Players
Vasyl Ivanchuk
Photo: GibChess, CC BY 4.0 via YouTube
GM

Vasyl Ivanchuk

UkraineBorn 1969 (age 57)FIDE ID 14100010

Luft classical

25002600270028002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2653
FIDE

FIDE classical

25002600270028002900200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2635
Luft

Flair

Vasyl Ivanchuk's classical flairs

1 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • ReliableConsistent across all top events (average performance 2663)
  • 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
  • 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
  • Reliable

Trophy cabinet

Vasyl Ivanchuk's classical titles

3 classical titles, 18 medals, newest first

  • Menorca Open 20251st · 8/9 · Perf. 2844
  • European Team Championship 2019Bronze, board 1 · Ukraine
  • European Team Championship 2019Silver, team · Ukraine
  • Capablanca Memorial 20161st
  • World Team Championship 2015Silver, board 2 · Ukraine
  • World Team Championship 2015Silver, team · Ukraine
  • World Team Championship 2013Bronze, board 1 · Ukraine
  • World Team Championship 2013Bronze, team · Ukraine
  • Chess Olympiad 2012Bronze, team · Ukraine
  • World Team Championship 2011Bronze, team · Ukraine
  • Chess Olympiad 2010Gold, board 1 · Ukraine
  • Chess Olympiad 2010Gold, team · Ukraine
  • Chess Olympiad 2004Gold, team · Ukraine
  • European Championship 20041st
  • World Team Championship 2001Silver, board 1 · Ukraine
  • World Team Championship 2001Gold, team · Ukraine
  • Chess Olympiad 2000Bronze, team · Ukraine
  • Chess Olympiad 1998Bronze, team · Ukraine
  • World Team Championship 1997Gold, board 1 · Ukraine
  • Chess Olympiad 1996Bronze, board 1 · Ukraine
  • Chess Olympiad 1996Silver, team · Ukraine

Attributes

Tactics 84Positional 82Endgame 78Openings 83Composure 90Defence 86Speed 80Consistency 84

Luft classical rating

2653No. 63

From 47 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2657 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2657 level, blended with their FIDE rating+9
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−3
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event+6
Activity47 classical games in top events+6

Openings

Their most-played, from 121 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Ruy Lopez1145%
Queen's Gambit Declined757%
Sicilian Defense692%
Nimzo-Indian Defense560%
English Opening463%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 11 games, won 1, drew 8, lost 2 · 45%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense438%
Closed350%
Morphy Defense350%
Exchange Variation150%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 7 games, won 2, drew 4, lost 1 · 57%

VariationGamesScore
Queen's Knight Variation225%
Ragozin Defense1100%
Tartakower Defense1100%
Janowski Variation150%
Main line150%
Neo-Orthodox Variation150%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 6 games, won 5, drew 1, lost 0 · 92%

VariationGamesScore
Closed1100%
Boleslavsky Variation1100%
Najdorf Variation1100%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack1100%
Accelerated Dragon1100%
Prins Variation150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With White: 5 games, won 1, drew 4, lost 0 · 60%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation463%
Three Knights Variation150%

English Opening

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

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation383%
Symmetrical Variation10%

Sicilian Defense

With Black: 10 games, won 7, drew 2, lost 1 · 80%

VariationGamesScore
Najdorf Variation367%
Kan Variation275%
Richter-Rauzer Variation1100%
Closed1100%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack1100%
Alapin Variation1100%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 6 games, won 3, drew 2, lost 1 · 67%

VariationGamesScore
Closed383%
Berlin Defense275%
Morphy Defense10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Ragozin Defense350%
Main line275%
Chigorin Defense10%

Petrov's Defense

With Black: 5 games, won 1, drew 3, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Modern Attack350%
Nimzowitsch Attack150%
French Attack150%

English Opening

With Black: 5 games, won 0, drew 5, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation350%
King's English Variation150%
Mikenas-Carls Variation150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
sachy.cz Extraliga 2026/2731 Oct 2026½/1−1−1
41st European Chess Club Cup 202622 Oct 20264½/6+7+7
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 20261½/300
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20264½/10−14−16
European Individual Chess Championship 202619 Apr 2026=24th−2−9

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMW. So14 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242752
GMN. Sarin24 Apr 2025 · Menorca Open 20252687
GMJ. Bjerre14 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252651
GMLu Shanglei6 Sep 2025 · FIDE Grand Swiss 20252647
GMV. Ivic19 Jan 2026 · Tata Steel Chess 20262638

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMWei YiLast 26 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20263030
GMV. SanalLast 31 Mar 2026 · Reykjavik Open 20263030
GMN. KacharavaLast 25 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20263111
GMV. HenriquezLast 3 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232020
GMM. CarlsenLast 13 Aug 2023 · FIDE World Cup 20232002

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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.