Players
Wesley So
Photo: Brigham Aldrich
GM

Wesley So

United StatesBorn 1993 (age 33)FIDE ID 5202213

Playing now: Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 2026

Luft classical

26002700280029002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2793
FIDE

FIDE classical

22002400260028003000200520092013201720212025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2771
Luft

Flair

Wesley So's classical flairs

7 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Serial WinnerAmerican Cup 2026 · Open, GCT: Sinquefield Cup 2026, U.S. Chess Championships 2026 · Open
  • Lightning#14 at speed chess (blitz 2742, rapid 2728)
  • Endgame SpecialistEndgame 93, from 25 endgames
  • PodiumTop 3 in 3/3 elite events
  • PositionalPositional 90, from 15 positional games they steered
  • ReliableConsistent across all top events (average performance 2802)
  • Fortress27 games in a row without a loss
  • TitanLuft classical rating averaging 2800+ over the last 4 years
  • UnderdogRegularly beats players rated 50+ higher
  • 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
  • TacticianTactics 90+: sharp, tactical games they made sharp
  • 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+
  • Serial Winner
  • Lightning
  • Endgame Specialist

Trophy cabinet

Wesley So's classical titles

15 classical titles, 5 medals, newest first

  • GCT Sinquefield Cup×2
  • Norway Chess×2
  • Grand Chess Tour×2

Attributes

Tactics 88Positional 90Endgame 93Openings 89Composure 97Defence 91Speed 91Consistency 93

Luft classical rating

2793No. 5

From 46 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2799 level, with 4 wins against the top 10.

ResultsPlayed at a 2799 level, blended with their FIDE rating+18
Tournament winsGCT: Sinquefield Cup 2026, U.S. Chess Championships 2026+12
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−3
Activity46 classical games in top events+5

Openings

Their most-played, from 101 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Nimzo-Indian Defense757%
Sicilian Defense675%
Italian Game5100%
Ruy Lopez570%
Queen's Gambit Declined450%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With White: 7 games, won 1, drew 6, lost 0 · 57%

VariationGamesScore
Normal Variation560%
Classical Variation250%

Sicilian Defense

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

VariationGamesScore
Moscow Variation275%
Kan Variation1100%
French Variation1100%
Lasker-Pelikan Variation150%
Najdorf Variation150%

Italian Game

With White: 5 games, won 5, drew 0, lost 0 · 100%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation3100%
Two Knights Defense1100%
Giuoco Piano1100%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 5 games, won 2, drew 3, lost 0 · 70%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense275%
Closed250%
Morphy Defense1100%

Queen's Gambit Declined

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

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation333%
Ragozin Defense1100%

Ruy Lopez

With Black: 15 games, won 0, drew 13, lost 2 · 43%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense1246%
Open Berlin Defense150%
Closed150%
Open10%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With Black: 8 games, won 1, drew 4, lost 3 · 38%

VariationGamesScore
Sämisch Variation250%
Normal Variation250%
Rubinstein System150%
Three Knights Variation150%
Classical Variation10%
Romanishin Variation10%

Italian Game

With Black: 7 games, won 3, drew 4, lost 0 · 71%

VariationGamesScore
Classical Variation367%
Giuoco Pianissimo2100%
Two Knights Defense250%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With Black: 6 games, won 0, drew 5, lost 1 · 42%

VariationGamesScore
Three Knights Variation225%
Semi-Tarrasch Defense150%
Ragozin Defense150%
Exchange Variation150%
Harrwitz Attack150%

English Opening

With Black: 3 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation250%
King's English Variation150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 202612 Nov 20261½/4−13−14
U.S. Chess Championships 202621 Oct 20261st+1−4
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20266/9−4−6
2026 Grand Chess Tour Finals26 Aug 20262/4+1−1
GCT: Sinquefield Cup 202619 Aug 20261st+8+5

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMM. Carlsen30 May 2026 · Norway Chess 20262840
GMF. Caruana8 Mar 2026 · American Cup 20262795
GMJ. Sindarov25 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20262778
GMGukesh D.25 Aug 2025 · GCT: Sinquefield Cup 20252776
GMH. Nakamura30 May 2023 · Norway Chess 20232775

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
GMF. CaruanaLast 19 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20269261
GMPraggnanandhaa R.Last 14 Aug 2026 · GCT: Sinquefield Cup 20268251
GMM. Vachier-LagraveLast 12 Nov 2026 · Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot 20266042
GML. AronianLast 12 Oct 2026 · U.S. Chess Championships 20266150
GMM. CarlsenLast 4 Jun 2026 · Norway Chess 20265131

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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.