Players
IM

Nikolas Wachinger

GermanyBorn 2003 (age 23)FIDE ID 12962791

Luft classical

240024502500255026002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2421
FIDE

FIDE classical

150020002500201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2439
Luft

Flair

Nikolas Wachinger'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 67Positional 70Endgame 78Openings 69Composure 63Defence 68Speed 63Consistency 68

Luft classical rating

2421No. 382

From 11 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2304 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2304 level, blended with their FIDE rating−14
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−8
Activity11 classical games in top events−6

Openings

Their most-played, from 32 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Caro-Kann Defense642%
Sicilian Defense438%
Petrov's Defense383%
French Defense250%
Ruy Lopez20%

Caro-Kann Defense

With White: 6 games, won 1, drew 3, lost 2 · 42%

VariationGamesScore
Two Knights Attack450%
Advance Variation150%
Endgame Variation10%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 4 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 1 · 38%

VariationGamesScore
Moscow Variation250%
Four Knights Variation150%
Taimanov Variation10%

Petrov's Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Attack275%
French Attack1100%

French Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation150%
Advance Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense10%
Berlin Defense10%

King's Indian Attack

With Black: 5 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 2 · 30%

VariationGamesScore
Sicilian Variation317%
Main line250%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 1, drew 1, lost 2 · 38%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation350%
Chekhover Variation10%

Catalan Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense150%

Queen's Pawn Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Semi-Tarrasch Defense150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
FISU World University Championship Mind Sports 202616 Oct 20262/4+10
German Bundesliga 2025/2626 Apr 20262½/9−12−13
European Chess Club Cup 202525 Oct 20253½/7+2+1
German Bundesliga 2024/2527 Apr 20254/90+1
Bundesliga 2023/2428 Apr 20242/7−8−8

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMR. Dautov27 Sep 2025 · German Bundesliga 2025/262552
GMA. Sumets22 Oct 2025 · European Chess Club Cup 20252520
GMI. Zaragatski18 Mar 2023 · Bundesliga 20222505
IMT. Koelle13 Oct 2026 · FISU World University Championship Mind Sports 20262504
GMA. Naumann12 Jan 2025 · German Bundesliga 2024/252476

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMR. DautovLast 27 Sep 2025 · German Bundesliga 2025/262110
IML. CostaLast 1 Feb 2025 · German Bundesliga 2024/252110
GMD. HausrathLast 23 Feb 2025 · German Bundesliga 2024/252020
IMP. LindgrenLast 25 Feb 2023 · Bundesliga 20221100
GMI. ZaragatskiLast 18 Mar 2023 · Bundesliga 20221100

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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.