Prepare against Alexander van der Merwe
ZAF · World #9,740 classical · FIDE ID 14323842
Our database contains 129 games by Alexander van der Merwe, covering Jan 2017 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Alexander van der Merwe's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Alexander van der Merwe 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 | 2,174 | 2,174 | Jul 2026 |
| Blitz | 1,852 | 1,852 | Jul 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 129 | 51 | 32 | 46 | 39.5% |
| As White | 64 | 27 | 16 | 21 | 42.2% |
| As Black | 65 | 24 | 16 | 25 | 36.9% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Alexander van der Merwe's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Alexander van der Merwe's side.
First moves as White (64 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 64 | 100.0% | 54.7% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 100% of White games, 54.7% score
- …c5 (42% of these games) — Merwe usually continues Nf3 (44.4% score)
- …e5 (27% of these games) — Merwe usually continues Nf3 (64.7% score)
- …c6 (13% of these games) — Merwe usually continues d4 (87.5% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (35 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 24 | 68.6% | 56.3% |
| e5 | 11 | 31.4% | 45.5% |
As Black against 1.d4 (20 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 15 | 75.0% | 30.0% |
| d5 | 4 | 20.0% | 62.5% |
| e6 | 1 | 5.0% | 0.0% |
Alexander van der Merwe's chess games
All 129 games by Alexander van der Merwe in the Chess.ceo database (Jan 2017 - Jul 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: 51 wins, 32 draws, 46 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B32 | Sicilian | 15 | 6/2/7 | 40.0% |
| C55 | Italian Game | 10 | 5/3/2 | 50.0% |
| B72 | Sicilian: Dragon | 4 | 0/2/2 | 0.0% |
| C03 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 4 | 1/3/0 | 25.0% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 3 | 3/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B15 | Caro-Kann: Main Line | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation | 3 | 0/2/1 | 0.0% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Four Knights | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| B81 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 12 | 5/5/2 | 41.7% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| C50 | Italian Game | 5 | 3/1/1 | 60.0% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| A30 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 3 | 0/2/1 | 0.0% |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 3 | 0/2/1 | 0.0% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | Oleksii Karvatskyi | 2,321 | 36th Cracovia Open A | B32 |
| Jan 2026 | Bartosz Przybylski | 2,268 | 36th Cracovia Open A | C03 |
| Dec 2024 | Orel Ribstein | 2,261 | 35th Cracovia Open A | A34 |
| Dec 2025 | T Selbes | 2,223 | 36th Cracovia Open A | B90 |
| Dec 2025 | Michal Lahav | 2,221 | 36th Cracovia Open A | B50 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-RSA U12 | 2017 | 19 | 10.5 | 1,258 |
| 59th Wch U20 | 2022 | 11 | 4.5 | 2,052 |
| World Cup U16 Prel | 2021 | 10 | 4 | 1,520 |
| South African Open | 2022 | 10 | 5 | 1,691 |
| 35th Cracovia Open A | 2025 | 9 | 4.5 | 2,233 |
| ch-RSA U10 | 2015 | 9 | 5 | 1,229 |
| ch-Bloemfontein Open | 2018 | 9 | 4 | 1,768 |
| 36th Cracovia Open A | 2026 | 9 | 6 | 2,383 |
Interactive opening tree from all 129 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Alexander van der Merwe's chess games?
129 games by Alexander van der Merwe, from Jan 2017 to Jul 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 van der Merwe has played.
What does Alexander van der Merwe play on the first move as White?
Across 64 games with White in our database, Alexander van der Merwe opens with 1.e4 (100% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Alexander van der Merwe answers 1...c5 (69% of games), 1...e5 (31% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (75% of games), 1...d5 (20% of games), 1...e6 (5% of games).
What openings does Alexander van der Merwe play as White?
As White, Alexander van der Merwe's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (15 games, 40.0% win rate); Italian Game (10 games, 50.0% win rate); Sicilian: Dragon (4 games, 0.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 64 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Alexander van der Merwe play as Black?
As Black, Alexander van der Merwe most often plays: Sicilian: Najdorf (12 games, 41.7% win rate); Sicilian: Closed (5 games, 40.0% win rate); Italian Game (5 games, 60.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 65 games.
What is Alexander van der Merwe's FIDE rating?
Alexander van der Merwe is currently rated 2,174 in classical chess and 1,852 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,174 (Jul 2026).
How many games has Alexander van der Merwe played?
Our database contains 129 games by Alexander van der Merwe, covering Jan 2017 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 51 wins, 32 draws, 46 losses (39.5% win rate).
How do I prepare against Alexander van der Merwe?
129 games by Alexander van der Merwe 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.