Players
Krishnan Sasikiran
Photo: Brigham Aldrich
GM

Krishnan Sasikiran

IndiaBorn 1981 (age 45)FIDE ID 5004985

Luft classical

240025002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2547
FIDE

FIDE classical

24002500260027002800200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2515
Luft

Flair

Krishnan Sasikiran'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

Krishnan Sasikiran's classical titles

1 classical title, 16 medals, newest first

  • Asian Team Championship 2016Silver, board 4 · India
  • Asian Team Championship 2016Gold, team · India
  • Chess Olympiad 2014Silver, board 3 · India
  • Chess Olympiad 2014Bronze, team · India
  • Asian Team Championship 2014Gold, board 3 · India
  • Asian Team Championship 2014Silver, team · India
  • Asian Team Championship 2012Silver, team · India
  • World Team Championship 2010Bronze, team · India
  • Asian Team Championship 2009Gold, team · India "A"
  • Asian Team Championship 2008Silver, board 1 · India
  • Asian Team Championship 2008Silver, team · India Reds
  • Asian Team Championship 2005Silver, board 1 · India
  • Asian Team Championship 2005Gold, team · India
  • Asian Team Championship 2003Bronze, board 1 · India
  • Asian Team Championship 2003Silver, team · India "A"
  • Asian Championship 20031st
  • Asian Team Championship 1999Bronze, team · India
  • Asian Championship 

Attributes

Tactics 76Positional 78Endgame 76Openings 75Composure 81Defence 81Speed 71Consistency 73

Luft classical rating

2547No. 189

From 14 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2672 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2672 level, blended with their FIDE rating+33
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year0
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+4
Activity14 classical games in top events−5

Openings

Their most-played, from 24 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Catalan Opening463%
Sicilian Defense275%
Semi-Slav Defense250%
Neo-Grünfeld Defense1100%
Ruy Lopez150%

Catalan Opening

With White: 4 games, won 1, drew 3, lost 0 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense367%
Closed150%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation1100%
Dragon Variation150%

Semi-Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line150%
Stoltz Variation150%

Neo-Grünfeld Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation1100%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 1 game, won 0, drew 1, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Closed150%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed1100%
Moscow Variation150%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack10%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation1100%
Anglo-Indian Defense150%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense1100%
Closed10%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation1100%

Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation1100%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
29th Open Bavarian Chess Championship8 Nov 20263½/5+10+10
Fagernes International Autumn 202611 Oct 20263½/5+9+9
Asian Individual Chess Championship 20261 Jun 2026=24th−5−4
Prague International Chess Festival 20266 Mar 20263/4+5+6
58th International Chess Festival Biel (Open)21 Jul 20251½/3+1+2

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMRaja Rithvik R.6 Nov 2026 · 29th Open Bavarian Chess Championship2519
IMS. Sahidi6 Mar 2026 · Prague International Chess Festival 20262517
IMC. Gloeckler10 Oct 2026 · Fagernes International Autumn 20262515
GMA. Kvaloy8 Oct 2026 · Fagernes International Autumn 20262515
IMB. Assaubayeva22 Jul 2024 · 57th International Chess Festival Biel (Open)2472

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMR. JumabayevLast 11 Oct 2026 · Fagernes International Autumn 20262020
IMC. GloecklerLast 10 Oct 2026 · Fagernes International Autumn 20262110
GMS. BilguunLast 17 Jul 2024 · 57th International Chess Festival Biel (Open)1100
GMO. KoboLast 18 Jul 2024 · 57th International Chess Festival Biel (Open)1010
IMM. MadaminovLast 19 Jul 2024 · 57th International Chess Festival Biel (Open)1010

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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.