Prepare against Aleksei Holmsten
IM · Finland · World #5,091 classical · FIDE ID 500933
When preparing against Aleksei Holmsten, expect 1.e4 in 83% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (81% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (97%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: French: Exchange Variation as White, 11.1% over 18 games.
Our database contains 915 games by Aleksei Holmsten, covering Apr 2003 to Oct 2026. Below you'll find Aleksei Holmsten's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Aleksei Holmsten before a game. You can open the same data in the free interactive preparation workstation, which builds a move-by-move opening tree from every game.
Ratings
| Time control | Current | Peak | Peak date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classical | 2,271 | 2,408 | Jan 2004 |
| Rapid | 2,238 | 2,306 | Mar 2015 |
| Blitz | 2,221 | 2,271 | Oct 2024 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 915 | 383 | 281 | 251 | 41.9% |
| As White | 468 | 210 | 152 | 106 | 44.9% |
| As Black | 447 | 173 | 129 | 145 | 38.7% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Aleksei Holmsten's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Aleksei Holmsten's side.
First moves as White (468 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 389 | 83.1% | 62.0% |
| Nf3 | 73 | 15.6% | 58.9% |
| g3 | 2 | 0.4% | 75.0% |
| d4 | 2 | 0.4% | 25.0% |
| b3 | 1 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| c4 | 1 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 83% of White games, 62.0% score
- …c5 (42% of these games) — Holmsten usually continues Nf3 (63.2% score)
- …e5 (22% of these games) — Holmsten usually continues Nf3 (62.2% score)
- …e6 (12% of these games) — Holmsten usually continues d4 (55.6% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 16% of White games, 58.9% score
- …Nf6 (53% of these games) — Holmsten usually continues g3 (53.8% score)
- …d5 (21% of these games) — Holmsten usually continues g3 (53.3% score)
- …c5 (12% of these games) — Holmsten usually continues g3 (56.3% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (204 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 166 | 81.4% | 58.1% |
| d5 | 19 | 9.3% | 44.7% |
| e6 | 11 | 5.4% | 68.2% |
| e5 | 8 | 3.9% | 43.8% |
As Black against 1.d4 (137 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 133 | 97.1% | 52.3% |
| d5 | 2 | 1.5% | 0.0% |
| e6 | 2 | 1.5% | 75.0% |
Aleksei Holmsten's chess games
All 915 games by Aleksei Holmsten in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - Oct 2026) are free to browse, search and replay: filter by opening, opponent, event or date on the player page, or step through any game on the analysis board. Record: 383 wins, 281 draws, 251 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B66 | Sicilian | 67 | 34/17/16 | 50.7% |
| B93 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 40 | 19/13/8 | 47.5% |
| D11 | Réti Opening | 35 | 14/15/6 | 40.0% |
| C92 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 25 | 12/6/7 | 48.0% |
| C08 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 24 | 10/9/5 | 41.7% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 19 | 9/6/4 | 47.4% |
| B03 | Alekhine Defense | 19 | 5/8/6 | 26.3% |
| B76 | Sicilian: Dragon | 18 | 7/7/4 | 38.9% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 18 | 9/4/5 | 50.0% |
| C01 | French: Exchange Variation | 18 | 2/12/4 | 11.1% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 94 | 37/30/27 | 39.4% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | 62 | 27/10/25 | 43.5% |
| A16 | English Opening | 48 | 21/11/16 | 43.8% |
| B22 | Sicilian | 33 | 15/9/9 | 45.5% |
| D72 | Indian Defense | 23 | 6/10/7 | 26.1% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 23 | 13/6/4 | 56.5% |
| B31 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 22 | 10/7/5 | 45.5% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 15 | 4/3/8 | 26.7% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 15 | 7/5/3 | 46.7% |
| A08 | King's Indian Attack | 10 | 2/6/2 | 20.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2001 | Boris Avrukh | 2,630 | 8th Linares Anibal Open | B63 |
| Dec 1998 | Miroslav Markovic | 2,575 | 28th Rilton Cup | B22 |
| Feb 2001 | Igor-Alexandre Nataf | 2,552 | 17th Cappelle Open | B33 |
| Jan 2001 | Walter Arencibia Rodriguez | 2,534 | 8th Linares Anibal Open | B93 |
| Nov 2000 | Tomas Oral | 2,531 | Olympiad-34 | B42 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-FIN | 2001 | 101 | 52.5 | 2,340 |
| chT-FIN | 1995 | 39 | 27.5 | 2,463 |
| Turku Open | 2000 | 34 | 22 | 2,391 |
| Salo We SalSK Open | 1999 | 27 | 17 | 2,365 |
| Naantali Open | 1999 | 25 | 17.5 | 2,436 |
| Turku We TuTS Open | 2010 | 19 | 13.5 | 2,401 |
| Tampere Elo Taraus Open | 1998 | 16 | 11 | 2,447 |
| Turku We TSY Open | 1998 | 15 | 10 | 2,420 |
Interactive opening tree from all 915 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Aleksei Holmsten's chess games?
915 games by Aleksei Holmsten, from Apr 2003 to Oct 2026, are free to browse and replay move by move — no signup needed. The preparation view groups them into an opening tree showing every line Aleksei Holmsten has played.
What does Aleksei Holmsten play on the first move as White?
Across 468 games with White in our database, Aleksei Holmsten opens with 1.e4 (83% of games), 1.Nf3 (16% of games), 1.g3 (0% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Aleksei Holmsten answers 1...c5 (81% of games), 1...d5 (9% of games), 1...e6 (5% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (97% of games), 1...d5 (1% of games), 1...e6 (1% of games).
What openings does Aleksei Holmsten play as White?
As White, Aleksei Holmsten's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (67 games, 50.7% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (40 games, 47.5% win rate); Réti Opening (35 games, 40.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 468 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Aleksei Holmsten play as Black?
As Black, Aleksei Holmsten most often plays: Grünfeld Defense (94 games, 39.4% win rate); Sicilian: Sveshnikov (62 games, 43.5% win rate); English Opening (48 games, 43.8% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 447 games.
What is Aleksei Holmsten's FIDE rating?
Aleksei Holmsten is currently rated 2,271 in classical chess, 2,238 in rapid and 2,221 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,408 (Jan 2004).
How many games has Aleksei Holmsten played?
Our database contains 915 games by Aleksei Holmsten, covering Apr 2003 to Oct 2026. Overall record: 383 wins, 281 draws, 251 losses (41.9% win rate).
How do I prepare against Aleksei Holmsten?
915 games by Aleksei Holmsten reveal their opening repertoire, most-played lines, and the variations where they score worst — the raw material for targeted preparation. The interactive opening tree lets you walk every line to any depth.