Players
Vitaly Sivuk
Photo: Hans D Post
GM

Vitaly Sivuk

SwedenBorn 1992 (age 34)FIDE ID 14116502

Luft classical

24002500260027002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2461
FIDE

FIDE classical

2000220024002600200520092013201720212025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2481
Luft

Flair

Vitaly Sivuk'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

Vitaly Sivuk's classical titles

2 classical titles, newest first

  • Swedish Championship 20241st
  • Swedish Championship 20231st
  • Swedish Championship×2

Attributes

Tactics 74Positional 70Endgame 78Openings 69Composure 66Defence 73Speed 66Consistency 72

Luft classical rating

2461No. 338

From 22 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2421 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2421 level, blended with their FIDE rating−14
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+4
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−7
Activity22 classical games in top events−3

Openings

Their most-played, from 56 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense650%
English Opening560%
Queen's Gambit Declined438%
Nimzo-Indian Defense367%
Catalan Opening275%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Alapin Variation1100%
Chekhover Variation1100%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack150%
Accelerated Dragon150%
Taimanov Variation10%
Main line10%

English Opening

With White: 5 games, won 1, drew 4, lost 0 · 60%

VariationGamesScore
Agincourt Defense250%
King's English Variation250%
Neo-Catalan1100%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 4 games, won 1, drew 1, lost 2 · 38%

VariationGamesScore
Ragozin Defense250%
Barmen Variation150%
Three Knights Variation10%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Normal Variation250%
St. Petersburg Variation1100%

Catalan Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed275%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 4 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 1 · 38%

VariationGamesScore
Closed438%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 4 games, won 1, drew 0, lost 3 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation333%
Ragozin Defense10%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation1100%
Agincourt Defense150%

Caro-Kann Defense

With Black: 2 games, won 1, drew 0, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation250%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
O'Kelly Variation150%
Accelerated Dragon10%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Allsvenskan 26/27 (Swedish Team Championship)7 Nov 2026½/1−1−1
Atyrau Open 202617 Oct 2026½/3−9−7
Fagernes International Autumn 202610 Oct 20262½/5+1+3
Oskemen Open 202629 Jul 2026=34th−12−13
Aktobe Open 202611 Jun 20262/4−10

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMF. Peralta19 May 2024 · Sharjah2573
IMJ. Klimkowski18 May 2024 · Sharjah2517
IML. Zverev28 Aug 2025 · Fujairah Global 20252471
IMR. Faizrakhmanov22 Jul 2026 · Oskemen Open 20262433
IMU. Akbas27 Aug 2025 · Fujairah Global 20252425

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GML. YankelevichLast 29 May 2025 · Norway Chess Open 20252110
IMD. SapenovLast 9 Aug 2025 · Almaty Region Open Qonaev Cup 20252011
IMR. ShogdzhievLast 28 Jul 2026 · Oskemen Open 20262101
GMM. MatlakovLast 14 Oct 2026 · Atyrau Open 20262020
GMN. YakubboevLast 14 May 2024 · Sharjah1010

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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.