Players
Vitaly Kunin
Photo: GFHund, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
GM

Vitaly Kunin

GermanyBorn 1983 (age 43)FIDE ID 4128737

Luft classical

24002500260027002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2485
FIDE

FIDE classical

2400250026002700201620182020202220242026
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2506
Luft

Flair

Vitaly Kunin'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

Vitaly Kunin's classical titles

2 classical titles, newest first

Attributes

Tactics 76Positional 73Endgame 76Openings 70Composure 79Defence 75Speed 66Consistency 71

Luft classical rating

2485No. 303

From 16 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2469 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2469 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 event0
Activity16 classical games in top events−5

Openings

Their most-played, from 22 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Queen's Gambit Declined550%
Nimzo-Indian Defense1100%
Ruy Lopez150%
Semi-Slav Defense150%
Sicilian Defense10%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Modern Variation1100%
Main line150%
Ragozin Defense150%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense150%
Vienna Variation10%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation1100%

Ruy Lopez

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

VariationGamesScore
Marshall Attack150%

Semi-Slav Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Chigorin Defense150%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Modern Variations10%

English Opening

With Black: 4 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 1 · 38%

VariationGamesScore
Anglo-Indian Defense250%
King's English Variation150%
Symmetrical Variation10%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Kan Variation1100%
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack1100%
Accelerated Dragon150%

Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Dzindzi-Indian Defense1100%

King's Indian Attack

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

VariationGamesScore
Keres Variation10%

Bogo-Indian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation10%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
German Bundesliga 2026/2711 Oct 20261/3−4−4
German Bundesliga 2025/2626 Apr 20265/13−3−2
Austrian Bundesliga 2025/2616 Apr 20261/2+1+1
Norway Chess Open 20251 Jun 20257/9+9+7
Austrian Bundesliga 2024/2513 Oct 20241/3−7−7

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMN. Huschenbeth22 Aug 2024 · German Championships & Masters 20242594
GMM. Kobalia26 Apr 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262532
IML. Costa21 Aug 2024 · German Championships & Masters 20242481
IML. Dotzer21 Mar 2026 · German Bundesliga 2025/262479
IMA. Alonso Garcia30 May 2025 · Norway Chess Open 20252454

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMM. AndersenLast 9 Oct 2026 · German Bundesliga 2026/272011
GMR. SvaneLast 19 Aug 2024 · German Championships & Masters 20241001
IMM. DeuerLast 20 Aug 2024 · German Championships & Masters 20241001
IML. CostaLast 21 Aug 2024 · German Championships & Masters 20241100
GMN. HuschenbethLast 22 Aug 2024 · German Championships & Masters 20241100

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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.