Players
Andy Woodward
Photo: Lichess
GM

Andy Woodward

United StatesBorn 2010 (age 16)FIDE ID 30953499

Luft classical

240025002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2700
FIDE

FIDE classical

1500200025002019202120232025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2635
Luft

Flair

Andy Woodward's classical flairs

2 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • ReliableConsistent across all top events (average performance 2698)
  • Fighter56% decisive: 15 wins, 7 losses
  • 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
  • AdaptableTactics and Positional both 90+
  • PositionalPositional 90+: slow, quiet games they steered
  • PodiumTop 3 in at least half of their elite events
  • Reliable
  • Fighter

Trophy cabinet

Andy Woodward's classical titles

1 classical title, newest first

Attributes

Tactics 82Positional 86Endgame 87Openings 84Composure 90Defence 87Speed 75Consistency 92

Luft classical rating

2700No. 29

From 39 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2721 level, with 1 win against the top 10.

ResultsPlayed at a 2721 level, blended with their FIDE rating+42
Tournament winsTata Steel Chess 2026+8
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+6
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+6
Activity39 classical games in top events+3

Openings

Their most-played, from 68 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Catalan Opening983%
Queen's Gambit Declined488%
Slav Defense367%
Queen's Gambit Accepted367%
Bogo-Indian Defense350%

Catalan Opening

With White: 9 games, won 6, drew 3, lost 0 · 83%

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense475%
Closed383%
Main line2100%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 4 games, won 3, drew 1, lost 0 · 88%

VariationGamesScore
Main line275%
Three Knights Variation1100%
Ragozin Defense1100%

Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation275%
Soultanbeieff Variation150%

Queen's Gambit Accepted

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

VariationGamesScore
Central Variation1100%
Classical Defense150%
Main line150%

Bogo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Retreat Variation350%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 11 games, won 3, drew 6, lost 2 · 55%

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense1055%
Closed150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 6 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 3 · 33%

VariationGamesScore
Ragozin Defense413%
Westphalian Variation275%

Italian Game

With Black: 5 games, won 2, drew 3, lost 0 · 70%

VariationGamesScore
Giuoco Pianissimo367%
Classical Variation275%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation450%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Sämisch Variation1100%
Romanishin Variation150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
U.S. Chess Championships 202621 Oct 20265th+16+11
TePe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 20267 May 20266th+3−2
2026 Saint Louis Masters1 Mar 20265½/9+3−3
Tata Steel Chess 20261 Feb 20261st+23+14
FIDE World Cup 20255 Nov 20252½/4+30

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMF. Caruana14 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262784
GML. Aronian13 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252744
GMP. Maghsoodloo14 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252692
GMN. Grandelius1 May 2026 · TePe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 20262662
GMR. Robson11 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262659

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
IMLu MiaoyiLast 19 Jan 2026 · Tata Steel Chess 20262110
GMS. SevianLast 16 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262020
GMN. GrandeliusLast 1 May 2026 · TePe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 20262110
GMD. YuffaLast 27 Jan 2026 · Tata Steel Chess 20262200
GML. AronianLast 21 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262110

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GMAndy WoodwardUnited States

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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.