Prepare against Alexander Motylev
GM · Romania · World #340 classical · FIDE ID 4121830
When preparing against Alexander Motylev, expect 1.e4 in 91% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (39% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (48%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Semi-Slav Defense as Black, 16.1% over 31 games.
Our database contains 2,903 games by Alexander Motylev, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Alexander Motylev's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Alexander Motylev 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 | 2,543 | 2,710 | Sep 2009 |
| Rapid | 2,588 | 2,721 | Jul 2022 |
| Blitz | 2,506 | 2,677 | Dec 2012 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 2,903 | 1,174 | 1,228 | 501 | 40.4% |
| As White | 1,469 | 707 | 555 | 207 | 48.1% |
| As Black | 1,434 | 467 | 673 | 294 | 32.6% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Alexander Motylev's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Alexander Motylev's side.
First moves as White (1,469 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 1,340 | 91.2% | 66.8% |
| d4 | 83 | 5.7% | 68.7% |
| Nf3 | 39 | 2.7% | 67.9% |
| c4 | 3 | 0.2% | 50.0% |
| g3 | 2 | 0.1% | 100.0% |
| b3 | 2 | 0.1% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 91% of White games, 66.8% score
- …c5 (42% of these games) — Motylev usually continues Nf3 (68.1% score)
- …e5 (31% of these games) — Motylev usually continues Nf3 (63.9% score)
- …e6 (11% of these games) — Motylev usually continues d4 (65.1% score)
- 1.d4 — 6% of White games, 68.7% score
- …Nf6 (64% of these games) — Motylev usually continues g3 (64.8% score)
- …d5 (24% of these games) — Motylev usually continues Nf3 (80.0% score)
- …g6 (6% of these games) — Motylev usually continues e4 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (631 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 243 | 38.5% | 63.2% |
| e5 | 233 | 36.9% | 54.3% |
| c6 | 120 | 19.0% | 60.8% |
| d6 | 16 | 2.5% | 40.6% |
| e6 | 8 | 1.3% | 43.8% |
| d5 | 8 | 1.3% | 81.3% |
As Black against 1.d4 (528 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 256 | 48.5% | 56.1% |
| Nf6 | 231 | 43.8% | 52.6% |
| d6 | 20 | 3.8% | 60.0% |
| g6 | 11 | 2.1% | 68.2% |
| c6 | 4 | 0.8% | 37.5% |
| f5 | 4 | 0.8% | 50.0% |
Alexander Motylev's chess games
All 2,903 games by Alexander Motylev 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: 1,174 wins, 1,228 draws, 501 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B42 | Sicilian | 158 | 78/64/16 | 49.4% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 119 | 55/38/26 | 46.2% |
| C67 | Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense | 76 | 21/46/9 | 27.6% |
| C95 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 76 | 32/36/8 | 42.1% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 65 | 32/22/11 | 49.2% |
| B48 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 58 | 31/22/5 | 53.4% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 53 | 25/22/6 | 47.2% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 51 | 29/13/9 | 56.9% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 46 | 27/11/8 | 58.7% |
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 44 | 21/22/1 | 47.7% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D12 | Slav Defense | 221 | 63/126/32 | 28.5% |
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 87 | 16/57/14 | 18.4% |
| B22 | Sicilian | 71 | 33/22/16 | 46.5% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 67 | 20/24/23 | 29.9% |
| D35 | Indian Defense | 58 | 14/22/22 | 24.1% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 41 | 7/19/15 | 17.1% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 41 | 19/14/8 | 46.3% |
| A29 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 39 | 14/15/10 | 35.9% |
| C67 | Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense | 34 | 7/26/1 | 20.6% |
| D43 | Semi-Slav Defense | 31 | 5/21/5 | 16.1% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2014 | Alexander Grischuk | 2,789 | 68th ch-Moscow Blitz | D11 |
| Jun 2009 | Alexei Shirov | 2,745 | 10th Poikovsky Karpov | C48 |
| Dec 2004 | Michael Adams | 2,740 | RUS Fed Internet Cup Final 5' | C96 |
| Apr 2010 | Pavel Eljanov | 2,736 | 17th chT-RUS | D31 |
| Nov 2004 | Peter Svidler | 2,735 | ch-RUS 57th | C83 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2022 | 100 | 64.5 | 2,496 |
| ch-EU blitz | 2019 | 65 | 41.5 | 2,554 |
| FIDE World Cup | 2025 | 55 | 27 | 2,649 |
| Wch Rapid | 2019 | 44 | 25.5 | 2,706 |
| ch-EU rapid | 2019 | 44 | 34 | 2,637 |
| chT-ROM | 2024 | 42 | 30.5 | 2,647 |
| Wch Blitz | 2019 | 42 | 23 | 2,600 |
| chT-RUS blitz | 2018 | 41 | 30.5 | 2,550 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Vladimir Potkin (22 games) · Evgeniy Najer (15 games) · Alexander Grischuk (15 games) · Ruslan Ponomariov (15 games) · Aleksey Dreev (14 games) · Mikhail Kobalia (14 games) · Ernesto Inarkiev (14 games) · Ian Nepomniachtchi (14 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 2,903 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Alexander Motylev's chess games?
2,903 games by Alexander Motylev, 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 Alexander Motylev has played.
What does Alexander Motylev play on the first move as White?
Across 1,469 games with White in our database, Alexander Motylev opens with 1.e4 (91% of games), 1.d4 (6% of games), 1.Nf3 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Alexander Motylev answers 1...c5 (39% of games), 1...e5 (37% of games), 1...c6 (19% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (48% of games), 1...Nf6 (44% of games), 1...d6 (4% of games).
What openings does Alexander Motylev play as White?
As White, Alexander Motylev's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (158 games, 49.4% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (119 games, 46.2% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense (76 games, 27.6% win rate). The full breakdown of 1,469 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Alexander Motylev play as Black?
As Black, Alexander Motylev most often plays: Slav Defense (221 games, 28.5% win rate); Petrov's Defense (87 games, 18.4% win rate); Sicilian (71 games, 46.5% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 1,434 games.
What is Alexander Motylev's FIDE rating?
Alexander Motylev is currently rated 2,543 in classical chess, 2,588 in rapid and 2,506 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,710 (Sep 2009).
How many games has Alexander Motylev played?
Our database contains 2,903 games by Alexander Motylev, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 1,174 wins, 1,228 draws, 501 losses (40.4% win rate).
How do I prepare against Alexander Motylev?
2,903 games by Alexander Motylev 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.