Prepare against Brendan Lyons
Ireland · World #61,258 classical · FIDE ID 2500698
When preparing against Brendan Lyons, expect 1.e4 in 80% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...d5 (49% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (80%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation as Black, 13.0% over 23 games.
Our database contains 224 games by Brendan Lyons, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Brendan Lyons's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Brendan Lyons 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 | 1,851 | 2,115 | Apr 2008 |
| Blitz | 1,884 | 1,971 | Jan 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 224 | 51 | 65 | 108 | 22.8% |
| As White | 107 | 32 | 31 | 44 | 29.9% |
| As Black | 117 | 19 | 34 | 64 | 16.2% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Brendan Lyons's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Brendan Lyons's side.
First moves as White (107 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 86 | 80.4% | 44.8% |
| Nf3 | 18 | 16.8% | 50.0% |
| d4 | 3 | 2.8% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 80% of White games, 44.8% score
- …c5 (48% of these games) — Lyons usually continues Nf3 (37.5% score)
- …e5 (15% of these games) — Lyons usually continues Nf3 (54.5% score)
- …e6 (14% of these games) — Lyons usually continues d4 (43.8% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 17% of White games, 50.0% score
- …Nf6 (61% of these games) — Lyons usually continues g3 (50.0% score)
- …d5 (17% of these games) — Lyons usually continues g3 (50.0% score)
- …d6 (6% of these games) — Lyons usually continues g3 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (63 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 31 | 49.2% | 24.2% |
| c5 | 24 | 38.1% | 37.5% |
| g6 | 5 | 7.9% | 30.0% |
| e6 | 3 | 4.8% | 66.7% |
As Black against 1.d4 (30 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 24 | 80.0% | 37.5% |
| g6 | 3 | 10.0% | 16.7% |
| e6 | 2 | 6.7% | 50.0% |
| Nf6 | 1 | 3.3% | 0.0% |
Brendan Lyons's chess games
All 224 games by Brendan Lyons 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: 51 wins, 65 draws, 108 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A04 | Sicilian | 19 | 6/3/10 | 31.6% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 12 | 4/2/6 | 33.3% |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 10 | 1/5/4 | 10.0% |
| C07 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 7 | 2/1/4 | 28.6% |
| B21 | Sicilian: Grand Prix Attack | 6 | 2/1/3 | 33.3% |
| C55 | Italian Game | 6 | 2/3/1 | 33.3% |
| A07 | King's Indian Attack | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 4 | 1/2/1 | 25.0% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 4 | 1/2/1 | 25.0% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 4 | 1/2/1 | 25.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation | 23 | 3/3/17 | 13.0% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 9 | 0/6/3 | 0.0% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 8 | 1/2/5 | 12.5% |
| B87 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 7 | 1/5/1 | 14.3% |
| D06 | Queen's Gambit | 7 | 2/2/3 | 28.6% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 7 | 1/2/4 | 14.3% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 6 | 2/0/4 | 33.3% |
| D11 | Queen's Pawn Game | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
| A15 | English Opening | 4 | 0/1/3 | 0.0% |
| D34 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 4 | 0/1/3 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1993 | Mark Quinn | 2,270 | Kilkenny Masters | C07 |
| Jan 1991 | Timothy David Harding | 2,230 | Telecom Open | C00 |
| Jan 1993 | Eamon Keogh | 2,215 | Dublin zt | C10 |
| Jan 1993 | Paul Roberts | 2,160 | Dublin zt | B13 |
| Feb 2014 | Aidan M Rawlinson | 2,156 | Bunratty Masters Open 21st | D30 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-IRL | 2020 | 32 | 11.5 | 1,961 |
| WchT Seniors 50 | 2024 | 14 | 5 | 1,908 |
| Dublin zt | 1993 | 11 | 5 | 2,189 |
| 7th Gibraltar Masters | 2009 | 10 | 4 | 1,968 |
| Telecom Open | 1991 | 9 | 2 | 2,038 |
| ch-IRL 100th | 2021 | 9 | 3.5 | 1,942 |
| 3rd Ischia Open | 2011 | 9 | 4 | 1,954 |
| ch-IRL 102nd | 2023 | 9 | 3 | 1,856 |
Interactive opening tree from all 224 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Brendan Lyons's chess games?
224 games by Brendan Lyons, 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 Brendan Lyons has played.
What does Brendan Lyons play on the first move as White?
Across 107 games with White in our database, Brendan Lyons opens with 1.e4 (80% of games), 1.Nf3 (17% of games), 1.d4 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Brendan Lyons answers 1...d5 (49% of games), 1...c5 (38% of games), 1...g6 (8% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (80% of games), 1...g6 (10% of games), 1...e6 (7% of games).
What openings does Brendan Lyons play as White?
As White, Brendan Lyons's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (19 games, 31.6% win rate); Sicilian: Closed (12 games, 33.3% win rate); Réti Opening (10 games, 10.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 107 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Brendan Lyons play as Black?
As Black, Brendan Lyons most often plays: Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation (23 games, 13.0% win rate); Réti Opening (9 games, 0.0% win rate); Modern Defense (8 games, 12.5% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 117 games.
What is Brendan Lyons's FIDE rating?
Brendan Lyons is currently rated 1,851 in classical chess and 1,884 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,115 (Apr 2008).
How many games has Brendan Lyons played?
Our database contains 224 games by Brendan Lyons, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 51 wins, 65 draws, 108 losses (22.8% win rate).
How do I prepare against Brendan Lyons?
224 games by Brendan Lyons 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.