Players
Khanim Balajayeva
Photo: Guardian of the Divine RabbiT, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
IM

Khanim Balajayeva

AzerbaijanBorn 2001 (age 25)FIDE ID 13406396

Luft classical

230023502400245025002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2360
FIDE

FIDE classical

200022002400201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2363
Luft

Flair

Khanim Balajayeva'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

Khanim Balajayeva's classical titles

3 classical titles, 5 medals, newest first

Attributes

Tactics 69Positional 67Endgame 69Openings 68Composure 65Defence 63Speed 51Consistency 66

Luft classical rating

2360No. 421

From 20 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2354 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2354 level, blended with their FIDE rating−1
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+1
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event0
Activity20 classical games in top events−3

Openings

Their most-played, from 40 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense757%
Caro-Kann Defense350%
French Defense275%
Scotch Game250%
Pirc Defense1100%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed250%
Alapin Variation1100%
Classical Variation1100%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%
Richter-Rauzer Variation150%
Modern Variations10%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation275%
Two Knights Attack10%

French Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation1100%
Winawer Variation150%

Scotch Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Scotch Gambit150%
Schmidt Variation150%

Pirc Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line1100%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 4 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 1 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Charousek Variation250%
Queen's Knight Variation1100%
Barmen Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed333%
Open Berlin Defense150%

Zukertort Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line250%

Scotch Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Schmidt Variation150%
Mieses Variation10%

King's Indian Attack, with e6

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line225%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
41st European Chess Club Cup 202623 Oct 20264½/6+12+12
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20265½/8+2−1
Turkic Team Chess Championships 202617 May 20264½/5+12+12
Azerbaijan Chess Championship 202615 Feb 20261/2−1−2
FIDE World Team Championship 202523 Nov 20255/10+3−1

Best wins

OpponentRating
IMM. Arabidze6 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252444
IML. Javakhishvili11 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252434
GMB. Khotenashvili21 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Team Championship 20252424
WGMA. Shukhman15 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252420
IMA. Maltsevskaya22 Oct 2026 · 41st European Chess Club Cup 20262382

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
WIMZ. NurgaliyevaLast 15 May 2026 · Turkic Team Chess Championships 20263120
WFME. KaliakhmetLast 7 Jul 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20252011
IML. JavakhishviliLast 12 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252110
WGMA. ShukhmanLast 19 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Team Championship 20252101
IMM. KamalidenovaLast 21 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 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.