Players
Markus Ragger
Photo: Brigham Aldrich
GM

Markus Ragger

AustriaBorn 1988 (age 38)FIDE ID 1610856

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2561
FIDE

FIDE classical

20002200240026002800200120062011201620212026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2569
Luft

Flair

Markus Ragger's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Black Belt7½/13 with black (58%), against 46% with white
  • 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
  • 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
  • Black Belt

Trophy cabinet

Markus Ragger's classical titles

4 classical titles, newest first

  • Austrian Championship 20211st
  • Austrian Championship 20101st
  • Austrian Championship 20091st
  • Austrian Championship 20081st
  • Austrian Championship×4

Attributes

Tactics 77Positional 78Endgame 78Openings 79Composure 74Defence 78Speed 74Consistency 81

Luft classical rating

2561No. 163

From 25 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2585 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2585 level, blended with their FIDE rating+4
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event0
Activity25 classical games in top events−2

Openings

Their most-played, from 101 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense1338%
Catalan Opening560%
Ruy Lopez463%
King's Indian Defense463%
Caro-Kann Defense450%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 13 games, won 1, drew 8, lost 4 · 38%

VariationGamesScore
Moscow Variation550%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack250%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation225%
Najdorf Variation1100%
Taimanov Variation10%
Prins Variation10%
Accelerated Dragon10%

Catalan Opening

With White: 5 games, won 1, drew 4, lost 0 · 60%

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense350%
Closed Variation1100%
Closed150%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense250%
Open1100%
Closed150%

King's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Orthodox Variation367%
Fianchetto Variation150%

Caro-Kann Defense

With White: 4 games, won 0, drew 4, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation450%

Italian Game

With Black: 10 games, won 1, drew 7, lost 2 · 45%

VariationGamesScore
Giuoco Pianissimo438%
Classical Variation350%
Two Knights Defense250%
Giuoco Piano150%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 9 games, won 0, drew 8, lost 1 · 44%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense350%
Morphy Defense350%
Closed333%

Grünfeld Defense

With Black: 5 games, won 0, drew 4, lost 1 · 40%

VariationGamesScore
Three Knights Variation250%
Exchange Variation225%
Brinckmann Attack150%

King's Indian Attack

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line275%
Smyslov Variation150%
Symmetrical Defense150%

Four Knights Game

With Black: 4 games, won 0, drew 4, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Scotch Variation Accepted450%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
41st European Chess Club Cup 202623 Oct 20264½/7−2−3
German Bundesliga 2025/2626 Apr 20266½/11+11+12
Austrian Bundesliga 2025/2619 Apr 20265/10−3−2
European Chess Club Cup 202525 Oct 20253½/6−1+1
European Team Chess Championship 202514 Oct 20255/7+1+2

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMJ. Santos Latasa1 Apr 2023 · Bundesliga 20222677
GMJ. Bjerre3 Feb 2024 · Bundesliga 2023/242642
GMA. Neiksans10 Jan 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262584
GML. Nisipeanu18 Apr 2026 · Austrian Bundesliga 2025/262582
GMZ. Efimenko2 Dec 2023 · Bundesliga 2023/242567

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMN. HuschenbethLast 15 Apr 2026 · Austrian Bundesliga 2025/264040
GMP. MaghsoodlooLast 7 Feb 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/263012
GMD. HorvathLast 25 Apr 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/263030
GMJ. PechacLast 12 Dec 2025 · Austrian Bundesliga 2025/263021
GMD. KadricLast 23 Nov 2023 · Austrian Bundesliga 20232110

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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.