Players
Wei Yi
Photo: Frans Peeters, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Wei Yi

ChinaBorn 1999 (age 27)FIDE ID 8603405

Luft classical

26002700280029002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2767
FIDE

FIDE classical

2200240026002800200920122015201820212024
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2761
Luft

Flair

Wei Yi's classical flairs

4 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Lightning#16 at speed chess (blitz 2714, rapid 2723)
  • Black Belt13/21 with black (62%), against 60% with white
  • TacticianTactics 93, from 14 sharp games they made sharp
  • Fortress28 games in a row without a loss
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Lightning
  • Black Belt
  • Tactician

Trophy cabinet

Wei Yi's classical titles

5 classical titles, newest first

  • Tata Steel Masters 20241st · 8½/13 · Perf. 2821
  • Asian Championship 20181st
  • Chinese Championship 20171st
  • Chinese Championship 20161st
  • Chinese Championship 20151st

Attributes

Tactics 93Positional 87Endgame 86Openings 89Composure 98Defence 90Speed 89Consistency 98

Luft classical rating

2767No. 8

From 42 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2757 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2757 level, blended with their FIDE rating−2
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+2
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+2
Activity42 classical games in top events+4

Openings

Their most-played, from 114 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Italian Game1365%
Sicilian Defense863%
Ruy Lopez757%
French Defense650%
Four Knights Game560%

Italian Game

With White: 13 games, won 5, drew 7, lost 1 · 65%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation764%
Two Knights Defense463%
Giuoco Pianissimo275%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 8 games, won 3, drew 4, lost 1 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation275%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation1100%
Accelerated Dragon1100%
French Variation150%
Four Knights Variation150%
Taimanov Variation150%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack10%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 7 games, won 1, drew 6, lost 0 · 57%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense350%
Closed275%
Morphy Defense150%
Marshall Attack150%

French Defense

With White: 6 games, won 0, drew 6, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Steinitz Variation250%
Winawer Variation250%
Tarrasch Variation150%
Rubinstein Variation150%

Four Knights Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Spanish Variation463%
Scotch Variation Accepted150%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 9 games, won 4, drew 3, lost 2 · 61%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation350%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack2100%
Modern Variations250%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation1100%
Moscow Variation10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 9 games, won 0, drew 7, lost 2 · 39%

VariationGamesScore
Semi-Tarrasch Defense438%
Ragozin Defense438%
Main line150%

Catalan Opening

With Black: 7 games, won 0, drew 7, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense550%
Main line150%
Closed150%

Petrov's Defense

With Black: 6 games, won 1, drew 4, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Modern Attack367%
Nimzowitsch Attack225%
Millennium Attack150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 1 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Romanishin Variation1100%
Normal Variation1100%
Sämisch Variation150%
Classical Variation10%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
2026 Chinese Chess League Division A31 Oct 20263½/6−3−4
41st European Chess Club Cup 202623 Oct 20266/7+4+3
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20267½/10+6+9
FIDE Candidates 202615 Apr 20264th−1+10
FIDE World Cup 202525 Nov 20258½/14+2+9

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMI. Nepomniachtchi23 Jan 2024 · Tata Steel Masters 20242769
GMS. Vidit28 Jan 2024 · Tata Steel Masters 20242742
GMP. Maghsoodloo16 Jan 2024 · Tata Steel Masters 20242740
GMM. Tabatabaei20 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242714
GMS. Sevian15 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20252701

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMGukesh D.Last 5 Jun 2025 · Norway Chess 20255023
GMPraggnanandhaa R.Last 8 Apr 2026 · FIDE Candidates 20265050
GMA. GiriLast 12 Apr 2026 · FIDE Candidates 20265050
GMF. CaruanaLast 9 Apr 2026 · FIDE Candidates 20265023
GMA. ErigaisiLast 18 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20255050

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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.