Players
Daniyal Sapenov
Photo: Vivian Passig
IM

Daniyal Sapenov

KazakhstanBorn 2008 (age 18)FIDE ID 13728911

Playing now: Asian Nations Chess Cup 2026

Luft classical

2200240026002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2514
FIDE

FIDE classical

15002000250020182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2501
Luft

Flair

Daniyal Sapenov's classical flairs

2 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Underdog3 wins against players rated 50+ higher
  • RisingRating increased by +75 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
  • Fortress25+ games in a row without a loss
  • Black BeltDoes better with black than with white
  • IronmanPlayed 50+ games 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
  • Underdog
  • Rising

Trophy cabinet

No classical titles on record yet.

Attributes

Tactics 81Positional 74Endgame 78Openings 74Composure 63Defence 71Speed 71Consistency 73

Luft classical rating

2514No. 250

From 27 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2562 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2562 level, blended with their FIDE rating+19
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+5
Activity27 classical games in top events−1

Openings

Their most-played, from 49 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense658%
Bogo-Indian Defense450%
Ruy Lopez438%
Indian Defense275%
French Defense275%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Alapin Variation250%
Closed1100%
Four Knights Variation1100%
Old Sicilian150%
Najdorf Variation10%

Bogo-Indian Defense

With White: 4 games, won 2, drew 0, lost 2 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Retreat Variation450%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed250%
Morphy Defense225%

Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Anti-Nimzo-Indian275%

French Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Tarrasch Variation275%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 6 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 3 · 42%

VariationGamesScore
Closed530%
Morphy Defense1100%

Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Anti-Nimzo-Indian150%
Normal Variation150%
London System150%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation250%
Agincourt Defense150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
St. Petersburg Variation150%
Normal Variation150%
Romanishin Variation10%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Modern Variations1100%
Najdorf Variation10%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Asian Nations Chess Cup 202613 Nov 20263/6−12−12
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202625 Sep 20264½/8−8−11
Oskemen Open 202629 Jul 2026=11th+7+2
Aktobe Open 202611 Jun 20265½/8+28+27
KazChess Masters 202628 Mar 20263/7+6+5

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMA. Sarana4 Jun 2026 · Aktobe Open 20262668
GMB. Jacobson7 Aug 2025 · Almaty Region Open Qonaev Cup 20252594
GMD. Makhnev5 Jun 2026 · Aktobe Open 20262551
GMA. Motylev11 Jun 2026 · Aktobe Open 20262550
GMV. Sivuk21 Jul 2025 · Oskemen Open 20252526

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
IMA. SharmaLast 28 Jul 2025 · Oskemen Open 20252110
GMV. SivukLast 9 Aug 2025 · Almaty Region Open Qonaev Cup 20252110
GMD. MakhnevLast 5 Jun 2026 · Aktobe Open 20262200
GMA. SaranaLast 4 Jun 2026 · Aktobe Open 20262110
Y. MohamedLast 10 Nov 2026 · Asian Nations Chess Cup 20262200

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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.