Players
Toms Kantans
Photo: Krzysztof Szeląg, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Toms Kantans

LatviaBorn 1994 (age 32)FIDE ID 11602945

Luft classical

24002500260027002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2524
FIDE

FIDE classical

2400250026002700201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2549
Luft

Flair

Toms Kantans'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

Toms Kantans's classical titles

2 classical titles, newest first

  • Latvian Championship 20261st
  • Latvian Championship 20231st
  • Latvian Championship×2

Attributes

Tactics 76Positional 75Endgame 76Openings 71Composure 76Defence 82Speed 65Consistency 74

Luft classical rating

2524No. 226

From 13 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2489 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2489 level, blended with their FIDE rating−13
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year0
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−6
Activity13 classical games in top events−6

Openings

Their most-played, from 12 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense350%
Caro-Kann Defense1100%
Philidor Defense150%
Scotch Game150%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Dragon Variation1100%
Four Knights Variation150%
Moscow Variation10%

Caro-Kann Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Advance Variation1100%

Philidor Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Lion Variation150%

Scotch Game

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

VariationGamesScore
Mieses Variation150%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Taimanov Variation1100%
French Variation150%

Zukertort Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
Sicilian Invitation1100%

Queen's Indian Defense

With Black: 1 game, won 0, drew 0, lost 1 · 0%

VariationGamesScore
Kasparov-Petrosian Variation10%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With Black: 1 game, won 0, drew 0, lost 1 · 0%

VariationGamesScore
St. Petersburg Variation10%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 1 game, won 0, drew 0, lost 1 · 0%

VariationGamesScore
Main line10%

Recent events

EventPlace+/−+/−
Norwegian Team League Eliteserien 2026/2731 Oct 20261/2−2−2
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 2026½/3−7−7
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20266½/10+3+3
Bundesliga Cup Team Championship 202631 May 20261/2+1+1
45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 202422 Sep 20247½/10+9+9

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMG. Vazquez27 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262543
GMA. Kvaloy31 Oct 2026 · Norwegian Team League Eliteserien 2026/272515
IMBai Adelard19 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262468
IMF. Waldhausen Gordon30 May 2026 · Bundesliga Cup Team Championship 20262450
IMK. Wageih15 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242402

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMJ. DudaLast 18 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262002
IMA. ClaudeLast 11 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20241100
FMJ. IlkhomiLast 12 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20241010
FMS. Escalona LandiLast 13 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20241100
GMV. SanalLast 14 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20241010

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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.