Players
Thai Dai Van Nguyen
Photo: Brigham Aldrich
GM

Thai Dai Van Nguyen

CzechiaBorn 2001 (age 25)FIDE ID 358878

Luft classical

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Monthly Luft ratings, now 2600
FIDE

FIDE classical

17502000225025002750201120142017202020232026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2623
Luft

Flair

Thai Dai Van Nguyen'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

Thai Dai Van Nguyen's classical titles

1 classical title, 1 medal, newest first

Attributes

Tactics 81Positional 79Endgame 83Openings 79Composure 77Defence 79Speed 75Consistency 86

Luft classical rating

2600No. 116

From 23 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2554 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2554 level, blended with their FIDE rating−25
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+7
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−3
Activity23 classical games in top events−2

Openings

Their most-played, from 120 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
English Opening956%
Ruy Lopez956%
Sicilian Defense658%
Nimzo-Indian Defense383%
Italian Game367%

English Opening

With White: 9 games, won 4, drew 2, lost 3 · 56%

VariationGamesScore
Agincourt Defense580%
Mikenas-Carls Variation150%
Symmetrical Variation150%
King's English Variation10%
Four Knights System10%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 9 games, won 2, drew 6, lost 1 · 56%

VariationGamesScore
Closed383%
Berlin Defense350%
Morphy Defense225%
Marshall Attack150%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 6 games, won 1, drew 5, lost 0 · 58%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation367%
Taimanov Variation250%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation275%
Normal Variation1100%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation1100%
Paris Defense1100%
Two Knights Defense10%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 10 games, won 2, drew 8, lost 0 · 60%

VariationGamesScore
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack367%
Najdorf Variation250%
Closed1100%
Moscow Variation150%
Modern Variations150%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%
Richter-Rauzer Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 7 games, won 0, drew 4, lost 3 · 29%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense350%
Closed30%
Morphy Defense150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 7 games, won 0, drew 4, lost 3 · 29%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation225%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense150%
Main line150%
Three Knights Variation150%
Barmen Variation10%
Ragozin Defense10%

Italian Game

With Black: 6 games, won 3, drew 1, lost 2 · 58%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation2100%
Giuoco Pianissimo275%
Two Knights Defense20%

Petrov's Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 3 · 13%

VariationGamesScore
Modern Attack225%
Classical Attack10%
French Attack10%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
sachy.cz Extraliga 2026/2731 Oct 2026½/1−2−2
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20264½/10−10−4
Tata Steel Chess 20261 Feb 202614th−22−17
FIDE World Cup 20258 Nov 20252½/4+5+7
European Team Chess Championship 202514 Oct 20253/8−12−13

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMR. Rapport5 Mar 2024 · Prague Chess Festival 20242720
GMP. Maghsoodloo4 Mar 2024 · Prague Chess Festival 20242717
GMN. Yakubboev20 Jan 2025 · Tata Steel Chess 20252659
GMM. Bartel29 Feb 2024 · Prague Chess Festival 20242650
GMY. Erdogmus28 Sep 2025 · German Bundesliga 2025/262646

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMN. AbdusattorovLast 20 Jan 2026 · Tata Steel Chess 20263003
GMN. GrandeliusLast 27 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20263030
GME. GurelLast 5 Mar 2025 · Prague International Chess Festival 20253111
GMV. KazakouskiLast 10 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20253120
GMPraggnanandhaa R.Last 19 Jan 2026 · Tata Steel Chess 20263021

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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.