Players
Alexander Motylev
Photo: Stefan64, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Alexander Motylev

RomaniaBorn 1979 (age 47)FIDE ID 4121830

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2549
FIDE

FIDE classical

2500260027002800200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2550
Luft

Flair

Alexander Motylev's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Chameleon8 different defences in 8 games with black
  • 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

Alexander Motylev's classical titles

2 classical titles, 1 medal, newest first

  • European Championship 20141st
  • World Team Championship 2001Silver, team · Russia
  • Russian Championship 20011st
  • European Championship 
  • Russian Championship 

Attributes

Tactics 76Positional 72Endgame 81Openings 77Composure 64Defence 80Speed 70Consistency 77

Luft classical rating

2549No. 180

From 15 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2569 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2569 level, blended with their FIDE rating+2
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−8
Activity15 classical games in top events−5

Openings

Their most-played, from 54 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense540%
Caro-Kann Defense438%
Catalan Opening367%
Queen's Pawn Game350%
English Opening275%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 5 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 2 · 40%

VariationGamesScore
Moscow Variation275%
Najdorf Variation225%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack10%

Caro-Kann Defense

With White: 4 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 1 · 38%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation225%
Endgame Offer150%
Two Knights Attack150%

Catalan Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed367%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation275%
Zukertort Variation10%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation275%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 6 games, won 3, drew 3, lost 0 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense675%

Caro-Kann Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Endgame Offer1100%
Exchange Variation150%
Two Knights Attack150%
Advance Variation10%

Italian Game

With Black: 3 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 0 · 83%

VariationGamesScore
Giuoco Pianissimo275%
Classical Variation1100%

Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Chebanenko Variation1100%
Quiet Variation150%

Zukertort Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line1100%
Nimzo-Larsen Variation150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Romanian Team Chess Championships 202611 Oct 20262½/3+8+9
Aktobe Open 202611 Jun 20264½/8−5−10
V Open Chess Menorca 20268 Apr 2026=27th−2−3
German Bundesliga 2025/2611 Jan 20261/4−13−15
FIDE World Cup 20255 Nov 20252½/4+6+6

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMM. Tabatabaei25 Aug 2025 · Fujairah Global 20252673
GMJ. Bjerre22 Oct 2023 · Bundesliga 2023/242642
GME. Gurel13 Nov 2024 · European Individual Chess Championship 20242635
GMV. Durarbayli18 Nov 2024 · European Individual Chess Championship 20242626
GMV. Bologan5 Oct 2026 · Romanian Team Chess Championships 20262590

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMM. BartelLast 17 Nov 2024 · European Individual Chess Championship 20242020
GMV. NevednichyLast 8 Oct 2026 · Romanian Team Chess Championships 20262110
GMS. Avila PavasLast 2 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20252200
GMP. MaghsoodlooLast 5 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20252011
IMR. StalmachLast 27 Jun 2023 · Prague International Chess Festival1100

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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.