Prepare against Alex Yermolinsky
GM · United States · World #2,464 classical · FIDE ID 2005492
When preparing against Alex Yermolinsky, expect 1.d4 in 52% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (70% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (91%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Grünfeld Defense as Black, 20.0% over 55 games.
Our database contains 2,042 games by Alex Yermolinsky, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Alex Yermolinsky's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Alex Yermolinsky 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 | 2,360 | 2,574 | Jul 2005 |
| Rapid | 2,520 | 2,520 | Aug 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,508 | 2,512 | Mar 2019 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 2,042 | 846 | 906 | 288 | 41.4% |
| As White | 1,033 | 509 | 415 | 108 | 49.3% |
| As Black | 1,009 | 337 | 491 | 180 | 33.4% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Alex Yermolinsky's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Alex Yermolinsky's side.
First moves as White (1,033 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 533 | 51.6% | 70.5% |
| Nf3 | 364 | 35.2% | 68.3% |
| e4 | 87 | 8.4% | 68.4% |
| c4 | 41 | 4.0% | 67.1% |
| g3 | 5 | 0.5% | 70.0% |
| b3 | 3 | 0.3% | 83.3% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 52% of White games, 70.5% score
- …Nf6 (60% of these games) — Yermolinsky usually continues c4 (72.1% score)
- …d5 (28% of these games) — Yermolinsky usually continues c4 (67.7% score)
- …e6 (4% of these games) — Yermolinsky usually continues c4 (69.2% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 35% of White games, 68.3% score
- …Nf6 (49% of these games) — Yermolinsky usually continues c4 (67.7% score)
- …d5 (30% of these games) — Yermolinsky usually continues g3 (74.4% score)
- …c5 (12% of these games) — Yermolinsky usually continues c4 (74.2% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (463 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 325 | 70.2% | 60.9% |
| c6 | 51 | 11.0% | 46.1% |
| Nf6 | 39 | 8.4% | 51.3% |
| e5 | 29 | 6.3% | 41.4% |
| e6 | 16 | 3.5% | 50.0% |
| d5 | 1 | 0.2% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (346 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 315 | 91.0% | 55.9% |
| d5 | 21 | 6.1% | 50.0% |
| e6 | 6 | 1.7% | 66.7% |
| g6 | 3 | 0.9% | 66.7% |
| c5 | 1 | 0.3% | 0.0% |
Alex Yermolinsky's chess games
All 2,042 games by Alex Yermolinsky in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - Aug 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: 846 wins, 906 draws, 288 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D37 | Indian Defense | 111 | 55/49/7 | 49.5% |
| D44 | Slav Defense | 86 | 40/34/12 | 46.5% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 83 | 38/35/10 | 45.8% |
| A17 | English Opening | 75 | 31/34/9 | 41.3% |
| A11 | Réti Opening | 64 | 28/26/10 | 43.8% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 57 | 26/25/6 | 45.6% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 50 | 28/17/5 | 56.0% |
| A34 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 43 | 24/17/2 | 55.8% |
| E71 | King's Indian Defense | 40 | 27/11/2 | 67.5% |
| D31 | Semi-Slav Defense | 39 | 25/9/5 | 64.1% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B67 | Sicilian | 194 | 81/71/42 | 41.8% |
| D76 | Indian Defense | 76 | 30/37/9 | 39.5% |
| A30 | English Opening | 64 | 23/37/4 | 35.9% |
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 55 | 11/28/16 | 20.0% |
| B05 | Alekhine Defense | 39 | 11/18/10 | 28.2% |
| E11 | Bogo-Indian Defense | 32 | 8/20/4 | 25.0% |
| A37 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 31 | 10/13/8 | 32.3% |
| B81 | Sicilian: Scheveningen | 30 | 6/17/7 | 20.0% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 25 | 12/11/2 | 48.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 25 | 14/9/2 | 56.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1999 | Veselin Topalov | 2,700 | Hoogovens | E97 |
| May 1998 | Alexander G Beliavsky | 2,690 | 7th Madrid Magistral | D07 |
| Nov 2000 | Jun Xu | 2,668 | FIDE-Wch k.o. | D15 |
| Jan 1993 | Kiril Georgiev | 2,660 | Groningen PCA | A30 |
| Oct 1998 | Jan H Timman | 2,655 | Olympiad-33 | B30 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-USA | 2010 | 130 | 75.5 | 2,599 |
| New York Open | 2000 | 72 | 48.5 | 2,579 |
| Agzamov Memorial | 1987 | 34 | 14.5 | 2,373 |
| Hoogovens | 1999 | 31 | 14 | 2,610 |
| ch-URS U26 | 1984 | 30 | 15.5 | 2,449 |
| Las Vegas National Open | 2021 | 29 | 23 | 2,590 |
| Reno Far West Open | 2008 | 28 | 21.5 | 2,604 |
| WchT Seniors 50 | 2024 | 27 | 21 | 2,470 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Alexander Shabalov (30 games) · Alexander Ivanov (21 games) · John Fedorowicz (20 games) · Dmitry Gurevich (19 games) · Gregory Kaidanov (19 games) · Joel Benjamin (18 games) · Jaan Ehlvest (15 games) · Suat Atalik (14 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 2,042 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Alex Yermolinsky's chess games?
2,042 games by Alex Yermolinsky, from Apr 2003 to Aug 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 Alex Yermolinsky has played.
What does Alex Yermolinsky play on the first move as White?
Across 1,033 games with White in our database, Alex Yermolinsky opens with 1.d4 (52% of games), 1.Nf3 (35% of games), 1.e4 (8% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Alex Yermolinsky answers 1...c5 (70% of games), 1...c6 (11% of games), 1...Nf6 (8% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (91% of games), 1...d5 (6% of games), 1...e6 (2% of games).
What openings does Alex Yermolinsky play as White?
As White, Alex Yermolinsky's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (111 games, 49.5% win rate); Slav Defense (86 games, 46.5% win rate); King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation (83 games, 45.8% win rate). The full breakdown of 1,033 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Alex Yermolinsky play as Black?
As Black, Alex Yermolinsky most often plays: Sicilian (194 games, 41.8% win rate); Indian Defense (76 games, 39.5% win rate); English Opening (64 games, 35.9% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 1,009 games.
What is Alex Yermolinsky's FIDE rating?
Alex Yermolinsky is currently rated 2,360 in classical chess, 2,520 in rapid and 2,508 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,574 (Jul 2005).
How many games has Alex Yermolinsky played?
Our database contains 2,042 games by Alex Yermolinsky, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 846 wins, 906 draws, 288 losses (41.4% win rate).
How do I prepare against Alex Yermolinsky?
2,042 games by Alex Yermolinsky 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.