Prepare against Cathal Keenan
Ireland · World #12,927 classical · FIDE ID 2516853
Our database contains 42 games by Cathal Keenan, covering Oct 2021 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Cathal Keenan's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Cathal Keenan 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 | 2,129 | 2,148 | Jan 2026 |
| Rapid | 2,052 | 2,052 | Jul 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,042 | 2,042 | Jul 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 42 | 19 | 13 | 10 | 45.2% |
| As White | 23 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 52.2% |
| As Black | 19 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 36.8% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Cathal Keenan's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Cathal Keenan's side.
First moves as White (23 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 20 | 87.0% | 70.0% |
| d4 | 2 | 8.7% | 75.0% |
| a3 | 1 | 4.3% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 87% of White games, 70.0% score
- …c5 (35% of these games) — Keenan usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …e6 (30% of these games) — Keenan usually continues d4 (80.0% score)
- …d6 (15% of these games) — Keenan usually continues d4 (50.0% score)
- 1.d4 — 9% of White games, 75.0% score
- …Nf6 (50% of these games) — Keenan usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
- …d5 (50% of these games) — Keenan usually continues Bg5 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (8 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 3 | 37.5% | 66.7% |
| c6 | 2 | 25.0% | 75.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 12.5% | 50.0% |
| e5 | 1 | 12.5% | 100.0% |
| Nf6 | 1 | 12.5% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (4 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 3 | 75.0% | 66.7% |
| d5 | 1 | 25.0% | 50.0% |
Cathal Keenan's chess games
All 42 games by Cathal Keenan in the Chess.ceo database (Oct 2021 - 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: 19 wins, 13 draws, 10 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B21 | Sicilian | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| C11 | French: Classical Variation | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| B00 | French Defense | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| B87 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| D03 | Queen's Pawn Game | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B38 | Sicilian: Hyperaccelerated Dragon | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E05 | Catalan | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Fantasy Variation | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| D32 | English Opening | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| A18 | English Opening: Mikenas Variation | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| D02 | English Opening: Neo-Catalan | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| C01 | French Defense | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| B04 | Alekhine Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| E73 | King's Indian Defense: Averbakh System | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| E32 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2024 | Conor O'Donnell | 2,285 | 103rd ch-IRL | B92 |
| Aug 2023 | Zalan Nemeth | 2,240 | ch-IRL 102nd | B01 |
| Aug 2024 | Ben Sheahan | 2,043 | 103rd ch-IRL | E05 |
| Aug 2023 | Leon Putar | 2,025 | ch-IRL 102nd | C42 |
| Jul 2022 | Gavin Melaugh | 2,020 | ch-IRL 101st | E73 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 103rd ch-IRL | 2024 | 9 | 5 | 2,212 |
| ch-IRL 102nd | 2023 | 9 | 5 | 2,148 |
| ch-IRL 101st | 2022 | 8 | 4 | 2,047 |
| 9th Noisiel Open | 2024 | 5 | 2.5 | 2,397 |
| ch-IRL 100th Weekday Open | 2021 | 5 | 4 | 1,687 |
| ch-Dublin Final Weekender 100th | 2021 | 5 | 4 | 1,947 |
| ch-IRL 100th Weekend Open | 2021 | 1 | 1 | 1,863 |
Interactive opening tree from all 42 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Cathal Keenan's chess games?
42 games by Cathal Keenan, from Oct 2021 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 Cathal Keenan has played.
What does Cathal Keenan play on the first move as White?
Across 23 games with White in our database, Cathal Keenan opens with 1.e4 (87% of games), 1.d4 (9% of games), 1.a3 (4% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Cathal Keenan answers 1...c5 (38% of games), 1...c6 (25% of games), 1...e6 (13% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (75% of games), 1...d5 (25% of games).
What openings does Cathal Keenan play as White?
As White, Cathal Keenan's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (3 games, 33.3% win rate); French: Classical Variation (2 games, 50.0% win rate); French Defense (2 games, 100.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 23 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Cathal Keenan play as Black?
As Black, Cathal Keenan most often plays: Catalan (2 games, 50.0% win rate); Sicilian: Sveshnikov (2 games, 50.0% win rate); Caro-Kann: Fantasy Variation (1 games, 100.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 19 games.
What is Cathal Keenan's FIDE rating?
Cathal Keenan is currently rated 2,129 in classical chess, 2,052 in rapid and 2,042 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,148 (Jan 2026).
How many games has Cathal Keenan played?
Our database contains 42 games by Cathal Keenan, covering Oct 2021 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 19 wins, 13 draws, 10 losses (45.2% win rate).
How do I prepare against Cathal Keenan?
42 games by Cathal Keenan 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.