Prepare against Craig Glen Willenberg
ZAF · World #19,357 classical · FIDE ID 14300532
Our database contains 96 games by Craig Glen Willenberg, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Craig Glen Willenberg's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Craig Glen Willenberg 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 | 2,063 | 2,154 | Jul 2003 |
| Rapid | 1,963 | 2,001 | Dec 2018 |
| Blitz | 2,019 | 2,069 | Jul 2022 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 96 | 51 | 17 | 28 | 53.1% |
| As White | 47 | 28 | 7 | 12 | 59.6% |
| As Black | 49 | 23 | 10 | 16 | 46.9% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Craig Glen Willenberg's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Craig Glen Willenberg's side.
First moves as White (47 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 44 | 93.6% | 68.2% |
| Nf3 | 3 | 6.4% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 94% of White games, 68.2% score
- …c5 (61% of these games) — Willenberg usually continues Nf3 (60.0% score)
- …e5 (16% of these games) — Willenberg usually continues Nf3 (85.7% score)
- …e6 (11% of these games) — Willenberg usually continues d4 (80.0% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 6% of White games, 50.0% score
- …Nf6 (100% of these games) — Willenberg usually continues g3 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (26 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 10 | 38.5% | 50.0% |
| d5 | 7 | 26.9% | 85.7% |
| c5 | 6 | 23.1% | 58.3% |
| c6 | 2 | 7.7% | 100.0% |
| Nc6 | 1 | 3.8% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (16 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 16 | 100.0% | 59.4% |
Craig Glen Willenberg's chess games
All 96 games by Craig Glen Willenberg 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, 17 draws, 28 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B52 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 9 | 5/1/3 | 55.6% |
| B22 | Sicilian | 8 | 4/2/2 | 50.0% |
| C84 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 6 | 4/2/0 | 66.7% |
| C01 | French: Exchange Variation | 5 | 4/0/1 | 80.0% |
| B30 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 3 | 3/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| B27 | Sicilian: Hyperaccelerated Dragon | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B00 | Owen Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 7 | 5/2/0 | 71.4% |
| E14 | Queen's Indian Defense | 6 | 2/1/3 | 33.3% |
| B33 | Sicilian | 5 | 2/3/0 | 40.0% |
| C56 | Italian Game | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
| D02 | Indian Defense | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| A16 | English Opening | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| E32 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A04 | Réti Opening | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| C78 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2026 | Matfey Rogov | 2,369 | South African Open Championship 2026 - Championship | A07 |
| Oct 2001 | Adam Tukhaev | 2,220 | Wch U14 | C84 |
| Jan 2024 | Charles De Villiers | 2,012 | Cape Town Open | A16 |
| Jan 2024 | Shabir Hussain Bhawoodien | 1,945 | Cape Town Open | C84 |
| Jan 2005 | Remondo T. Solomons | 1,925 | RSA Young Masters | B23 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South African Open | 2015 | 15 | 9.5 | 2,140 |
| ch-RSA Open | 2005 | 11 | 6.5 | 2,349 |
| ch-Commonwealth RSA Open | 2011 | 10 | 6 | 2,127 |
| World ol U16 | 2003 | 10 | 6.5 | 2,275 |
| ch-RSA U16 | 2002 | 9 | 8.5 | – |
| Commonwealth & RSA Open | 2013 | 9 | 5.5 | 2,131 |
| South African Open Championship 2026 - Championship | 2026 | 7 | 5 | 2,118 |
| RSA Young Masters | 2005 | 7 | 3 | 2,012 |
Interactive opening tree from all 96 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Craig Glen Willenberg's chess games?
96 games by Craig Glen Willenberg, 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 Craig Glen Willenberg has played.
What does Craig Glen Willenberg play on the first move as White?
Across 47 games with White in our database, Craig Glen Willenberg opens with 1.e4 (94% of games), 1.Nf3 (6% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Craig Glen Willenberg answers 1...e5 (38% of games), 1...d5 (27% of games), 1...c5 (23% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (100% of games).
What openings does Craig Glen Willenberg play as White?
As White, Craig Glen Willenberg's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian: Moscow Variation (9 games, 55.6% win rate); Sicilian (8 games, 50.0% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense (6 games, 66.7% win rate). The full breakdown of 47 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Craig Glen Willenberg play as Black?
As Black, Craig Glen Willenberg most often plays: Scandinavian Defense: Main Line (7 games, 71.4% win rate); Queen's Indian Defense (6 games, 33.3% win rate); Sicilian (5 games, 40.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 49 games.
What is Craig Glen Willenberg's FIDE rating?
Craig Glen Willenberg is currently rated 2,063 in classical chess, 1,963 in rapid and 2,019 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,154 (Jul 2003).
How many games has Craig Glen Willenberg played?
Our database contains 96 games by Craig Glen Willenberg, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 51 wins, 17 draws, 28 losses (53.1% win rate).
How do I prepare against Craig Glen Willenberg?
96 games by Craig Glen Willenberg 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.