Players
Narayanan S L
Photo: Lichess
GM

Narayanan S L

IndiaBorn 1998 (age 28)FIDE ID 5058422

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2596
FIDE

FIDE classical

1750200022502500275020082012201620202024
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2561
Luft

Flair

Narayanan S L'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 78Positional 81Endgame 77Openings 80Composure 76Defence 83Speed 82Consistency 83

Luft classical rating

2596No. 118

From 16 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2712 level, with 1 win against the top 10.

ResultsPlayed at a 2712 level, blended with their FIDE rating+37
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+2
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+1
Activity16 classical games in top events−5

Openings

Their most-played, from 81 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Queen's Gambit Declined1354%
Sicilian Defense658%
English Opening658%
Queen's Indian Defense463%
Semi-Slav Defense367%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 13 games, won 3, drew 8, lost 2 · 54%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation450%
Ragozin Defense367%
Barmen Variation275%
Main line250%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense150%
Austrian Defense10%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 6 games, won 1, drew 5, lost 0 · 58%

VariationGamesScore
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack250%
Moscow Variation1100%
Modern Variations150%
Taimanov Variation150%
Najdorf Variation150%

English Opening

With White: 6 games, won 1, drew 5, lost 0 · 58%

VariationGamesScore
Anglo-Indian Defense275%
King's English Variation250%
Symmetrical Variation150%
Agincourt Defense150%

Queen's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Capablanca Variation275%
Opocensky Variation150%
Miles Variation150%

Semi-Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Anti-Moscow Gambit1100%
Stoltz Variation1100%
Quiet Variation10%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 14 games, won 3, drew 10, lost 1 · 57%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation463%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack350%
Kalashnikov Variation275%
Chekhover Variation1100%
Closed150%
Delayed Alapin Variation150%
Accelerated Dragon150%
Old Sicilian10%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Open225%
Berlin Defense150%
Morphy Defense150%
Open Berlin Defense150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation275%
Ragozin Defense250%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation250%
Giuoco Piano150%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation150%
Anglo-Indian Defense150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
1st Chola Chess Open International Grandmasters Chess Tournament 20267 Nov 2026=2nd+15+15
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 20261½/3+4+5
Brasov Grand Prix Classic 202629 Jul 20261½/3−5−6
German Bundesliga 2025/268 Feb 20262½/4+7+4
FIDE World Cup 20258 Nov 20253/6−1−2

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMF. Caruana6 Dec 2025 · German Bundesliga 2025/262795
GMGukesh D.15 Oct 2023 · Qatar Masters 20232758
GMR. Kasimdzhanov6 Oct 2024 · German Bundesliga 2024/252683
GMPranesh M.5 Nov 2026 · 1st Chola Chess Open International Grandmasters Chess Tournament 20262673
GMM. Chigaev14 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252638

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMGukesh D.Last 15 Oct 2023 · Qatar Masters 20233111
GMR. RapportLast 26 Jul 2025 · Oskemen Open 20252020
GMK. ShevchenkoLast 14 Jun 2024 · Grand Prix Romania 20242011
GMY. KuzubovLast 3 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232110
GMM. KarthikeyanLast 4 Nov 2026 · 1st Chola Chess Open International Grandmasters Chess Tournament 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.