Players
Nataliya Buksa
Photo: Yunfan Zhao
IM

Nataliya Buksa

UkraineBorn 1996 (age 30)FIDE ID 14123622

Luft classical

230023502400245025002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2366
FIDE

FIDE classical

220024002600201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2367
Luft

Flair

Nataliya Buksa'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

Nataliya Buksa's classical titles

2 classical titles, 2 medals, newest first

  • Ukrainian Championship×2

Attributes

Tactics 67Positional 67Endgame 67Openings 65Composure 63Defence 71Speed 56Consistency 68

Luft classical rating

2366No. 414

From 31 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2359 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2359 level, blended with their FIDE rating0
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+1
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−2
Activity31 classical games in top events0

Openings

Their most-played, from 30 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense757%
Caro-Kann Defense450%
Ruy Lopez250%
King's Indian Defense150%
Petrov's Defense150%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 7 games, won 3, drew 2, lost 2 · 57%

VariationGamesScore
Richter-Rauzer Variation1100%
Scheveningen Variation1100%
Najdorf Variation1100%
Classical Variation150%
Kan Variation150%
Taimanov Variation10%
Hyperaccelerated Dragon10%

Caro-Kann Defense

With White: 4 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Tartakower Variation250%
Maróczy Variation1100%
Two Knights Attack10%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 2 games, won 1, drew 0, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense250%

King's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Smyslov Variation150%

Petrov's Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Attack150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 4 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Harrwitz Attack1100%
Exchange Variation150%
Modern Variation150%
Barmen Variation10%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Accelerated London System150%
Colle System150%
London System10%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Four Knights Variation150%
Najdorf Variation150%
French Variation10%

Scotch Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Tartakower Variation1100%

King's Indian Attack, with e6

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

VariationGamesScore
Main line150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Serbian Super League 202614 Oct 20265/10−3−4
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20264½/8−31−33
Sparkassen Chess Trophy 20269 Aug 2026=3rd−6−2
25th European Chess Championship 20265 Jun 2026=19th−17−9
FIDE World Team Championship 202520 Nov 20252/4−3−3

Best wins

OpponentRating
IMSong Yuxin2 Aug 2026 · Sparkassen Chess Trophy 20262452
WCMM. Deekshitha6 Oct 2026 · Serbian Super League 20262436
IMD. Wagner8 Aug 2026 · Sparkassen Chess Trophy 20262403
GMI. Krush21 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242396
GME. Danielian20 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242393

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
IMT. InjacLast 7 Oct 2026 · Serbian Super League 20262101
WGMB. KrastevaLast 14 Oct 2026 · Serbian Super League 20262020
IMSong YuxinLast 6 Aug 2026 · Sparkassen Chess Trophy 20262101
IMK. KulonLast 9 Aug 2026 · Sparkassen Chess Trophy 20262011
IMD. WagnerLast 8 Aug 2026 · Sparkassen Chess Trophy 20262101

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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.