Matthieu Cornette

Overview

Matthieu Cornette is a French chess grandmaster and trainer born on September 4, 1985, in Bègles, France. He represents the French Chess Federation (FRA). Cornette was awarded the International Master (IM) title in 2003 and achieved the Grandmaster (GM) title in 2008. He reached a career-high FIDE classical rating of 2620 in March 2018. Cornette's competitive profile is defined by his success in national and international tournaments—most notably winning the French Chess Championship in 2016—as well as his extensive career as a club team player, opening theoretician, and certified FIDE Trainer.

Biography & Major Career Milestones

Cornette grew up in southwestern France and was introduced to chess during his primary school years in Bègles. He demonstrated rapid progression as a junior, winning the French Minime (Under-14) Championship in 2001, followed by titles in the French Under-18 and Under-20 categories. At age 18, he chose to pursue a professional career in chess.

In 2003, Cornette earned the International Master title. Five years later, in 2008, he completed the requirements for the Grandmaster title. Following his title elevation, he began receiving specialized coaching from the prominent grandmaster and trainer Josif Dorfman.

His peak individual achievement occurred in August 2016, when he won the 91st French Chess Championship in Agen. Scoring 6/9 in the classical round-robin, he secured the national title ahead of a highly competitive field.

In open tournament play, Cornette has recorded several notable victories. In 2018, he tied for first place at the Saint-Affrique Open, a tournament he went on to win outright in 2019 with an undefeated score of 8/9. In February 2021, he won the Barcelona GM Closed round-robin tournament, finishing in clear first place with 7/9. In 2025, Cornette secured a second-place finish at the Reykjavik Open.

Alongside his playing career, Cornette is a recognized chess trainer, earning his FIDE Trainer certification in 2016. He has contributed significantly to modern opening literature, authoring The Complete Kalashnikov (2013, co-authored with Fabien Libiszewski) and The Complete Ragozin (2017). He is married to Lithuanian grandmaster Deimantė Cornette (née Daulytė).

Elite Team & Event Performance

• European Team Chess Championship (2009): Represented France in Novi Sad, Serbia, playing on board four and scoring 2/6 (+1–3=2).
• French Club Championship (Top 12 / Top 16): Played for several leading French clubs, including Union Saint Bruno-Bordeaux Echecs (2002–2003), Association Cannes-Echecs (2004–2008), L'Echiquier Chalonnais (2008–2009), Echiquier Guingampais (2009–2011), Echiquier Deauvillais (2011–2012), C.E. de Bois-Colombes (2013–2018), and Asnières - Le Grand Échiquier (2019, 2024–2025). He helped Asnières secure a runner-up finish in the 2019 Top 12 league.
• German Bundesliga: Represented SK Schwäbisch Hall from 2014 to 2018.
• British Four Nations Chess League (4NCL): Represented Guildford A&DC from 2007 to 2009, winning the team championship in 2008, and subsequently played for the Celtic Tigers in the 2018–2019 season.
• Belgian Team Championship: Competed for L'Echiquier Mosan (formerly L'Echiquier Amaytois), contributing to their team championship title in 2015.
• Individual Victory vs. Pentala Harikrishna (2011): Defeated the Indian Grandmaster (then rated 2725) with the Black pieces during the 27th Cappelle-la-Grande Open.

Playing Style, Material Tendencies & Endgame Profiling

Cornette is a positional and highly pragmatic player. His approach is heavily structured, characterized by a preference for clear development schemes, stable pawn structures, and a reliance on calculated tactical accuracy rather than speculative attacks. His work under coach Josif Dorfman solidified his deep understanding of structural dynamics, space advantages, and the long-term utility of minor pieces.

In the middlegame, Cornette frequently seeks dynamic imbalances, such as the possession of the bishop pair in exchange for minor positional concessions. This thematic trade-off is central to his theoretical preferences in both the Ragozin Defense and the Kalashnikov Sicilian. He displays high technical capability in converting small advantages, particularly in simplified endgames. His endgame profile showcases proficiency in handling active rook endgames, exploiting central space advantages, and establishing defensive fortresses in marginally worse positions.

Opening Repertoire & Theoretical Move Orders

1. As White

Cornette is almost exclusively a 1.e4 player. He prefers strategically rich, positional variations that sidestep highly theoretical forced lines in favor of long-term pressure.

Against 1...c5 (Sicilian Defense), Cornette frequently avoids the open main lines, electing instead for anti-Sicilian systems such as the Closed Sicilian or the Rossolimo Attack:

Against 2...d6, he utilizes the Canal-Sokolsky Attack:

Against 1...e6 (French Defense), he commonly plays the Advance Variation, establishing a solid central pawn chain:

Against 1...c6 (Caro-Kann Defense), he similarly prefers the Advance Variation:

2. As Black

Cornette's Black repertoire is highly defined by his published analytical works and theoretical specializations.

Against 1.e4, his primary weapon is the Sicilian Defense, Kalashnikov Variation, on which he co-authored a definitive manual. This system allows him to obtain dynamic central counterplay:

Against White's anti-Sicilian setups, such as the Rossolimo, he responds with a kingside fianchetto structure:

Alternatively, he employs the Scandinavian Defense, Mieses-Kotrč Variation, as a reliable and concrete defensive scheme:

Against 1.d4, Cornette is a leading expert on the Ragozin Defense, having published comprehensive monographs on the opening. He relies on active piece play and dark-square control:

When White meets this with the critical 5.Bg5, Cornette advocates the solid 5...h6 variation:

Links

• FIDE: https://ratings.fide.com/profile/620084
• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthieu_Cornette