Players
Ray Robson
Photo: Stefan64, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Ray Robson

United StatesBorn 1994 (age 32)FIDE ID 2023970

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2624
FIDE

FIDE classical

20002200240026002800200520092013201720212025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2649
Luft

Flair

Ray Robson'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

Ray Robson's classical titles

0 classical titles, 4 medals, newest first

  • Chess Olympiad 2024Silver, team · United States
  • Chess Olympiad 2018Silver, team · United States
  • Chess Olympiad 2016Gold, team · United States
  • World Team Championship 2010Silver, team · United States

Attributes

Tactics 78Positional 80Endgame 89Openings 80Composure 84Defence 80Speed 81Consistency 88

Luft classical rating

2624No. 88

From 11 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2590 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2590 level, blended with their FIDE rating−19
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year0
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event0
Activity11 classical games in top events−6

Openings

Their most-played, from 51 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense961%
Italian Game333%
English Opening275%
Queen's Gambit Declined225%
Ruy Lopez225%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 9 games, won 2, drew 7, lost 0 · 61%

VariationGamesScore
Four Knights Variation250%
Taimanov Variation1100%
Moscow Variation1100%
Richter-Rauzer Variation150%
Najdorf Variation150%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack150%
Delayed Alapin Variation150%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%

Italian Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Giuoco Pianissimo225%
Classical Variation150%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation1100%
Anglo-Indian Defense150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 2 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 1 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation150%
Janowski Variation10%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 2 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 1 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense225%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 7 games, won 1, drew 5, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation550%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack250%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 7 games, won 0, drew 6, lost 1 · 43%

VariationGamesScore
Ragozin Defense450%
Exchange Variation225%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With Black: 3 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 2 · 17%

VariationGamesScore
Normal Variation225%
Three Knights Variation10%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense275%

English Opening

With Black: 2 games, won 0, drew 1, lost 1 · 25%

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation150%
Symmetrical Variation10%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
U.S. Chess Championships 202621 Oct 2026=10th−10−7
American Cup 20265 Mar 20261/4−5−3
FIDE World Cup 20255 Nov 2025½/2−7−6
FIDE Grand Swiss 202515 Sep 2025=51st−10−3
Chennai Grand Masters 202515 Aug 2025=9th−13−10

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMS. Vidit8 Aug 2025 · Chennai Grand Masters 20252720
GMH. Niemann14 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262717
GMD. Dardha8 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252624
GMA. Fier3 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232604
A. Gadimbayli6 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232483

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMF. CaruanaLast 12 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20263012
GMW. SoLast 16 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20263021
GMA. FierLast 3 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232110
A. GadimbayliLast 6 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232110
GMA. LiangLast 19 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 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.