Players
Loek van Wely
Photo: Yunfan Zhao
GM

Loek van Wely

NetherlandsBorn 1972 (age 54)FIDE ID 1000268

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2607
FIDE

FIDE classical

2500260027002800200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2626
Luft

Flair

Loek van Wely'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

Loek van Wely's classical titles

8 classical titles, 2 medals, newest first

  • Dutch Championship 20171st
  • Dutch Championship 20141st
  • European Team Championship 2005Gold, team · Netherlands
  • Dutch Championship 20051st
  • Dutch Championship 20041st
  • Dutch Championship 20031st
  • Dutch Championship 20021st
  • European Team Championship 2001Gold, team · Netherlands
  • Dutch Championship 20011st
  • Dutch Championship 20001st
  • Dutch Championship×8

Attributes

Tactics 79Positional 80Endgame 80Openings 77Composure 75Defence 86Speed 74Consistency 81

Luft classical rating

2607No. 104

From 25 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2591 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2591 level, blended with their FIDE rating−12
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−5
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event0
Activity25 classical games in top events−2

Openings

Their most-played, from 56 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Semi-Slav Defense463%
Catalan Opening463%
English Opening450%
Queen's Gambit Declined383%
Nimzo-Indian Defense333%

Semi-Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line275%
Stoltz Variation150%
Anti-Moscow Gambit150%

Catalan Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense275%
Main line1100%
Closed10%

English Opening

With White: 4 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Anglo-Indian Defense1100%
Symmetrical Variation150%
King's English Variation150%
Mikenas-Carls Variation10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation2100%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With White: 3 games, won 0, drew 2, lost 1 · 33%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation225%
St. Petersburg Variation150%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 13 games, won 2, drew 7, lost 4 · 42%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation642%
Taimanov Variation2100%
Chekhover Variation150%
Modern Variations150%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack10%
Scheveningen Variation10%
Prins Variation10%

Semi-Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Stoltz Variation250%
Normal Variation150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Vienna Variation1100%
Exchange Variation150%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation1100%
Symmetrical10%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation150%
Rubinstein System150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 20262/3+3+4
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20265/10−12−11
German Bundesliga 2025/2626 Apr 20268/13+3+3
European Team Chess Championship 202514 Oct 20253/6−10
Dutch Championships 202512 Jul 20252/4+1+3

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMA. Sarana7 Feb 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262683
GMD. Yuffa9 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252621
GMI. Sokolov7 Jul 2025 · Dutch Championships 20252592
GME. van den Doel6 Dec 2025 · German Bundesliga 2025/262566
GMP. Prohaszka11 Oct 2026 · German Bundesliga 2026/272549

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMJ. van ForeestLast 12 Jul 2025 · Dutch Championships 20253012
GMR. WojtaszekLast 9 Oct 2026 · German Bundesliga 2026/272020
GME. van den DoelLast 6 Dec 2025 · German Bundesliga 2025/262101
GML. van ForeestLast 7 Dec 2025 · German Bundesliga 2025/262020
GMD. DardhaLast 26 Apr 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262011

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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.