Players
Zarina Nurgaliyeva
Photo: Yilin Li
WIM

Zarina Nurgaliyeva

KazakhstanBorn 2009 (age 17)FIDE ID 13730096

Playing now: Asian Nations Chess Cup 2026

Luft classical

18002000220024002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2296
FIDE

FIDE classical

1500200025002019202120232025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2292
Luft

Flair

Zarina Nurgaliyeva'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

Zarina Nurgaliyeva's classical titles

0 classical titles, 1 medal, newest first

Attributes

Tactics 61Positional 65Endgame 67Openings 62Composure 54Defence 65Speed 50Consistency 62

Luft classical rating

2296No. 463

From 29 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2394 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2394 level, blended with their FIDE rating+8
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+6
Activity29 classical games in top events0

Openings

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

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense863%
Ruy Lopez350%
Four Knights Game350%
Queen's Gambit Declined250%
Nimzo-Indian Defense1100%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Delayed Alapin Variation383%
Alapin Variation225%
Najdorf Variation1100%
Modern Variations150%
Chekhover Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 3 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense250%
Closed150%

Four Knights Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Spanish Variation350%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line1100%
Queen's Knight Variation10%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Normal Variation1100%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 3 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Closed350%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With Black: 3 games, won 0, drew 2, lost 1 · 33%

VariationGamesScore
St. Petersburg Variation150%
Classical Variation150%
Three Knights Variation10%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Giuoco Pianissimo1100%

Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Knights Variation1100%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Asian Nations Chess Cup 202611 Nov 20261½/2+3+2
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202625 Sep 20263/5−5−8
Asian Individual Chess Championship 20266 Jun 2026=3rd+25+29
Turkic Team Chess Championships 202617 May 20263/4+30
Kazakhstan FINAL Championship 202612 May 20265/8+26+14

Best wins

OpponentRating
IMA. Bodnaruk2 Jun 2026 · Asian Individual Chess Championship 20262363
WGML. Kurmangaliyeva4 May 2026 · Kazakhstan FINAL Championship 20262346
WGMX. Balabayeva5 Jun 2026 · Asian Individual Chess Championship 20262307
WFMM. Kuznecova12 Oct 2025 · FIDE World Youth Chess Championships 20252279
WFMA. Beber18 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262272

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
IMK. BalajayevaLast 15 May 2026 · Turkic Team Chess Championships 20263021
WIMA. SerikbayLast 6 May 2026 · Kazakhstan FINAL Championship 20262110
WGML. KurmangaliyevaLast 4 May 2026 · Kazakhstan FINAL Championship 20262110
WGMA. KairbekovaLast 7 May 2026 · Kazakhstan FINAL Championship 20262011
WFMM. KholyavkoLast 7 May 2026 · Kazakhstan FINAL Championship 20262110

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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.