Players
Harika Dronavalli
Photo: Brigham Aldrich
GM

Harika Dronavalli

IndiaBorn 1991 (age 35)FIDE ID 5015197

Luft classical

240024502500255026002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2448
FIDE

FIDE classical

2400250026002700201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2444
Luft

Flair

Harika Dronavalli'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

Harika Dronavalli's classical titles

2 classical titles, 1 medal, newest first

  • World Cup 2025Shared 1st · 4½/8 · Perf. 2478
  • Women's Chess Olympiad 2022Bronze, team · India
  • Asian Championship 20111st

Attributes

Tactics 72Positional 71Endgame 74Openings 69Composure 67Defence 74Speed 61Consistency 67

Luft classical rating

2448No. 357

From 14 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2458 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2458 level, blended with their FIDE rating+1
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−2
Activity14 classical games in top events−5

Openings

Their most-played, from 111 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense944%
Queen's Pawn Game875%
English Opening650%
Queen's Gambit Declined642%
Catalan Opening438%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 9 games, won 0, drew 8, lost 1 · 44%

VariationGamesScore
Moscow Variation250%
Accelerated Dragon250%
Classical Variation150%
Godiva Variation150%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack150%
Closed10%

Queen's Pawn Game

With White: 8 games, won 4, drew 4, lost 0 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation463%
Colle System2100%
Modern Defense1100%
London System150%

English Opening

With White: 6 games, won 2, drew 2, lost 2 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation2100%
Agincourt Defense150%
Symmetrical Variation150%
Main line10%
Anglo-Indian Defense10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 6 games, won 0, drew 5, lost 1 · 42%

VariationGamesScore
Ragozin Defense250%
Modern Variation225%
Main line150%
Queen's Knight Variation150%

Catalan Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed250%
Open Defense150%
Main line10%

French Defense

With Black: 10 games, won 0, drew 4, lost 6 · 20%

VariationGamesScore
Winawer Variation333%
Advance Variation225%
Exchange Variation20%
Tarrasch Variation150%
Steinitz Variation10%
Paulsen Variation10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 9 games, won 0, drew 7, lost 2 · 39%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation550%
Barmen Variation150%
Austrian Defense150%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense10%
Modern Variation10%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 7 games, won 2, drew 4, lost 1 · 57%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense383%
Morphy Defense250%
Cozio Defense150%
Open10%

Catalan Opening

With Black: 6 games, won 1, drew 4, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense350%
Closed350%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Lasker-Pelikan Variation225%
Closed1100%
Old Sicilian150%
Godiva Variation150%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack10%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Fagernes International Autumn 20267 Oct 20261/2+1+1
Aktobe Open 202610 Jun 2026½/3−5−6
IV International Chess Championship Uzbekistan14 Mar 20263rd+4+7
FIDE Grand Swiss 202515 Sep 2025=9th−1+4
Chennai Grand Masters 202515 Aug 20251½/9−20−21

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMN. Dzagnidze21 Mar 2025 · FIDE Grand Prix 2024/252513
GMA. Kosteniuk26 Feb 2025 · FIDE Grand Prix 2024/252484
GMR. Vaishali12 Aug 2025 · Chennai Grand Masters 20252476
IMC. Yip15 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252458
IML. Garifullina10 Mar 2026 · IV International Chess Championship Uzbekistan2454

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
IMD. DeshmukhLast 20 Jul 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20256150
GMA. GoryachkinaLast 23 Mar 2025 · FIDE Grand Prix 2024/255050
IMS. TsolakidouLast 11 Mar 2026 · IV International Chess Championship Uzbekistan5050
GMZhu JinerLast 14 Apr 2025 · FIDE Grand Prix 2024/254031
GMN. DzagnidzeLast 10 Mar 2026 · IV International Chess Championship Uzbekistan4121

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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.