Players
Samuel Sevian
Photo: Stefan64, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Samuel Sevian

United StatesBorn 2000 (age 26)FIDE ID 2040506

Luft classical

26002700280029002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2662
FIDE

FIDE classical

20002200240026002800201020132016201920222025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2684
Luft

Flair

Samuel Sevian's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Endgame SpecialistEndgame 91, from 17 endgames
  • 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
  • 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
  • Endgame Specialist

Trophy cabinet

Samuel Sevian's classical titles

1 classical title, newest first

Attributes

Tactics 75Positional 88Endgame 91Openings 83Composure 89Defence 79Speed 83Consistency 84

Luft classical rating

2662No. 60

From 23 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2668 level, with 1 win against the top 10.

ResultsPlayed at a 2668 level, blended with their FIDE rating−8
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−6
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−6
Activity23 classical games in top events−2

Openings

Their most-played, from 68 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Italian Game650%
Queen's Gambit Declined650%
Nimzo-Indian Defense475%
Petrov's Defense383%
Sicilian Defense350%

Italian Game

With White: 6 games, won 1, drew 4, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation367%
Two Knights Defense225%
Paris Defense150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 6 games, won 0, drew 6, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation450%
Ragozin Defense150%
Harrwitz Attack150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Romanishin Variation2100%
Normal Variation250%

Petrov's Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Nimzowitsch Attack1100%
Classical Attack1100%
Millennium Attack150%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 3 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation250%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack150%

English Opening

With Black: 6 games, won 0, drew 4, lost 2 · 33%

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation438%
Agincourt Defense150%
Neo-Catalan10%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Richter-Rauzer Variation150%
Delayed Alapin Variation150%
Kramnik Variation150%
Four Knights Variation10%
Najdorf Variation10%

French Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation275%
Steinitz Variation150%

King's Indian Defense

With Black: 3 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Fianchetto Variation150%
Orthodox Variation150%
Kazakh Variation150%

Tarrasch Defense

With Black: 3 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Two Knights Variation350%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
U.S. Chess Championships 202621 Oct 202612th−24−24
GCT: Sinquefield Cup 202619 Aug 2026=5th+7+10
American Cup 20267 Mar 20263/6+4+4
FIDE World Cup 202515 Nov 20254½/9−10−12
FIDE Grand Swiss 202515 Sep 2025=5th+5+3

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMW. So21 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20262770
GMA. Giri12 Aug 2026 · GCT: Sinquefield Cup 20262764
GML. Dominguez Perez4 Mar 2026 · American Cup 20262738
GMM. Chigaev7 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252638
GME. Gurel14 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252631

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMW. SoLast 21 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20265140
GML. AronianLast 11 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20265041
GMF. CaruanaLast 17 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20263030
GML. LodiciLast 13 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20253120
GMS. GuptaLast 20 May 2025 · Sharjah Masters 20252020

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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.