Players
Momchil Petkov
Photo: Yunfan Zhao
GM

Momchil Petkov

BulgariaBorn 2005 (age 21)FIDE ID 2921642

Luft classical

24002500260027002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2520
FIDE

FIDE classical

15001750200022502500201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2535
Luft

Flair

Momchil Petkov'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 77Positional 75Endgame 77Openings 75Composure 66Defence 75Speed 67Consistency 81

Luft classical rating

2520No. 237

From 28 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2492 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2492 level, blended with their FIDE rating−14
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−3
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+3
Activity28 classical games in top events−1

Openings

Their most-played, from 68 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense856%
Ruy Lopez850%
French Defense333%
Queen's Gambit Declined250%
Caro-Kann Defense250%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation250%
Modern Variations1100%
Closed1100%
French Variation150%
Richter-Rauzer Variation150%
Kan Variation150%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation10%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 8 games, won 2, drew 4, lost 2 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Closed463%
Berlin Defense275%
Morphy Defense20%

French Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Steinitz Variation150%
Exchange Variation150%
Advance Variation10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Ragozin Defense150%
Exchange Variation150%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation150%
Main line150%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 12 games, won 4, drew 5, lost 3 · 54%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation550%
Richter-Rauzer Variation225%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack1100%
Hyperaccelerated Dragon1100%
Moscow Variation1100%
French Variation150%
Modern Variations10%

King's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Fianchetto Variation250%
Orthodox Variation225%
Semi-Classical Variation1100%
Semi-Averbakh System1100%
Normal Variation150%
Exchange Variation150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Barmen Variation1100%
Westphalian Variation150%
Main line150%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Breyer Variation1100%
Advance Variation150%
Tartakower Variation150%

King's Indian Attack

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Defense150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Romanian Team Chess Championships 202610 Oct 20263½/8−5−4
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20266/10+3+6
Aktobe Open 202611 Jun 20263½/70−1
European Individual Chess Championship 202619 Apr 2026=24th+6+7
European Team Chess Championship 202514 Oct 20254½/8+3+1

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMA. Korobov17 Nov 2024 · European Individual Chess Championship 20242636
GMD. Gavrilescu7 Oct 2026 · Romanian Team Chess Championships 20262520
IMA. Isik24 May 2025 · Sharjah Masters 20252482
GMT. Hillarp Persson21 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242457
IMA. Bogdanov4 Jun 2026 · Aktobe Open 20262455

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
IMS. TalibovLast 5 Jun 2026 · Aktobe Open 20262020
GMV. IvanchukLast 21 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262011
GMA. TarhanLast 3 Oct 2026 · Romanian Team Chess Championships 20262020
GMM. MuradliLast 14 Apr 2026 · European Individual Chess Championship 20262011
IMS. MaerevoetLast 27 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262020

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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.