Players
Sam Shankland
Photo: Brigham Aldrich
GM

Sam Shankland

United StatesBorn 1991 (age 35)FIDE ID 2004887

Luft classical

260026502700275028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2646
FIDE

FIDE classical

220024002600280020082012201620202024
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2648
Luft

Flair

Sam Shankland'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

Sam Shankland's classical titles

1 classical title, newest first

  • U.S. Championship 20181st
  • U.S. Championship 

Attributes

Tactics 75Positional 83Endgame 83Openings 84Composure 83Defence 87Speed 80Consistency 81

Luft classical rating

2646No. 67

From 31 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2635 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2635 level, blended with their FIDE rating−5
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+2
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+1
Activity31 classical games in top events0

Openings

Their most-played, from 80 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense950%
Queen's Pawn Game463%
Ruy Lopez463%
Queen's Gambit Declined425%
Italian Game383%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 9 games, won 2, drew 5, lost 2 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
French Variation275%
Najdorf Variation250%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack250%
Four Knights Variation150%
O'Kelly Variation150%
Richter-Rauzer Variation10%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Colle System250%
London System1100%
Zukertort Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed367%
Morphy Defense150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 4 games, won 0, drew 2, lost 2 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation225%
Ragozin Defense150%
Three Knights Variation10%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation383%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 11 games, won 2, drew 6, lost 3 · 45%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation317%
Moscow Variation250%
French Variation1100%
Scheveningen Variation1100%
Four Knights Variation150%
Richter-Rauzer Variation150%
Dragon Variation150%
Closed10%

King's Indian Defense

With Black: 8 games, won 4, drew 2, lost 2 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Orthodox Variation463%
Normal Variation2100%
Semi-Averbakh System150%
Main line10%

English Opening

With Black: 6 games, won 2, drew 4, lost 0 · 67%

VariationGamesScore
Anglo-Indian Defense463%
Symmetrical Variation1100%
Great Snake Variation150%

Zukertort Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Quiet System250%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense150%
Berlin Defense10%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
U.S. Chess Championships 202621 Oct 20269th+2+2
KazChess Masters Almaty 20268 Jul 20265/9−7−4
V Open Chess Menorca 202612 Apr 2026=3rd−4−5
FIDE World Cup 202518 Nov 20256/10+15+18
FIDE Grand Swiss 202515 Sep 2025=51st−6−7

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMLe Quang Liem5 Mar 2025 · Prague International Chess Festival 20252739
GMH. Niemann17 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262717
GMS. Sevian20 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262708
GMJ. Xiong11 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262656
GMM. Chigaev8 Jul 2026 · KazChess Masters Almaty 20262648

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
IMA. AnsatLast 30 Jun 2026 · KazChess Masters Almaty 20263120
GMI. SchitcoLast 3 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232011
GMT. NguyenLast 27 Feb 2025 · Prague International Chess Festival 20252020
GMA. MittalLast 30 Aug 2025 · Fujairah Global 20252110
GMC. AravindhLast 1 Mar 2025 · Prague International Chess Festival 20252020

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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.