Players
Vahap Sanal
Photo: Türkiye Satranç Federasyonu
GM

Vahap Sanal

TürkiyeBorn 1998 (age 28)FIDE ID 6300545

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2539
FIDE

FIDE classical

1750200022502500275020082012201620202024
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2554
Luft

Flair

Vahap Sanal'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

Vahap Sanal's classical titles

3 classical titles, 1 medal, newest first

  • Turkish Championship 20241st
  • European Team Championship 2021Bronze, board 4 · Turkey
  • Turkish Championship 20201st
  • Turkish Championship 20191st
  • Turkish Championship×3

Attributes

Tactics 77Positional 79Endgame 77Openings 75Composure 77Defence 76Speed 75Consistency 80

Luft classical rating

2539No. 201

From 18 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2527 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2527 level, blended with their FIDE rating−5
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−4
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−2
Activity18 classical games in top events−4

Openings

Their most-played, from 87 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense939%
Zukertort Opening463%
Italian Game350%
Ruy Lopez350%
Trompowsky Attack2100%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 9 games, won 2, drew 3, lost 4 · 39%

VariationGamesScore
French Variation2100%
Moscow Variation250%
Modern Variations20%
Four Knights Variation150%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack10%
Najdorf Variation10%

Zukertort Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Nimzo-Larsen Variation250%
Sicilian Invitation1100%
Quiet System150%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Giuoco Pianissimo350%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense1100%
Berlin Defense150%
Closed10%

Trompowsky Attack

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line2100%

Italian Game

With Black: 10 games, won 6, drew 3, lost 1 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Giuoco Pianissimo475%
Classical Variation475%
Evans Gambit Declined1100%
Giuoco Piano150%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 9 games, won 1, drew 6, lost 2 · 44%

VariationGamesScore
Closed560%
Berlin Defense425%

Semi-Slav Defense

With Black: 6 games, won 2, drew 2, lost 2 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Main line560%
Normal Variation10%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 5 games, won 0, drew 5, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Kan Variation250%
Godiva Variation150%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack150%
Closed150%

Four Knights Game

With Black: 4 games, won 2, drew 2, lost 0 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Scotch Variation Accepted367%
Spanish Variation1100%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202626 Sep 20263½/60+1
European Individual Chess Championship 202619 Apr 2026=89th−10−13
Reykjavik Open 202631 Mar 2026=3rd+7+7
European Team Chess Championship 202513 Oct 20254½/7+8+8
Fujairah Global 20251 Sep 20253½/6−5−3

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMN. Abdusattorov3 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232725
GMD. Yuffa7 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252621
GMF. Peralta26 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262553
GMJ. Subelj10 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252545
Z. Kozul30 Jul 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232532

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMV. IvanchukLast 31 Mar 2026 · Reykjavik Open 20263030
Z. KozulLast 31 Jul 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232101
GMN. AbdusattorovLast 3 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232110
GMA. KorobovLast 6 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232020
GME. BlomqvistLast 9 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252200

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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.