Players
Zsoka Gaal
Photo: Yunfan Zhao
IM

Zsoka Gaal

HungaryBorn 2007 (age 19)FIDE ID 777765

Luft classical

220023002400250026002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2313
FIDE

FIDE classical

15001750200022502500201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2349
Luft

Flair

Zsoka Gaal's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Chameleon10 different defences in 12 games with black, among the best women
  • 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
  • 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
  • Chameleon

Trophy cabinet

Zsoka Gaal's classical titles

2 classical titles, newest first

  • Hungarian Championship 20261st · 2/4 · Perf. 2289
  • Hungarian Championship 20231st
  • Hungarian Championship×2

Attributes

Tactics 59Positional 67Endgame 68Openings 61Composure 64Defence 68Speed 52Consistency 52

Luft classical rating

2313No. 448

From 18 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2217 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2217 level, blended with their FIDE rating−14
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−8
Activity18 classical games in top events−4

Openings

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

OpeningGamesScore
Nimzo-Indian Defense743%
Queen's Gambit Declined463%
English Opening350%
Queen's Gambit Accepted150%
Slav Defense150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With White: 7 games, won 1, drew 4, lost 2 · 43%

VariationGamesScore
Normal Variation250%
Reshevsky Variation225%
Rubinstein System150%
Sämisch Variation150%
Simagin Variation150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 4 games, won 1, drew 3, lost 0 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Vienna Variation1100%
Exchange Variation150%
Queen's Knight Variation150%
Harrwitz Attack150%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation1100%
Symmetrical Variation150%
Agincourt Defense10%

Queen's Gambit Accepted

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Defense150%

Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Chebanenko Variation150%

French Defense

With Black: 6 games, won 2, drew 3, lost 1 · 58%

VariationGamesScore
Winawer Variation560%
Advance Variation150%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation250%
Classical Variation1100%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Modern Variation150%
Harrwitz Attack150%
Exchange Variation10%

Queen's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Fianchetto Variation1100%
Euwe Variation150%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Agincourt Defense1100%
Anglo-Indian Defense150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20265/10−32−30
Hungarian Championship 202612 Jul 20262/4−10−8
French TOP 12 202617 May 20261/3−10−8
German Bundesliga 2025/2619 Apr 20263/5+3+2
European Team Chess Championship 202514 Oct 20254/9−24−27

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMA. Muzychuk4 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252535
IMM. Narva15 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242420
IMO. Kiolbasa14 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252405
IMPham Le Thao Nguyen21 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242380
IMD. Cori T.16 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242366

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
IMY. OsmakLast 16 May 2026 · French TOP 12 20263021
IMM. NarvaLast 27 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262110
IMD. Cori T.Last 25 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262101
WGMM. OuelletLast 23 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262002
WFMA. KirtadzeLast 7 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252110

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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.