Players
Alireza Firouzja
Photo: Frans Peeters, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Alireza Firouzja

FranceBorn 2003 (age 23)FIDE ID 12573981

Playing now: Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 2026

Luft classical

260027002800290030002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2836
FIDE

FIDE classical

20002500300020132016201920222025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2757
Luft

Flair

Alireza Firouzja's classical flairs

4 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Lightning#5 at speed chess (blitz 2787, rapid 2732)
  • PodiumTop 3 in 2/2 elite events
  • Endgame SpecialistEndgame 95, from 11 endgames
  • TacticianTactics 90, from 4 sharp games they made sharp
  • 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
  • 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
  • Lightning
  • Podium
  • Endgame Specialist

Trophy cabinet

Alireza Firouzja's classical titles

4 classical titles, 3 medals, newest first

  • Chennai Grand Masters 20261st · 4½/7 · Perf. 2825
  • Grand Chess Tour 20241st
  • Grand Chess Tour 20221st
  • European Team Championship 2021Gold, board 1 · France
  • European Team Championship 2021Silver, team · France
  • FIDE Grand Swiss 20211st
  • Asian Team Championship 2016Gold, board 4 · Iran

Attributes

Tactics 90Positional 88Endgame 95Openings 94Composure 100Defence 95Speed 93Consistency 90

Luft classical rating

2836No. 2

From 22 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2883 level, with 4 wins against the top 10.

ResultsPlayed at a 2883 level, blended with their FIDE rating+60
Tournament winsChennai Grand Masters 2026+8
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+4
Activity22 classical games in top events−3

Openings

Their most-played, from 108 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Ruy Lopez1065%
Italian Game850%
Sicilian Defense844%
Queen's Gambit Declined570%
Indian Defense463%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 10 games, won 3, drew 7, lost 0 · 65%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense367%
Open367%
Closed367%
Open Berlin Defense150%

Italian Game

With White: 8 games, won 3, drew 2, lost 3 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Two Knights Defense383%
Classical Variation333%
Giuoco Pianissimo225%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 8 games, won 1, drew 5, lost 2 · 44%

VariationGamesScore
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack333%
French Variation1100%
Accelerated Dragon150%
Closed150%
Delayed Alapin Variation150%
Najdorf Variation10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 5 games, won 3, drew 1, lost 1 · 70%

VariationGamesScore
Three Knights Variation275%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense1100%
Ragozin Defense1100%
Barmen Variation10%

Indian Defense

With White: 4 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 1 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Accelerated London System463%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 12 games, won 3, drew 6, lost 3 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation540%
Taimanov Variation250%
Moscow Variation250%
Alapin Variation1100%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation1100%
Classical Variation10%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 6 games, won 0, drew 2, lost 4 · 17%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense413%
Morphy Defense150%
Closed10%

French Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation20%
Classical Variation1100%
Rubinstein Variation150%
Advance Variation150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
St. Petersburg Variation250%
Classical Variation150%
Three Knights Variation10%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation250%
King's English Variation150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 202612 Nov 20264/5+14+14
Chennai Grand Masters 202622 Jul 20261st+7+4
Norway Chess 20265 Jun 20263rd+7+6
FIDE Grand Swiss 202515 Sep 2025=2nd+8+11
GCT: Sinquefield Cup 202527 Aug 20259th−12−12

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMM. Carlsen25 May 2026 · Norway Chess 20262840
GMF. Caruana28 May 2024 · Norway Chess 20242805
GMH. Nakamura4 Jun 2024 · Norway Chess 20242794
GMGukesh D.13 May 2025 · GCT: 20252787
GMDing Liren21 Jan 2024 · Tata Steel Masters 20242780

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMPraggnanandhaa R.Last 1 Jun 2026 · Norway Chess 202612273
GMGukesh D.Last 17 Jul 2026 · Chennai Grand Masters 202610442
GMN. AbdusattorovLast 11 Nov 2026 · Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 20269351
GMF. CaruanaLast 20 Aug 2025 · GCT: Sinquefield Cup 20259144
GMH. NakamuraLast 4 Jun 2024 · Norway Chess 20247133

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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.