
Luft

Flair

Pentala Harikrishna'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

Pentala Harikrishna's classical titles

1 classical title, 1 medal, newest first

  • Asian Championship 

Attributes

Tactics 85Positional 83Endgame 85Openings 83Composure 91Defence 87Speed 80Consistency 88

Luft classical rating

2688No. 37

From 11 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2817 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2817 level, blended with their FIDE rating+26
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−1
Activity11 classical games in top events−6

Openings

Their most-played, from 66 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense961%
Ruy Lopez560%
English Opening367%
Zukertort Opening350%
Petrov's Defense2100%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 9 games, won 4, drew 3, lost 2 · 61%

VariationGamesScore
Moscow Variation275%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack250%
Modern Variations225%
Dragon Variation1100%
Richter-Rauzer Variation1100%
Chekhover Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense275%
Berlin Defense250%
Closed150%

English Opening

With White: 3 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 0 · 67%

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation250%
Agincourt Defense1100%

Zukertort Opening

With White: 3 games, won 1, drew 1, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Reversed Grünfeld250%
Main line150%

Petrov's Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Karklins-Martinovsky Variation1100%
Modern Attack1100%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 6 games, won 1, drew 4, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense333%
Morphy Defense275%
Closed150%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Two Knights Defense275%
Classical Variation250%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 3 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 0 · 67%

VariationGamesScore
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack275%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Three Knights Variation1100%
Charousek Variation150%

Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Modern Line150%
Exchange Variation150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
41st European Chess Club Cup 202623 Oct 20265/6+11+11
German Bundesliga 2025/2622 Mar 20262½/6−10−9
FIDE World Cup 202515 Nov 20255/8+3+2
European Chess Club Cup 202525 Oct 20253½/6−7−7
FIDE Grand Swiss 202515 Sep 2025=20th−5−6

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMA. Erigaisi18 Jan 2025 · Tata Steel Chess 20252801
GMYu Yangyi21 Oct 2026 · 41st European Chess Club Cup 20262704
GMA. Sarana31 Jan 2025 · Tata Steel Chess 20252677
GMM. Warmerdam21 Jan 2025 · Tata Steel Chess 20252646
GMI. Cheparinov14 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252627

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMT. NguyenLast 21 Jun 2023 · Prague Chess Festival2020
GMN. AbdusattorovLast 2 Feb 2025 · Tata Steel Chess 20252020
GMV. IvicLast 7 Dec 2025 · German Bundesliga 2025/262110
GMA. ErigaisiLast 18 Jan 2025 · Tata Steel Chess 20252200
GMGukesh D.Last 25 Jan 2025 · Tata Steel Chess 20252011

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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.