Baadur Jobava: the wild Georgian of chess
- País
- 🇬🇪 Georgia
- Título
- Grandmaster (GM)
- Nacimiento
- November 26, 1983, Tbilisi, Georgia
- Estado
- activo
- ELO actual
- 2620 · Jun 2026
- ELO máximo
- 2727 · Jan 2014
If there were a prize for most entertaining player in chess, Baadur Jobava would win it every year. The Georgian GM plays such aggressive, unpredictable chess that every one of his games is a spectacle, regardless of the result.
Who is Jobava
He was born on November 26, 1983 in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. In a country with a deep chess tradition, Jobava stood out early for a style that broke every mold: he sacrificed pieces with a frequency that terrified his coaches, and he was often right.
He became Georgia’s number 1 and in 2014 reached his peak of 2727 ELO, proving his style could work at the highest level.
The Jobava Attack
His most famous contribution to opening theory is the Jobava Attack (1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4), which combines ideas from the London System with aggressive knight development. He has played it hundreds of times, and it has become a globally recognized opening.
The anti-engine
In an era dominated by computer preparation, Jobava represents the opposite: he seeks positions where the engine doesn’t help, where only imagination and over-the-board calculation matter. His sacrifices are sometimes brilliant, sometimes questionable, but always interesting.
His chess DNA
In our chess DNA system, Jobava represents the creative wildman profile: maximum aggression, overflowing tactics, and a consistency he sacrifices in exchange for spectacle. If your GM twin is Jobava, your strength is tactical chaos; your weakness, anything that requires patience.
Keep exploring
- Alexander Morozevich, another unpredictable genius
- Daniil Dubov, the modern innovator
- Rashid Nezhmetdinov, the Soviet artist of sacrifice
- All players
Preguntas frecuentes
What is the 'Jobava Attack' or 'Jobava London'?
The Jobava Attack (or Jobava London) is an opening system named after him: 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4. It combines ideas from the London System with early knight development to c3, creating aggressive, unusual positions. Jobava has played it hundreds of times and it's his most important contribution to opening theory.
Why is Jobava so unpredictable?
Jobava deliberately chooses non-standard positions where creativity and calculation matter more than theory. He sacrifices pieces frequently, sometimes soundly and sometimes questionably, but always with the intent to complicate the position as much as possible. His philosophy is clear: if the opponent is uncomfortable, the position is good.