Players
Sasa Martinovic
Photo: Yunfan Zhao
GM

Sasa Martinovic

CroatiaBorn 1991 (age 35)FIDE ID 14509792

Luft classical

250025502600265027002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2565
FIDE

FIDE classical

2000220024002600200320072011201520192023
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2547
Luft

Flair

Sasa Martinovic'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

Sasa Martinovic's classical titles

1 classical title, newest first

  • Croatian Championship 20201st
  • Croatian Championship 

Attributes

Tactics 71Positional 81Endgame 79Openings 80Composure 84Defence 79Speed 71Consistency 85

Luft classical rating

2565No. 154

From 28 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2612 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2612 level, blended with their FIDE rating+15
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year0
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+4
Activity28 classical games in top events−1

Openings

Their most-played, from 70 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Queen's Gambit Declined1254%
Catalan Opening367%
Queen's Gambit Accepted350%
Queen's Indian Defense275%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack275%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 12 games, won 1, drew 11, lost 0 · 54%

VariationGamesScore
Ragozin Defense550%
Harrwitz Attack250%
Exchange Variation250%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense250%
Tarrasch Defense1100%

Catalan Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense250%
Closed1100%

Queen's Gambit Accepted

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Defense1100%
Central Variation150%
Main line10%

Queen's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Kasparov-Petrosian Variation275%

Nimzo-Larsen Attack

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation275%

French Defense

With Black: 12 games, won 3, drew 6, lost 3 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation520%
Tarrasch Variation463%
Exchange Variation275%
Steinitz Variation1100%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 8 games, won 0, drew 7, lost 1 · 44%

VariationGamesScore
Main line350%
Barmen Variation250%
Exchange Variation225%
Queen's Knight Variation150%

King's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Fianchetto Variation225%
Semi-Averbakh System150%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Sozin Attack1100%
Old Sicilian1100%

Catalan Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense250%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 20261½/3−1−4
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20267½/10+5+4
German Bundesliga 2025/2626 Apr 20267½/1400
Austrian Bundesliga 2025/2618 Apr 20265½/8+9+8
European Team Chess Championship 202514 Oct 20254/8−8−7

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMV. Onyshchuk28 Feb 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262600
GMJ. Pechac24 Nov 2023 · Austrian Bundesliga 20232571
GMF. Blohberger21 Mar 2024 · Austrian Bundesliga 20232531
IMD. Quizon18 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242490
GMD. Shengelia18 Apr 2026 · Austrian Bundesliga 2025/262489

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMA. DonchenkoLast 11 Jan 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/263030
GMD. StojanovicLast 15 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242110
GMG. PappLast 23 Mar 2023 · Österreichische Bundesliga 20222011
GMP. MichalikLast 25 Nov 2023 · Austrian Bundesliga 20232020
GMM. RaggerLast 13 Dec 2025 · Austrian Bundesliga 2025/262020

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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.