Players
Zala Urh
Photo: Yunfan Zhao
WIM

Zala Urh

SloveniaBorn 2002 (age 24)FIDE ID 14611481

Luft classical

21002200230024002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2235
FIDE

FIDE classical

16001800200022002400201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2238
Luft

Flair

Zala Urh's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • ReliableConsistent across all top events (average performance 2303)
  • 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
  • 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
  • Reliable

Trophy cabinet

No classical titles on record yet.

Attributes

Tactics 59Positional 63Endgame 62Openings 58Composure 52Defence 62Speed 42Consistency 59

Luft classical rating

2235No. 494

From 20 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2251 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2251 level, blended with their FIDE rating+1
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−7
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+6
Activity20 classical games in top events−3

Openings

Their most-played, from 31 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Queen's Gambit Declined550%
Nimzo-Indian Defense450%
Bogo-Indian Defense275%
Catalan Opening250%
Slav Defense20%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 5 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 2 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Main line333%
Exchange Variation1100%
Tartakower Defense150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With White: 4 games, won 2, drew 0, lost 2 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Normal Variation333%
Rubinstein System1100%

Bogo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Nimzowitsch Variation1100%
Retreat Variation150%

Catalan Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed150%
Open Defense150%

Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Modern Line20%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 0, drew 4, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Accelerated Dragon250%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%
French Variation150%

King's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Fianchetto Variation225%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Anglo-Indian Defense225%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Barry Attack150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20266½/10+30+28
Mitropa Cup 20269 May 20263/5+13+13
German Bundesliga 2025/2619 Apr 20262/500
Austrian Bundesliga 2025/268 Feb 20262½/5+14+14
European Team Chess Championship 202514 Oct 20254/9−6−19

Best wins

OpponentRating
WIMO. Kiolbasa3 Mar 2023 · Österreichische Frauen-Bundesliga 20222404
WGMG. Beydullayeva26 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262392
IMK. Cyfka12 Dec 2025 · Austrian Bundesliga 2025/262336
IMZ. Schleining19 Apr 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262327
WIMM. Schippke9 May 2026 · Mitropa Cup 20262311

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
WGMG. BeydullayevaLast 26 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20263111
IMI. GaponenkoLast 7 Jul 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20252020
WGMM. van ForeestLast 29 Nov 2025 · German Bundesliga 2025/262011
IMO. ZiminaLast 5 May 2026 · Mitropa Cup 20262011
WIMO. KiolbasaLast 3 Mar 2023 · Österreichische Frauen-Bundesliga 20221100

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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.