Players
Nikolozi Kacharava
Photo: Yunfan Zhao
GM

Nikolozi Kacharava

GeorgiaBorn 2004 (age 22)FIDE ID 13611860

Luft classical

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Monthly Luft ratings, now 2559
FIDE

FIDE classical

18002000220024002600201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2526
Luft

Flair

Nikolozi Kacharava'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 79Endgame 80Openings 75Composure 72Defence 78Speed 69Consistency 79

Luft classical rating

2559No. 168

From 24 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2625 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2625 level, blended with their FIDE rating+24
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year+9
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+2
Activity24 classical games in top events−2

Openings

Their most-played, from 67 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense1346%
Ruy Lopez475%
Caro-Kann Defense350%
Italian Game275%
French Defense20%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 13 games, won 4, drew 4, lost 5 · 46%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation463%
Four Knights Variation383%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack317%
Richter-Rauzer Variation20%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Closed2100%
Berlin Defense150%
Morphy Defense150%

Caro-Kann Defense

With White: 3 games, won 1, drew 1, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation350%

Italian Game

With White: 2 games, won 1, drew 1, lost 0 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation1100%
Two Knights Defense150%

French Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Winawer Variation20%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 11 games, won 0, drew 8, lost 3 · 36%

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense633%
Berlin Defense540%

English Opening

With Black: 6 games, won 1, drew 1, lost 4 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation530%
Symmetrical Variation10%

Queen's Gambit Accepted

With Black: 5 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 2 · 40%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Defense250%
Central Variation225%
Janowski-Larsen Variation150%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 2, drew 0, lost 2 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Taimanov Variation333%
Prins Variation1100%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Giuoco Pianissimo250%
Classical Variation225%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20266/10+1−1
European Individual Chess Championship 202619 Apr 2026=5th+21+22
2026 President's Cup: National College Chess Championship22 Mar 20261/3−2−2
2026 Saint Louis Masters1 Mar 20262½/6+20
European Team Chess Championship 202514 Oct 20254/8+14+15

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMJ. van Foreest19 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242696
GMM. Yilmaz14 May 2024 · Sharjah2641
GMV. Ivanchuk13 Apr 2026 · European Individual Chess Championship 20262621
GMJ. Santos Latasa14 Apr 2026 · European Individual Chess Championship 20262610
GMD. Dardha8 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252605

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMV. IvanchukLast 25 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20263111
GMJ. Cardoso CardosoLast 22 Mar 2026 · 2026 President's Cup: National College Chess Championship2011
GMD. Anton GuijarroLast 6 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252011
GMA. SuleymanliLast 15 Apr 2026 · European Individual Chess Championship 20262020
GMM. AdamsLast 20 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262020

Compare Luft

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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.