Players
Luke J McShane
Photo: English Chess Federation / Yury Krylov
GM

Luke J McShane

EnglandBorn 1984 (age 42)FIDE ID 404853

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2634
FIDE

FIDE classical

24002500260027002800200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2606
Luft

Flair

Luke J McShane'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 84Positional 84Endgame 82Openings 79Composure 91Defence 79Speed 77Consistency 86

Luft classical rating

2634No. 78

From 15 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2704 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2704 level, blended with their FIDE rating+24
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+8
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+1
Activity15 classical games in top events−5

Openings

Their most-played, from 58 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense1468%
Ruy Lopez856%
Caro-Kann Defense367%
French Defense367%
Italian Game1100%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 14 games, won 6, drew 7, lost 1 · 68%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation450%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack383%
Moscow Variation350%
Taimanov Variation2100%
Modern Variations1100%
Delayed Alapin Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 8 games, won 2, drew 5, lost 1 · 56%

VariationGamesScore
Open350%
Closed1100%
Cozio Defense1100%
Exchange Variation150%
Berlin Defense150%
Classical Variation10%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Two Knights Attack1100%
Classical Variation1100%
Exchange Variation10%

French Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Tarrasch Variation1100%
Rubinstein Variation150%
Classical Variation150%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Giuoco Pianissimo1100%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation350%
Two Knights Defense250%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 5 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 2 · 30%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense333%
Open Berlin Defense150%
Morphy Defense10%

Bogo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Grünfeld Variation350%
Vitolins Variation1100%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
St. Petersburg Variation1100%
Kmoch Variation150%
Normal Variation10%

Scotch Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Tartakower Variation150%
Malaniuk Variation150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 20261½/3−1−1
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20267½/10+9+9
German Bundesliga 2025/2622 Mar 20263½/8−7−4
European Team Chess Championship 202514 Oct 20254½/80+1
German Bundesliga 2024/2523 Feb 20253½/6+5+7

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMN. Sarin23 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262718
GMR. Svane13 Jan 2024 · Bundesliga 2023/242632
GMI. Papaioannou12 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252623
GMM. Maurizzi22 Mar 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262614
GMA. Brkic22 Feb 2025 · German Bundesliga 2024/252606

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMJ. Santos LatasaLast 8 Feb 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262020
GMA. PavlidisLast 4 Feb 2024 · Bundesliga 2023/242011
GMJ. BjerreLast 14 Jan 2024 · Bundesliga 2023/242020
GML. VrolijkLast 23 Feb 2025 · German Bundesliga 2024/252110
GMR. SvaneLast 21 Mar 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262110

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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.