Players
IM

Samuel-Timotei Ghimpu

RomaniaBorn 2003 (age 23)FIDE ID 1238175

Luft classical

23002400250026002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2479
FIDE

FIDE classical

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Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2482
Luft

Flair

Samuel-Timotei Ghimpu'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

No classical titles on record yet.

Attributes

Tactics 72Positional 72Endgame 82Openings 70Composure 77Defence 72Speed 63Consistency 71

Luft classical rating

2479No. 310

From 17 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2551 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2551 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 event0
Activity17 classical games in top events−4

Openings

Their most-played, from 20 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense463%
King's Indian Attack275%
Scandinavian Defense1100%
Trompowsky Attack150%
Center Game150%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 4 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 1 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Chekhover Variation250%
Najdorf Variation1100%
Alapin Variation150%

King's Indian Attack

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line275%

Scandinavian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Main Line1100%

Trompowsky Attack

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Defense150%

Center Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Hall Variation150%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation333%

Catalan Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense225%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation150%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Alapin Variation150%

French Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Tarrasch Variation150%

Recent events

EventPlace+/−+/−
Romanian Team Chess Championships 202611 Oct 20261/3−3−4
Brasov Grand Prix Classic 202629 Jul 2026½/2−1−2
European Individual Chess Championship 202619 Apr 2026=53rd+19+18
Hastings International Chess Congress 202531 Dec 20252½/4+7+7
Grand Prix Romania 20248 Aug 20241½/7−5−9

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMI. Kovalenko8 Apr 2026 · European Individual Chess Championship 20262685
GME. Can13 Apr 2026 · European Individual Chess Championship 20262546
GMR. Kempinski16 Apr 2026 · European Individual Chess Championship 20262527
IMA. Kuru30 Dec 2025 · Hastings International Chess Congress 20252449

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMD. GavrilescuLast 14 Apr 2026 · European Individual Chess Championship 20262011
GMA. IstratescuLast 24 Mar 2024 · Grand Prix Romania 20241001
GMNarayanan S L.Last 13 Jun 2024 · Grand Prix Romania 20241001
GMB. GleduraLast 14 Jun 2024 · Grand Prix Romania 20241010
GMM. WarmerdamLast 19 Jul 2024 · Grand Prix Romania 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.