Players
Rachael Li
Photo: Charlotte Chess Center
WIM

Rachael Li

United StatesBorn 2010 (age 16)FIDE ID 30929849

Luft classical

20002200240026002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2448
FIDE

FIDE classical

1500175020002250250020172019202120232025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2430
Luft

Flair

Rachael Li's classical flairs

3 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Chameleon7 different defences in 8 games with black, among the best women
  • RisingRating increased by +123 over the last 12 months
  • Fighter76% decisive: 8 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
  • 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
  • WildcardBrilliant one event, off the next: hard to predict
  • ReliableConsistent across all top events
  • AdaptableTactics and Positional both 90+
  • PositionalPositional 90+: slow, quiet games they steered
  • PodiumTop 3 in at least half of their elite events
  • Chameleon
  • Rising
  • Fighter

Trophy cabinet

Rachael Li's classical titles

1 classical title, newest first

Attributes

Tactics 73Positional 73Endgame 70Openings 69Composure 70Defence 76Speed 58Consistency 68

Luft classical rating

2448No. 357

From 17 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2558 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2558 level, blended with their FIDE rating+13
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+9
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event0
Activity17 classical games in top events−4

Openings

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

OpeningGamesScore
Zukertort Opening3100%
Sicilian Defense333%
English Opening1100%
Vienna Game1100%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack150%

Zukertort Opening

With White: 3 games, won 3, drew 0, lost 0 · 100%

VariationGamesScore
Main line2100%
Nimzo-Larsen Variation1100%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 3 games, won 1, drew 0, lost 2 · 33%

VariationGamesScore
Closed20%
Four Knights Variation1100%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Agincourt Defense1100%

Vienna Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Falkbeer Variation1100%

Nimzo-Larsen Attack

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation150%

Caro-Kann Defense

With Black: 2 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 1 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation150%
Endgame Offer10%

Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Wade-Tartakower Defense1100%

Queen's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Kasparov-Petrosian Variation1100%

Modern Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line150%

Bogo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Retreat Variation150%

Recent events

EventPlace+/−+/−
U.S. Chess Championships 202621 Oct 20261st+50+51
American Cup 20267 Mar 20261½/6−27−24

Best wins

OpponentRating
IMA. Lee15 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262467
GMI. Krush9 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262404
WGMJ. Yu14 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262354
IMA. Sargsyan11 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262332
IMR. Atwell20 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262325

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
IMA. LeeLast 15 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20263102
GMI. KrushLast 9 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20263201
IMT. AbrahamyanLast 17 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20263021
WGMT. Cervantes LandeiroLast 10 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20261001
IMA. SargsyanLast 11 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20261100

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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.