Players
Xeniya Balabayeva
Photo: Türkiye Satranç Federasyonu
WGM

Xeniya Balabayeva

KazakhstanBorn 2005 (age 21)FIDE ID 13719688

Playing now: Asian Nations Chess Cup 2026

Luft classical

210022002300240025002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2387
FIDE

FIDE classical

1600180020002200240020172019202120232025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2396
Luft

Flair

Xeniya Balabayeva'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

Xeniya Balabayeva's classical titles

0 classical titles, 1 medal, newest first

Attributes

Tactics 72Positional 63Endgame 68Openings 71Composure 67Defence 70Speed 54Consistency 49

Luft classical rating

2387No. 403

From 28 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2252 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2252 level, blended with their FIDE rating−10
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−8
Activity28 classical games in top events−1

Openings

Their most-played, from 46 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Nimzo-Indian Defense933%
Queen's Gambit Declined875%
Queen's Pawn Game275%
Semi-Slav Defense275%
Indian Defense1100%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With White: 9 games, won 2, drew 2, lost 5 · 33%

VariationGamesScore
Sämisch Variation333%
St. Petersburg Variation317%
Three Knights Variation1100%
Normal Variation150%
Rubinstein System10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 8 games, won 5, drew 2, lost 1 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation350%
Ragozin Defense2100%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense1100%
Queen's Knight Variation1100%
Harrwitz Attack150%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
London System275%

Semi-Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Accelerated Move Order1100%
Marshall Gambit150%

Indian Defense

With White: 1 game, won 1, drew 0, lost 0 · 100%

VariationGamesScore
Accelerated London System1100%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 6 games, won 1, drew 1, lost 4 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense530%
Closed10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 5 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 4 · 10%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation317%
Main line20%

Caro-Kann Defense

With Black: 3 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 2 · 17%

VariationGamesScore
Tartakower Variation20%
Advance Variation150%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Two Knights Defense275%

Scotch Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Scotch Gambit1100%
Schmidt Variation10%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Asian Nations Chess Cup 202611 Nov 20261½/200
41st European Chess Club Cup 202623 Oct 20263½/5−9−8
Serbian Super League 202614 Oct 20269/10+23+26
Asian Individual Chess Championship 20266 Jun 2026=9th0−5
Turkic Team Chess Championships 202616 May 20263/4−2−3

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMM. Muzychuk4 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252484
GMI. Krush20 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Team Championship 20252396
IMV. Agrawal23 Oct 2025 · European Chess Club Cup 20252377
WGMA. Kairbekova8 May 2026 · Kazakhstan FINAL Championship 20262374
IMK. Kulon14 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252361

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
WGMG. BeydullayevaLast 22 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Team Championship 20253030
GMI. KrushLast 20 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Team Championship 20252110
WGMA. KairbekovaLast 8 May 2026 · Kazakhstan FINAL Championship 20262110
WIME. KaliakhmetLast 12 May 2026 · Kazakhstan FINAL Championship 20262011
WGMZhai MoLast 23 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Team Championship 20252002

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WGMXeniya BalabayevaKazakhstan

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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.