Players
Irina Bulmaga
Photo: Türkiye Satranç Federasyonu
IM

Irina Bulmaga

RomaniaBorn 1993 (age 33)FIDE ID 13903063

Luft classical

23002400250026002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2359
FIDE

FIDE classical

2300240025002600201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2367
Luft

Flair

Irina Bulmaga's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Chameleon9 different defences in 10 games with black, among the best women
  • 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
  • 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
  • Chameleon

Trophy cabinet

Irina Bulmaga's classical titles

1 classical title, 1 medal, newest first

  • Romanian Championship 20181st
  • Women's Chess Olympiad 2014Bronze, board 4 · Romania
  • Romanian Championship 

Attributes

Tactics 65Positional 67Endgame 70Openings 64Composure 65Defence 70Speed 57Consistency 67

Luft classical rating

2359No. 424

From 22 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2320 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2320 level, blended with their FIDE rating−5
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+2
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−2
Activity22 classical games in top events−3

Openings

Their most-played, from 55 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense1150%
French Defense438%
Philidor Defense367%
Italian Game275%
Queen's Pawn Game250%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 11 games, won 3, drew 5, lost 3 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation438%
Alapin Variation1100%
Nimzowitsch Variation1100%
Accelerated Dragon150%
Four Knights Variation150%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack150%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%
Closed10%

French Defense

With White: 4 games, won 1, drew 1, lost 2 · 38%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation1100%
Steinitz Variation150%
Rubinstein Variation10%
Winawer Variation10%

Philidor Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Lion Variation367%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation1100%
Two Knights Defense150%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation250%

English Opening

With Black: 5 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 2 · 40%

VariationGamesScore
Anglo-Indian Defense250%
Agincourt Defense150%
King's English Variation150%
Symmetrical Variation10%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense250%
Morphy Defense225%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 3 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 2 · 17%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation225%
Three Knights Variation10%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 2 games, won 2, drew 0, lost 0 · 100%

VariationGamesScore
Taimanov Variation1100%
Alapin Variation1100%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation250%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
41st European Chess Club Cup 202623 Oct 20263½/5−5−4
Romanian Team Chess Championships 202611 Oct 20261½/2+3+3
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20267/10+13+18
25th European Chess Championship 20265 Jun 2026=30th−10−8
French TOP 12 202617 May 20261/4−12−16

Best wins

OpponentRating
GME. Safarli24 Mar 2024 · Grand Prix Romania 20242625
GMH. Dronavalli1 Nov 2023 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20232502
WGMA. Shukhman9 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252420
IMD. Daulyte-Cornette10 Jul 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20252405
WGMG. Beydullayeva29 Oct 2023 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20232383

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
IMD. WagnerLast 21 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20263012
IMM. EfroimskiLast 9 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252020
WGMG. BeydullayevaLast 6 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252200
GMA. StefanovaLast 10 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252011
GMN. BatsiashviliLast 14 May 2026 · French TOP 12 20262020

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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.