Prepare against Benedict Smail
United States · World #17,709 classical · FIDE ID 2050480
When preparing against Benedict Smail, expect 1.d4 in 80% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (97% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (99%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit as Black, 5.6% over 18 games.
Our database contains 1,016 games by Benedict Smail, covering Jul 2011 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Benedict Smail's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Benedict Smail 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 | 2,078 | 2,120 | Feb 2017 |
| Blitz | 2,070 | 2,081 | Feb 2015 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,016 | 377 | 102 | 537 | 37.1% |
| As White | 504 | 207 | 47 | 250 | 41.1% |
| As Black | 512 | 170 | 55 | 287 | 33.2% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Benedict Smail's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Benedict Smail's side.
First moves as White (503 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 404 | 80.3% | 45.5% |
| e4 | 99 | 19.7% | 46.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 80% of White games, 45.5% score
- …Nf6 (56% of these games) — Smail usually continues c4 (44.9% score)
- …d5 (25% of these games) — Smail usually continues c4 (45.5% score)
- …e6 (5% of these games) — Smail usually continues e4 (52.6% score)
- 1.e4 — 20% of White games, 46.0% score
- …c5 (29% of these games) — Smail usually continues Nf3 (43.1% score)
- …e5 (21% of these games) — Smail usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …e6 (20% of these games) — Smail usually continues d4 (57.5% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (234 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 227 | 97.0% | 38.3% |
| e6 | 3 | 1.3% | 0.0% |
| e5 | 1 | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| c6 | 1 | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| d6 | 1 | 0.4% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (156 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 155 | 99.4% | 39.0% |
| d5 | 1 | 0.6% | 0.0% |
Benedict Smail's chess games
All 1,016 games by Benedict Smail in the Chess.ceo database (Jul 2011 - Sep 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: 377 wins, 102 draws, 537 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E32 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 59 | 17/7/35 | 28.8% |
| D55 | Indian Defense | 57 | 18/9/30 | 31.6% |
| E61 | King's Indian Defense | 47 | 24/4/19 | 51.1% |
| D15 | Slav Defense | 37 | 17/4/16 | 45.9% |
| D31 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 31 | 15/1/15 | 48.4% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 26 | 13/0/13 | 50.0% |
| C11 | French: Classical Variation | 21 | 10/3/8 | 47.6% |
| D80 | Grünfeld Defense | 21 | 13/2/6 | 61.9% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 20 | 8/0/12 | 40.0% |
| B28 | Sicilian | 14 | 5/1/8 | 35.7% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B76 | Sicilian: Dragon | 96 | 36/9/51 | 37.5% |
| E17 | Queen's Indian Defense | 63 | 18/6/39 | 28.6% |
| B50 | Sicilian | 36 | 11/3/22 | 30.6% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 34 | 15/4/15 | 44.1% |
| A47 | Indian Defense | 33 | 8/2/23 | 24.2% |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 32 | 7/5/20 | 21.9% |
| A20 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 30 | 17/1/12 | 56.7% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 30 | 10/2/18 | 33.3% |
| B21 | Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit | 18 | 1/1/16 | 5.6% |
| E04 | Catalan | 17 | 8/4/5 | 47.1% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | S.P. Sethuraman | 2,541 | Titled Tue 18th Aug 2026 | E21 |
| May 2026 | Alexander Rustemov | 2,525 | 3rd 3-0 Thu 21st May 2026 | C19 |
| Jul 2026 | Yihan Meng | 2,479 | 3rd 3-0 Thu 30th Jul 2026 | A40 |
| Jul 2026 | Anastasiia Hnatyshyn | 2,465 | 2nd 3-0 Thu 30th Jul 2026 | B63 |
| Apr 2026 | Mykola Korchynskyi | 2,447 | 2nd 3-0 Thursday | D55 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2026 | 321 | 147.5 | 2,192 |
| 3rd 3-0 Thursday | 2026 | 163 | 65 | 2,125 |
| 2nd 3-0 Thursday | 2026 | 143 | 56 | 2,129 |
| 1st 3-0 Thursday | 2026 | 33 | 14 | 2,173 |
| ch-Oregon | 2017 | 18 | 10 | 2,098 |
| 2nd 3-0 Thu 9th Jul 2026 | 2026 | 11 | 5.5 | 2,206 |
| 2nd 3-0 Thu 28th May 2026 | 2026 | 11 | 4.5 | 2,120 |
| 2nd 3-0 Thu 30th Jul 2026 | 2026 | 11 | 3.5 | 2,145 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Duc Minh Lai (15 games) · Alfredo Miserendino (10 games) · Hoang Minh Tho Do (10 games) · Oscar Humberto Ardila (10 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 1,016 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Benedict Smail's chess games?
1,016 games by Benedict Smail, from Jul 2011 to Sep 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 Benedict Smail has played.
What does Benedict Smail play on the first move as White?
Across 503 games with White in our database, Benedict Smail opens with 1.d4 (80% of games), 1.e4 (20% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Benedict Smail answers 1...c5 (97% of games), 1...e6 (1% of games), 1...e5 (0% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (99% of games), 1...d5 (1% of games).
What openings does Benedict Smail play as White?
As White, Benedict Smail's most-played openings in our database are: Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation (59 games, 28.8% win rate); Indian Defense (57 games, 31.6% win rate); King's Indian Defense (47 games, 51.1% win rate). The full breakdown of 504 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Benedict Smail play as Black?
As Black, Benedict Smail most often plays: Sicilian: Dragon (96 games, 37.5% win rate); Queen's Indian Defense (63 games, 28.6% win rate); Sicilian (36 games, 30.6% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 512 games.
What is Benedict Smail's FIDE rating?
Benedict Smail is currently rated 2,078 in classical chess and 2,070 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,120 (Feb 2017).
How many games has Benedict Smail played?
Our database contains 1,016 games by Benedict Smail, covering Jul 2011 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 377 wins, 102 draws, 537 losses (37.1% win rate).
How do I prepare against Benedict Smail?
1,016 games by Benedict Smail 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.