Players
Erik van den Doel
Photo: Winicjusz Drozdowski, Poland, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Erik van den Doel

NetherlandsBorn 1979 (age 47)FIDE ID 1003720

Luft classical

250025502600265027002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2554
FIDE

FIDE classical

25002550260026502700200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2561
Luft

Flair

Erik van den Doel'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

Erik van den Doel's classical titles

0 classical titles, 3 medals, newest first

  • European Team Championship 2005Gold, team · Netherlands
  • European Team Championship 2001Bronze, board 4 · Netherlands
  • European Team Championship 2001Gold, team · Netherlands

Attributes

Tactics 78Positional 76Endgame 82Openings 77Composure 73Defence 75Speed 72Consistency 78

Luft classical rating

2554No. 174

From 16 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2499 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2499 level, blended with their FIDE rating−9
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−3
Activity16 classical games in top events−5

Openings

Their most-played, from 23 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Queen's Pawn Game275%
Caro-Kann Defense275%
Pseudo Queen's Indian Defense250%
Indian Defense1100%
Sicilian Defense1100%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
London System275%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation275%

Pseudo Queen's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line250%

Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Wade-Tartakower Defense1100%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Scheveningen Variation1100%

Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Quiet Variation250%
Exchange Variation1100%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed333%

Italian Game

With Black: 2 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 1 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Giuoco Pianissimo150%
Classical Variation10%

King's Indian Attack

With Black: 2 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 1 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Double Fianchetto225%

Semi-Slav Defense

With Black: 2 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 1 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Normal Variation150%
Main line10%

Recent events

EventPlace+/−+/−
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 20262/3+2+3
German Bundesliga 2025/2626 Apr 20266½/15−16−16
German Bundesliga 2024/2529 Sep 20241/2+2+1
Bundesliga 2023/2428 Apr 20244½/6+11+11

Best wins

OpponentRating
GML. van Wely28 Sep 2024 · German Bundesliga 2024/252614
GMR. Markus16 Mar 2024 · Bundesliga 2023/242595
GME. Amar21 Mar 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262581
GML. van Foreest17 Mar 2024 · Bundesliga 2023/242516
IMT. Razafindratsima11 Oct 2026 · German Bundesliga 2026/272506

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GML. van ForeestLast 24 Apr 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262110
GML. van WelyLast 6 Dec 2025 · German Bundesliga 2025/262101
GMT. PolakLast 2 Dec 2023 · Bundesliga 2023/241010
GMP. JaraczLast 3 Dec 2023 · Bundesliga 2023/241010
GMR. MarkusLast 16 Mar 2024 · Bundesliga 2023/241100

Compare Luft

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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.