Players
Stepan Zilka
Photo: This photo was taken by Krzysztof SzelągAutorem zdjęcia jest, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Stepan Zilka

CzechiaBorn 1988 (age 38)FIDE ID 315303

Luft classical

240025002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2524
FIDE

FIDE classical

2200240026002800200120062011201620212026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2528
Luft

Flair

Stepan Zilka'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

No classical titles on record yet.

Attributes

Tactics 76Positional 80Endgame 78Openings 71Composure 75Defence 75Speed 67Consistency 82

Luft classical rating

2524No. 226

From 12 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2570 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2570 level, blended with their FIDE rating+6
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−6
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+2
Activity12 classical games in top events−6

Openings

Their most-played, from 60 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Ruy Lopez881%
Sicilian Defense550%
Queen's Gambit Declined333%
French Defense275%
Caro-Kann Defense275%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 8 games, won 5, drew 3, lost 0 · 81%

VariationGamesScore
Closed2100%
Berlin Defense2100%
Morphy Defense275%
Marshall Attack150%
Schliemann Defense150%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 5 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 2 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Scheveningen Variation1100%
Four Knights Variation1100%
Smith-Morra Gambit150%
Najdorf Variation10%
Moscow Variation10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line225%
Orthodox Defense150%

French Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation1100%
Winawer Variation150%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Endgame Variation1100%
Two Knights Attack150%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line1100%
Moscow Variation1100%
Chekhover Variation10%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation275%
Giuoco Pianissimo150%

Catalan Opening

With Black: 3 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense350%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
London System150%
Colle System150%
Levitsky Attack10%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense225%
Berlin Defense150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 20261½/30−1
German Bundesliga 2025/2626 Apr 20265½/11+8+7
German Bundesliga 2024/2527 Apr 20255/11+2+1
Austrian Bundesliga 2024/256 Apr 20253/6+10
45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 202422 Sep 20244½/9−22−23

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMN. Vitiugov26 Nov 2023 · Austrian Bundesliga 20232688
GME. L'Ami22 Oct 2023 · Bundesliga 2023/242636
GML. McShane12 Nov 2023 · European Team Championship2626
GMG. Kamsky11 Jan 2025 · German Bundesliga 2024/252611
GMA. Kozak24 Nov 2023 · Austrian Bundesliga 20232607

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
IMM. LokanderLast 2 Feb 2025 · German Bundesliga 2024/252020
GME. L'AmiLast 21 Mar 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262110
GMR. VogelLast 6 Apr 2025 · Austrian Bundesliga 2024/252101
GMV. DragnevLast 6 Dec 2025 · German Bundesliga 2025/262020
GMZ. EfimenkoLast 9 Oct 2026 · German Bundesliga 2026/272011

Compare Luft

GMStepan ZilkaCzechia

Pick a player to compare with Stepan Zilka

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.