Players
Martin Petrov
Photo: Yunfan Zhao
GM

Martin Petrov

BulgariaBorn 2000 (age 26)FIDE ID 2911086

Luft classical

24002500260027002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2532
FIDE

FIDE classical

220024002600201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2533
Luft

Flair

Martin Petrov'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

Martin Petrov's classical titles

1 classical title, newest first

  • Bulgarian Championship 20201st
  • Bulgarian Championship 

Attributes

Tactics 79Positional 76Endgame 78Openings 73Composure 74Defence 77Speed 69Consistency 81

Luft classical rating

2532No. 212

From 20 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2531 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2531 level, blended with their FIDE rating−1
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+3
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event0
Activity20 classical games in top events−3

Openings

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

OpeningGamesScore
Italian Game743%
Sicilian Defense650%
English Opening350%
Caro-Kann Defense333%
Petrov's Defense250%

Italian Game

With White: 7 games, won 1, drew 4, lost 2 · 43%

VariationGamesScore
Giuoco Pianissimo350%
Classical Variation250%
Two Knights Defense150%
Giuoco Piano10%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 6 games, won 1, drew 4, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation350%
Godiva Variation1100%
French Variation150%
Taimanov Variation10%

English Opening

With White: 3 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation250%
Anglo-Indian Defense150%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation333%

Petrov's Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Modern Attack250%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 12 games, won 1, drew 9, lost 2 · 46%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation850%
Moscow Variation350%
Chekhover Variation10%

English Opening

With Black: 4 games, won 1, drew 0, lost 3 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Agincourt Defense1100%
Symmetrical Variation10%
King's English Variation10%
Anglo-Indian Defense10%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With Black: 3 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation150%
Romanishin Variation150%
Normal Variation150%

Bogo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Nimzowitsch Variation150%
Grünfeld Variation10%

Queen's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Petrosian Variation150%
Fianchetto Variation10%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 20262/3+8+8
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20265/9−3−2
German Bundesliga 2025/2626 Apr 20265½/14−8−6
FIDE World Cup 20255 Nov 20251½/4+1+1
European Team Chess Championship 202514 Oct 20254½/8+8+12

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMR. Kasimdzhanov11 Oct 2026 · German Bundesliga 2026/272665
GMA. Shirov6 Oct 2024 · German Bundesliga 2024/252648
GMR. Ponomariov21 Mar 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262631
GMK. Mekhitarian2 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20252545
GMU. Boensch19 Mar 2023 · Bundesliga 20222466

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMP. TeclafLast 9 Oct 2026 · German Bundesliga 2026/272020
GMR. DautovLast 5 Oct 2024 · German Bundesliga 2024/252020
GML. NisipeanuLast 1 Mar 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262020
GMA. KorobovLast 21 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262002
GMD. NavaraLast 12 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252011

Compare Luft

GMMartin PetrovBulgaria

Pick a player to compare with Martin Petrov

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.