Players
Polina Shuvalova
Photo: Stefan64, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
IM

Polina Shuvalova

FIDEBorn 2001 (age 25)FIDE ID 24171760

Playing now: Asian Nations Chess Cup 2026

Luft classical

24002500260027002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2509
FIDE

FIDE classical

2000220024002600201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2514
Luft

Flair

Polina Shuvalova's classical flairs

3 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Endgame SpecialistEndgame 80, from 11 endgames, among the best women
  • PositionalPositional 77, from 8 positional games they steered, among the best women
  • Fighter77% decisive: 15 wins, 5 losses
  • 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
  • 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
  • AdaptableTactics and Positional both 90+
  • PodiumTop 3 in at least half of their elite events
  • Endgame Specialist
  • Positional
  • Fighter

Trophy cabinet

No classical titles on record yet.

Attributes

Tactics 71Positional 77Endgame 80Openings 74Composure 68Defence 74Speed 63Consistency 75

Luft classical rating

2509No. 261

From 26 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2563 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2563 level, blended with their FIDE rating+11
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−5
Activity26 classical games in top events−1

Openings

Their most-played, from 67 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense1065%
French Defense383%
Nimzo-Indian Defense350%
Italian Game317%
Ruy Lopez2100%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation275%
Hyperaccelerated Dragon275%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack250%
Accelerated Dragon1100%
Kalashnikov Variation150%
Moscow Variation150%
Scheveningen Variation150%

French Defense

With White: 3 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 0 · 83%

VariationGamesScore
Winawer Variation275%
Steinitz Variation1100%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Normal Variation350%

Italian Game

With White: 3 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 2 · 17%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation225%
Giuoco Piano10%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense1100%
Closed1100%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 4 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Closed450%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 2, drew 0, lost 2 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation250%
Closed250%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Two Knights Defense438%

Scotch Game

With Black: 3 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 0 · 83%

VariationGamesScore
Scotch Gambit2100%
Schmidt Variation150%

Catalan Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed250%
Open Defense1100%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Asian Nations Chess Cup 202611 Nov 20261/1+3+3
41st European Chess Club Cup 202623 Oct 20264½/6+5+4
Oskemen Open 202629 Jul 2026=2nd+22+25
Aktobe Open 20269 Jun 2026½/4−10−10
FIDE World Team Championship 202523 Nov 20259½/10+29+32

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMI. Sokolov23 Mar 2024 · Grand Prix Romania 20242619
GMA. Mittal29 Jul 2026 · Oskemen Open 20262602
GMD. Makhnev28 Jul 2026 · Oskemen Open 20262562
GMV. Sivuk23 Jul 2026 · Oskemen Open 20262499
IMA. Kashlinskaya14 Apr 2025 · FIDE Grand Prix 2024/252496

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
IMN. SalimovaLast 11 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20254121
IMU. FataliyevaLast 23 Oct 2026 · 41st European Chess Club Cup 20263201
IML. JavakhishviliLast 13 Jul 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20253012
IMG. MammadovaLast 23 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Team Championship 20253210
GMH. KoneruLast 17 Apr 2025 · FIDE Grand Prix 2024/252011

Compare Luft

IMPolina ShuvalovaFIDE

Pick a player to compare with Polina Shuvalova

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.