Prepare against Brian McLaren
Canada · World #30,737 classical · FIDE ID 2604612
Our database contains 488 games by Brian McLaren, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Brian McLaren's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Brian McLaren 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 | 1,981 | 2,222 | Apr 2009 |
| Rapid | 2,132 | 2,132 | Aug 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,132 | 2,195 | May 2018 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 488 | 187 | 106 | 195 | 38.3% |
| As White | 238 | 99 | 54 | 85 | 41.6% |
| As Black | 250 | 88 | 52 | 110 | 35.2% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Brian McLaren's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Brian McLaren's side.
First moves as White (238 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 199 | 83.6% | 51.8% |
| g3 | 27 | 11.3% | 59.3% |
| Nf3 | 8 | 3.4% | 56.3% |
| b3 | 2 | 0.8% | 50.0% |
| d4 | 1 | 0.4% | 50.0% |
| c4 | 1 | 0.4% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 84% of White games, 51.8% score
- …c5 (49% of these games) — McLaren usually continues Nc3 (54.7% score)
- …e5 (13% of these games) — McLaren usually continues Bc4 (52.3% score)
- …e6 (13% of these games) — McLaren usually continues d4 (36.4% score)
- 1.g3 — 11% of White games, 59.3% score
- …d5 (30% of these games) — McLaren usually continues Bg2 (64.3% score)
- …g6 (22% of these games) — McLaren usually continues Bg2 (33.3% score)
- …e5 (19% of these games) — McLaren usually continues Nf3 (70.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (122 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 96 | 78.7% | 47.9% |
| c5 | 13 | 10.7% | 50.0% |
| g6 | 4 | 3.3% | 37.5% |
| b6 | 3 | 2.5% | 33.3% |
| e5 | 2 | 1.6% | 100.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 0.8% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (75 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 36 | 48.0% | 47.2% |
| f5 | 23 | 30.7% | 56.5% |
| c5 | 7 | 9.3% | 35.7% |
| Nf6 | 6 | 8.0% | 58.3% |
| d6 | 1 | 1.3% | 100.0% |
| g6 | 1 | 1.3% | 0.0% |
Brian McLaren's chess games
All 488 games by Brian McLaren 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: 187 wins, 106 draws, 195 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B26 | Sicilian: Closed | 85 | 38/17/30 | 44.7% |
| A00 | Hungarian Opening | 25 | 11/7/7 | 44.0% |
| C24 | Bishop's Opening | 16 | 8/3/5 | 50.0% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 7 | 2/1/4 | 28.6% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 7 | 2/3/2 | 28.6% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 6 | 4/1/1 | 66.7% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 6 | 4/1/1 | 66.7% |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 6 | 3/2/1 | 50.0% |
| C05 | French: Classical Variation | 6 | 1/0/5 | 16.7% |
| C15 | French: Winawer Variation | 6 | 3/1/2 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B05 | Alekhine Defense | 96 | 37/18/41 | 38.5% |
| A90 | Dutch Defense | 24 | 11/4/9 | 45.8% |
| D31 | Semi-Slav Defense | 22 | 10/5/7 | 45.5% |
| A44 | Benoni Defense | 8 | 2/3/3 | 25.0% |
| A04 | Réti Opening | 8 | 2/0/6 | 25.0% |
| D30 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 8 | 2/1/5 | 25.0% |
| A90 | English Opening: Dutch Defense | 7 | 2/0/5 | 28.6% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 7 | 1/2/4 | 14.3% |
| A30 | English Opening | 7 | 2/2/3 | 28.6% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2003 | Drazen Sermek | 2,577 | Auckland Open | B22 |
| Feb 2024 | Sebastien Maze | 2,551 | Titled Tue Late | B24 |
| Feb 2024 | Mikhail Bryakin | 2,479 | Titled Tue Late | B03 |
| Jan 2024 | Alex Garrido Outon | 2,406 | Titled Tue Late | A06 |
| Apr 2024 | Jeammarco Giuseppe Leiva Rodriguez | 2,406 | Titled Tue Late | B26 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2025 | 141 | 48.5 | 2,043 |
| ch-British Columbia | 2011 | 60 | 31 | 2,226 |
| Langley Labour Day Open | 2011 | 17 | 13.5 | 2,155 |
| British Columbia Open | 2018 | 13 | 7 | 2,107 |
| Langley Open | 2018 | 13 | 10 | 2,003 |
| 23rd Wch Seniors | 2013 | 11 | 6 | 2,217 |
| ch-CAN & zonal | 2002 | 11 | 5 | 2,228 |
| ch-NZL 115th | 2008 | 11 | 6.5 | 2,365 |
Interactive opening tree from all 488 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Brian McLaren's chess games?
488 games by Brian McLaren, 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 Brian McLaren has played.
What does Brian McLaren play on the first move as White?
Across 238 games with White in our database, Brian McLaren opens with 1.e4 (84% of games), 1.g3 (11% of games), 1.Nf3 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Brian McLaren answers 1...Nf6 (79% of games), 1...c5 (11% of games), 1...g6 (3% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (48% of games), 1...f5 (31% of games), 1...c5 (9% of games).
What openings does Brian McLaren play as White?
As White, Brian McLaren's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian: Closed (85 games, 44.7% win rate); Hungarian Opening (25 games, 44.0% win rate); Bishop's Opening (16 games, 50.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 238 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Brian McLaren play as Black?
As Black, Brian McLaren most often plays: Alekhine Defense (96 games, 38.5% win rate); Dutch Defense (24 games, 45.8% win rate); Semi-Slav Defense (22 games, 45.5% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 250 games.
What is Brian McLaren's FIDE rating?
Brian McLaren is currently rated 1,981 in classical chess, 2,132 in rapid and 2,132 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,222 (Apr 2009).
How many games has Brian McLaren played?
Our database contains 488 games by Brian McLaren, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 187 wins, 106 draws, 195 losses (38.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Brian McLaren?
488 games by Brian McLaren 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.