Players
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Photo: Yunfan Zhao
GM

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov

AzerbaijanBorn 1985 (age 41)FIDE ID 13401319

Playing now: Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 2026

Luft classical

26002700280029002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2697
FIDE

FIDE classical

2200240026002800200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2709
Luft

Flair

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Black Belt11½/19 with black (61%), against 60% with white
  • 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
  • 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
  • Black Belt

Trophy cabinet

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov's classical titles

3 classical titles, 11 medals, newest first

  • Superbet Classic 20211st
  • European Team Championship 2017Silver, board 1 · Azerbaijan
  • European Team Championship 2017Gold, team · Azerbaijan
  • European Team Championship 2013Gold, team · Azerbaijan
  • Chess Olympiad 2012Gold, board 3 · Azerbaijan
  • European Team Championship 2011Gold, board 3 · Azerbaijan
  • European Team Championship 2011Silver, team · Azerbaijan
  • World Team Championship 2010Gold, board 4 · Azerbaijan
  • European Team Championship 2009Gold, board 4 · Azerbaijan
  • European Team Championship 2009Gold, team · Azerbaijan
  • European Team Championship 2007Bronze, team · Azerbaijan
  • European Team Championship 2003Silver, board 2 · Azerbaijan
  • Azerbaijani Championship 20021st
  • Azerbaijani Championship 20011st
  • Superbet Classic 
  • Azerbaijani Championship×2

Attributes

Tactics 83Positional 86Endgame 87Openings 86Composure 86Defence 83Speed 79Consistency 95

Luft classical rating

2697No. 30

From 40 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2690 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2690 level, blended with their FIDE rating−8
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−9
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+2
Activity40 classical games in top events+3

Openings

Their most-played, from 119 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Queen's Gambit Declined2063%
English Opening1666%
Nimzo-Indian Defense675%
Queen's Pawn Game463%
King's Indian Defense383%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 20 games, won 8, drew 9, lost 3 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation5100%
Queen's Knight Variation383%
Ragozin Defense250%
Barmen Variation250%
Harrwitz Attack250%
Orthodox Defense150%
Janowski Variation150%
Three Knights Variation150%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense150%
Main line10%
Modern Variation10%

English Opening

With White: 16 games, won 7, drew 7, lost 2 · 66%

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation967%
Agincourt Defense275%
Symmetrical Variation225%
Mikenas-Carls Variation1100%
Main line1100%
Anglo-Indian Defense150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With White: 6 games, won 3, drew 3, lost 0 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation275%
Normal Variation250%
Three Knights Variation1100%
Sämisch Variation1100%

Queen's Pawn Game

With White: 4 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 1 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
London System225%
Symmetrical Variation1100%
Main line1100%

King's Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Fianchetto Variation383%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 9 games, won 3, drew 5, lost 1 · 61%

VariationGamesScore
Morphy Defense463%
Closed367%
Open250%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation463%
Exchange Variation1100%
Tartakower Variation150%

Queen's Gambit Accepted

With Black: 4 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 1 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Central Variation367%
Alekhine Defense150%

French Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 1, drew 3, lost 0 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Steinitz Variation250%
Classical Variation1100%
Advance Variation150%

Catalan Opening

With Black: 4 games, won 1, drew 3, lost 0 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Open Defense463%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 202612 Nov 20262/4−10
41st European Chess Club Cup 202623 Oct 20265½/70+1
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20265½/10−10−13
3rd UzChess Cup 202615 Jun 2026=3rd+2+1
Bundesliga Cup Team Championship 202631 May 20262/2+3+3

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMS. Vidit7 Jun 2026 · 3rd UzChess Cup 20262708
GMN. Yakubboev14 Jun 2026 · 3rd UzChess Cup 20262689
GMH. Martirosyan11 Nov 2026 · Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 20262669
GMS. Sargsyan10 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252667
GMT. Nguyen6 Oct 2025 · European Team Chess Championship 20252664

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMJ. van ForeestLast 23 Oct 2025 · European Chess Club Cup 20253021
GMA. BrkicLast 4 Apr 2025 · Austrian Bundesliga 2024/253120
GMD. KadricLast 20 Oct 2026 · 41st European Chess Club Cup 20263120
GML. LivaicLast 26 Apr 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/263210
GMN. TheodorouLast 23 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20263120

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GMShakhriyar MamedyarovAzerbaijan

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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.