Players
Nikita Vitiugov
Photo: Frans Peeters, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr
GM

Nikita Vitiugov

EnglandBorn 1987 (age 39)FIDE ID 4152956

Luft classical

26002700280029002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2641
FIDE

FIDE classical

2200240026002800200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2663
Luft

Flair

Nikita Vitiugov'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

Nikita Vitiugov's classical titles

1 classical title, 11 medals, newest first

  • Russian Championship 20211st
  • European Team Championship 2019Gold, board 2 · Russia
  • European Team Championship 2019Gold, team · Russia
  • Chess Olympiad 2018Bronze, team · Russia
  • European Team Championship 2017Gold, board 3 · Russia
  • European Team Championship 2017Silver, team · Russia
  • World Team Championship 2017Silver, team · Russia
  • World Team Championship 2013Bronze, reserve board · Russia
  • World Team Championship 2013Gold, team · Russia
  • World Team Championship 2011Gold, reserve board · Russia
  • World Team Championship 2010Gold, 2nd reserve board · Russia
  • World Team Championship 2010Gold, team · Russia
  • Russian Championship 

Attributes

Tactics 86Positional 81Endgame 84Openings 81Composure 83Defence 80Speed 80Consistency 86

Luft classical rating

2641No. 72

From 21 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2619 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2619 level, blended with their FIDE rating−14
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−6
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+1
Activity21 classical games in top events−3

Openings

Their most-played, from 108 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Ruy Lopez1263%
Queen's Gambit Declined1050%
Sicilian Defense667%
Italian Game383%
Petrov's Defense367%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 12 games, won 4, drew 7, lost 1 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Closed463%
Morphy Defense463%
Berlin Defense275%
Open150%
Bird Variation150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 10 games, won 2, drew 6, lost 2 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Main line333%
Exchange Variation275%
Janowski Variation1100%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense150%
Barmen Variation150%
Ragozin Defense150%
Harrwitz Attack10%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 6 games, won 2, drew 4, lost 0 · 67%

VariationGamesScore
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack275%
Najdorf Variation275%
Modern Variations150%
Richter-Rauzer Variation150%

Italian Game

With White: 3 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 0 · 83%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation2100%
Giuoco Pianissimo150%

Petrov's Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Millennium Attack250%
Classical Attack1100%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 10 games, won 2, drew 7, lost 1 · 55%

VariationGamesScore
Closed956%
Morphy Defense150%

English Opening

With Black: 7 games, won 2, drew 5, lost 0 · 64%

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation570%
Agincourt Defense150%
Anglo-Indian Defense150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Barmen Variation250%
Exchange Variation150%
Main line150%
Vienna Variation10%

Four Knights Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Spanish Variation333%
Scotch Variation Accepted250%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 2, drew 2, lost 0 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Moscow Variation1100%
Najdorf Variation1100%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack150%
Accelerated Dragon150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20266/10−3−1
German Bundesliga 2025/2626 Apr 20267½/14−10−9
FIDE World Cup 20255 Nov 20251/2−1−1
European Team Chess Championship 202514 Oct 20254½/8+3+4
FIDE Grand Swiss 202515 Sep 2025=51st−5−5

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMJ. van Foreest17 Nov 2023 · European Team Championship2700
GMD. Navara12 Nov 2023 · European Team Championship2695
GMB. Gledura25 Apr 2025 · German Bundesliga 2024/252666
GMV. Ivic10 Jan 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262638
GMM. Maurizzi9 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252624

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMM. MchedlishviliLast 20 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20263030
GMI. SamunenkovLast 26 Apr 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/263120
GMI. SaricLast 13 Nov 2023 · European Team Championship2020
GMD. FridmanLast 3 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232110
GMF. BerkesLast 6 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232020

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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.