Players
Bu Xiangzhi
Photo: Biel International Chess Festival
GM

Bu Xiangzhi

ChinaBorn 1985 (age 41)FIDE ID 8601445

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2631
FIDE

FIDE classical

25002600270028002900200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2651
Luft

Flair

Bu Xiangzhi'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

Bu Xiangzhi's classical titles

1 classical title, newest first

  • Chinese Championship 20041st
  • Chinese Championship 

Attributes

Tactics 82Positional 84Endgame 82Openings 80Composure 80Defence 80Speed 86Consistency 78

Luft classical rating

2631No. 81

From 15 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2592 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2592 level, blended with their FIDE rating−15
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+7
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−7
Activity15 classical games in top events−5

Openings

Their most-played, from 41 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
English Opening1267%
Queen's Pawn Game367%
Nimzo-Indian Defense275%
Queen's Gambit Declined250%
King's Indian Defense1100%

English Opening

With White: 12 games, won 5, drew 6, lost 1 · 67%

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation757%
Anglo-Indian Defense383%
Agincourt Defense275%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation275%
London System150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Normal Variation1100%
Classical Variation150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Ragozin Defense150%
Neo-Orthodox Variation150%

King's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Fianchetto Variation1100%

Petrov's Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 0, drew 4, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
French Attack150%
Nimzowitsch Attack150%
Classical Attack150%
Damiano Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense350%
Closed10%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation1100%
King's English Variation10%

Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Czech Variation150%
Main line150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Normal Variation250%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
2026 Chinese Chess League Division A31 Oct 20265/11−16−13
2026 Chinese Team Chess Championship27 Apr 2026=27th−5−5
2025 Chinese Chess League Division A 中国国际象棋甲级联赛 Finals 总决赛争冠组12 Jan 20263½/5+2+4
FIDE World Cup 20255 Nov 20251/2−2−2
2025 Chinese Chess League Division A 中国国际象棋甲级联赛26 Oct 20257/12−18−16

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMNguyen Ngoc Truong Son24 Jul 2023 · Biel Festival 20232645
GMDai Changren12 Jan 2026 · 2025 Chinese Chess League Division A 中国国际象棋甲级联赛 Finals 总决赛争冠组2549
GMLiu Yan21 Jul 2023 · Biel Festival 20232542
Huang Renjie22 Apr 2026 · 2026 Chinese Team Chess Championship2516
GMLin Chen27 Aug 2025 · 2025 Chinese Chess League Division A 中国国际象棋甲级联赛2466

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMDai ChangrenLast 12 Jan 2026 · 2025 Chinese Chess League Division A 中国国际象棋甲级联赛 Finals 总决赛争冠组4220
GMZhao JunLast 9 Jan 2026 · 2025 Chinese Chess League Division A 中国国际象棋甲级联赛 Finals 总决赛争冠组3030
Huang RenjieLast 28 Oct 2026 · 2026 Chinese Chess League Division A3111
IMMeng YihanLast 29 Oct 2026 · 2026 Chinese Chess League Division A3111
GMPeng XiongjianLast 25 Jun 2026 · 2026 Chinese Chess League Division A2020

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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.