Players
Surya Shekhar Ganguly
Photo: Dominik Töpfer
GM

Surya Shekhar Ganguly

IndiaBorn 1983 (age 43)FIDE ID 5002150

Luft classical

250025502600265027002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2540
FIDE

FIDE classical

24002500260027002800200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2562
Luft

Flair

Surya Shekhar Ganguly's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Chameleon7 different defences in 8 games with black
  • 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
  • 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
  • Chameleon

Trophy cabinet

Surya Shekhar Ganguly's classical titles

1 classical title, 8 medals, newest first

  • World Team Championship 2010Gold, board 3 · India
  • World Team Championship 2010Bronze, team · India
  • Asian Team Championship 2009Gold, team · India "A"
  • Asian Championship 20091st
  • Asian Team Championship 2008Silver, board 2 · India
  • Asian Team Championship 2008Silver, team · India Reds
  • Asian Team Championship 2005Gold, board 3 · India
  • Asian Team Championship 2005Gold, team · India
  • Asian Team Championship 2003Silver, team · India "A"
  • Asian Championship 

Attributes

Tactics 80Positional 75Endgame 86Openings 75Composure 76Defence 69Speed 71Consistency 73

Luft classical rating

2540No. 199

From 19 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2528 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2528 level, blended with their FIDE rating−6
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−2
Activity19 classical games in top events−4

Openings

Their most-played, from 41 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense863%
Ruy Lopez450%
Queen's Gambit Declined2100%
English Opening250%
Caro-Kann Defense1100%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 8 games, won 4, drew 2, lost 2 · 63%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation463%
Taimanov Variation1100%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack1100%
Four Knights Variation150%
O'Kelly Variation10%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 4 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Closed275%
Morphy Defense150%
Berlin Defense10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 2 games, won 2, drew 0, lost 0 · 100%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation2100%

English Opening

With White: 2 games, won 1, drew 0, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation1100%
Symmetrical Variation10%

Caro-Kann Defense

With White: 1 game, won 1, drew 0, lost 0 · 100%

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation1100%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 4 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Closed1100%
Berlin Defense150%
Open Berlin Defense150%
Morphy Defense10%

French Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation250%
Winawer Variation150%
Chigorin Variation10%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Two Knights Attack275%
Tartakower Variation150%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation150%
Agincourt Defense150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation10%
Ragozin Defense10%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
1st Chola Chess Open International Grandmasters Chess Tournament 20267 Nov 2026=6th−1−2
Sparkassen Chess Trophy 20269 Aug 20263½/5+4+3
59th Biel International Chess Festival 202616 Jul 20260/1−5−5
Prague International Chess Festival 20266 Mar 20264/9−7−7
FIDE World Cup 20255 Nov 20252½/4+9+8

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMB. Gledura6 Mar 2026 · Prague International Chess Festival 20262652
GMZhu Jiner4 Mar 2026 · Prague International Chess Festival 20262578
GML. Engel9 Aug 2025 · Sparkassen Chess Trophy 20252548
GMA. Ahmadzada2 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20252530
IMY. Poh8 Aug 2026 · Sparkassen Chess Trophy 20262473

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMA. AhmadzadaLast 2 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20252200
GMM. Vachier-LagraveLast 5 Nov 2025 · FIDE World Cup 20252011
GMD. HausrathLast 23 Feb 2024 · Bundesliga 2023/241010
GML. CyborowskiLast 24 Feb 2024 · Bundesliga 2023/241010
IMT. KrausLast 25 Feb 2024 · Bundesliga 2023/241010

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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.