Players
Jan Malek
Photo: Yilin Li
GM

Jan Malek

PolandBorn 2007 (age 19)FIDE ID 21864080

Luft classical

2400260028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2623
FIDE

FIDE classical

15002000250020172019202120232025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2598
Luft

Flair

Jan Malek'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

No classical titles on record yet.

Attributes

Tactics 79Positional 84Endgame 83Openings 82Composure 74Defence 78Speed 67Consistency 76

Luft classical rating

2623No. 89

From 18 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2664 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2664 level, blended with their FIDE rating+17
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+8
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+4
Activity18 classical games in top events−4

Openings

Their most-played, from 53 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Queen's Gambit Declined750%
Sicilian Defense550%
English Opening367%
Scotch Game2100%
Queen's Gambit Accepted275%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 7 games, won 2, drew 3, lost 2 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation450%
Ragozin Defense1100%
Three Knights Variation150%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense10%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 5 games, won 1, drew 3, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack225%
Najdorf Variation1100%
Four Knights Variation150%
Modern Variations150%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Mikenas-Carls Variation1100%
King's English Variation150%
Symmetrical Variation150%

Scotch Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Mieses Variation2100%

Queen's Gambit Accepted

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

VariationGamesScore
Normal Variation1100%
Central Variation150%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 10 games, won 0, drew 6, lost 4 · 30%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation333%
French Variation250%
Closed150%
Delayed Alapin Variation150%
Moscow Variation10%
Modern Variations10%
Keres Variation10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 4 games, won 1, drew 0, lost 3 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation20%
Three Knights1100%
Ragozin Defense10%

Caro-Kann Defense

With Black: 3 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 0 · 83%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation275%
Exchange Variation1100%

French Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Winawer Variation275%
Tarrasch Variation150%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
London System1100%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Allsvenskan 26/27 (Swedish Team Championship)7 Nov 20261½/2+3+2
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20268/11+9+12
European Individual Chess Championship 202619 Apr 2026=24th+10+13
European Team Chess Championship 202514 Oct 20254½/7+7+6
Fujairah Global 202528 Aug 20251/3−9−7

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMV. Fedoseev3 Apr 2024 · Menorca Open 20242690
GMNguyen Ngoc Truong Son21 May 2025 · Sharjah Masters 20252632
GMR. Hovhannisyan14 Apr 2026 · European Individual Chess Championship 20262621
GMA. Demchenko28 Jul 2024 · Dole France Throphy Nextlane Grand Prix 20242609
GML. Fressinet13 Nov 2024 · European Individual Chess Championship 20242605

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMJ. BjerreLast 10 Apr 2026 · European Individual Chess Championship 20262011
GMV. FedoseevLast 3 Apr 2024 · Menorca Open 20241100
GMT. StremaviciusLast 3 Apr 2024 · Menorca Open 20241010
GMJ. Arizmendi MartinezLast 4 Apr 2024 · Menorca Open 20241010
GMM. KrzyzanowskiLast 6 Apr 2024 · Menorca Open 20241001

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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.