Players
Fabiano Caruana
Photo: Brigham Aldrich
GM

Fabiano Caruana

United StatesBorn 1992 (age 34)FIDE ID 2020009

Playing now: Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 2026

Luft classical

27002800290030002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2799
FIDE

FIDE classical

2000225025002750300020022007201220172022
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2783
Luft

Flair

Fabiano Caruana's classical flairs

6 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • TitanLuft classical rating averaged 2803 over the last 4 years
  • PodiumTop 3 in 2/3 elite events
  • AdaptableTactics and Positional both 90+
  • Lightning#7 at speed chess (blitz 2785, rapid 2709)
  • ReliableConsistent across all top events (average performance 2772)
  • Ironman62 classical games over the last 12 months
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • FighterRarely draws, and wins far more than they lose
  • PositionalPositional 90+: slow, quiet games they steered
  • Titan
  • Podium
  • Adaptable

Trophy cabinet

Fabiano Caruana's classical titles

20 classical titles, 5 medals, newest first

Attributes

Tactics 97Positional 93Endgame 85Openings 92Composure 88Defence 86Speed 93Consistency 100

Luft classical rating

2799No. 3

From 62 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2797 level, with 5 wins against the top 10.

ResultsPlayed at a 2797 level, blended with their FIDE rating+9
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year0
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−1
Activity62 classical games in top events+8

Openings

Their most-played, from 174 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Italian Game2266%
Sicilian Defense1271%
English Opening863%
Nimzo-Indian Defense764%
French Defense675%

Italian Game

With White: 22 games, won 9, drew 11, lost 2 · 66%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation1663%
Giuoco Pianissimo383%
Two Knights Defense275%
Giuoco Piano150%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 12 games, won 6, drew 5, lost 1 · 71%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation3100%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack367%
Moscow Variation250%
Venice Attack225%
Closed1100%
Four Knights Variation1100%

English Opening

With White: 8 games, won 2, drew 6, lost 0 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Anglo-Indian Defense275%
Agincourt Defense275%
King's English Variation250%
Adorjan Defense150%
Symmetrical Variation150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With White: 7 games, won 3, drew 3, lost 1 · 64%

VariationGamesScore
Three Knights Variation275%
Normal Variation250%
Sämisch Variation250%
Classical Variation1100%

French Defense

With White: 6 games, won 3, drew 3, lost 0 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Steinitz Variation367%
Classical Variation1100%
Winawer Variation1100%
Advance Variation150%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 19 games, won 7, drew 12, lost 0 · 68%

VariationGamesScore
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack972%
Najdorf Variation2100%
Four Knights Variation250%
Keres Variation1100%
Accelerated Dragon150%
Modern Variations150%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%
Taimanov Variation150%
Delayed Alapin Variation150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 19 games, won 4, drew 12, lost 3 · 53%

VariationGamesScore
Ragozin Defense831%
Exchange Variation570%
Barmen Variation367%
Three Knights Variation1100%
Queen's Knight Variation150%
Main line150%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 8 games, won 1, drew 6, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense438%
Berlin Defense367%
Open150%

Catalan Opening

With Black: 8 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 5 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense633%
Closed20%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With Black: 5 games, won 3, drew 2, lost 0 · 80%

VariationGamesScore
St. Petersburg Variation383%
Normal Variation1100%
Sämisch Variation150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 202612 Nov 20263½/4+13+13
U.S. Chess Championships 202621 Oct 20262nd−1+2
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20265½/9−5−4
2026 Grand Chess Tour Finals26 Aug 20262½/4+3+5
GCT: Sinquefield Cup 202619 Aug 2026=5th−6−3

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMM. Carlsen30 May 2023 · Norway Chess 20232853
GMH. Nakamura29 Mar 2026 · FIDE Candidates 20262810
GMA. Erigaisi28 May 2025 · Norway Chess 20252782
GMGukesh D.6 Jun 2025 · Norway Chess 20252776
GMN. Abdusattorov21 Aug 2025 · GCT: Sinquefield Cup 20252771

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMPraggnanandhaa R.Last 12 Nov 2026 · Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 2026185112
GMH. NakamuraLast 7 Apr 2026 · FIDE Candidates 202610244
GML. AronianLast 9 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20269261
GMA. FirouzjaLast 20 Aug 2025 · GCT: Sinquefield Cup 20259441
GMGukesh D.Last 27 Aug 2025 · GCT: Sinquefield Cup 20259171

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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.