Prepare against Dai James
United Kingdom · World #65,380 classical · FIDE ID 1801155
When preparing against Dai James, expect 1.e4 in 66% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e6 (67% of games); against 1.d4, 1...e6 (38%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: French Defense as Black, 11.8% over 17 games.
Our database contains 238 games by Dai James, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Dai James's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Dai James 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 | 1,837 | 2,024 | Apr 2004 |
| Rapid | 1,923 | 1,964 | May 2014 |
| Blitz | 1,793 | 1,914 | Apr 2016 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 238 | 71 | 76 | 91 | 29.8% |
| As White | 112 | 47 | 23 | 42 | 42.0% |
| As Black | 126 | 24 | 53 | 49 | 19.0% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Dai James's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Dai James's side.
First moves as White (112 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 74 | 66.1% | 50.0% |
| f4 | 33 | 29.5% | 57.6% |
| b4 | 4 | 3.6% | 37.5% |
| c4 | 1 | 0.9% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 66% of White games, 50.0% score
- …c5 (34% of these games) — James usually continues Nc3 (56.0% score)
- …e5 (20% of these games) — James usually continues Nf3 (38.9% score)
- …e6 (16% of these games) — James usually continues d4 (40.9% score)
- 1.f4 — 29% of White games, 57.6% score
- …d5 (73% of these games) — James usually continues Nf3 (58.7% score)
- …e5 (9% of these games) — James usually continues e4 (0.0% score)
- …Nf6 (6% of these games) — James usually continues Nf3 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (69 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 46 | 66.7% | 39.1% |
| e5 | 19 | 27.5% | 50.0% |
| c5 | 2 | 2.9% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 1 | 1.4% | 50.0% |
| d5 | 1 | 1.4% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (40 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 15 | 37.5% | 33.3% |
| Nf6 | 14 | 35.0% | 39.3% |
| f5 | 11 | 27.5% | 50.0% |
Dai James's chess games
All 238 games by Dai James in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - 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: 71 wins, 76 draws, 91 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A03 | Bird's opening | 31 | 16/6/9 | 51.6% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 25 | 10/8/7 | 40.0% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 10 | 3/1/6 | 30.0% |
| C31 | King's Gambit | 7 | 4/1/2 | 57.1% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| B20 | Modern Defense | 5 | 2/0/3 | 40.0% |
| A00 | Orangutan opening | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
| B10 | Caro-Kann | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| B14 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 3 | 3/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B00 | Nimzowitsch Defense | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 18 | 3/10/5 | 16.7% |
| C10 | French Defense | 17 | 2/6/9 | 11.8% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 8 | 2/1/5 | 25.0% |
| A80 | Horwitz Defense | 8 | 1/4/3 | 12.5% |
| B30 | King's Indian Attack | 8 | 1/4/3 | 12.5% |
| C63 | Ruy Lopez: Schliemann | 7 | 2/2/3 | 28.6% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 7 | 2/4/1 | 28.6% |
| D00 | Indian Defense | 6 | 0/3/3 | 0.0% |
| A67 | Benoni Defense | 6 | 2/1/3 | 33.3% |
| A10 | English Opening: Dutch Defense | 5 | 1/2/2 | 20.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2001 | Alan Spice | 2,207 | Monmouth | C02 |
| Feb 2010 | Gareth Yeo | 2,053 | chT3-BCF 0910 (4NCL) | B23 |
| Jul 2019 | Allan J Pleasants | 2,049 | 16th South Wales Open | B20 |
| Sep 2016 | Rudy Van Kemenade | 2,004 | ch-WLS Seniors 2nd | A10 |
| Mar 2023 | Joe Fathallah | 1,988 | Cardiff Welsh Spring Open | A67 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-WLS Seniors 2nd | 2016 | 14 | 7 | 1,924 |
| South Wales Autumn Open | 2016 | 11 | 6 | 1,829 |
| South Wales New Year Open | 2016 | 10 | 5.5 | 1,903 |
| 13th South Wales Open | 2016 | 10 | 4 | 1,775 |
| 1st Welsh Masters | 2019 | 9 | 0 | 1,895 |
| 12th South Wales Open | 2015 | 9 | 4.5 | 1,959 |
| Monmouth | 2001 | 9 | 3 | 1,980 |
| ch-WLS Seniors | 2019 | 8 | 4 | 1,779 |
Interactive opening tree from all 238 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Dai James's chess games?
238 games by Dai James, from Apr 2003 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 Dai James has played.
What does Dai James play on the first move as White?
Across 112 games with White in our database, Dai James opens with 1.e4 (66% of games), 1.f4 (29% of games), 1.b4 (4% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Dai James answers 1...e6 (67% of games), 1...e5 (28% of games), 1...c5 (3% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...e6 (38% of games), 1...Nf6 (35% of games), 1...f5 (28% of games).
What openings does Dai James play as White?
As White, Dai James's most-played openings in our database are: Bird's opening (31 games, 51.6% win rate); Sicilian: Closed (25 games, 40.0% win rate); French: Advance Variation (10 games, 30.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 112 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Dai James play as Black?
As Black, Dai James most often plays: Dutch Defense (18 games, 16.7% win rate); French Defense (17 games, 11.8% win rate); French: Tarrasch Variation (8 games, 25.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 126 games.
What is Dai James's FIDE rating?
Dai James is currently rated 1,837 in classical chess, 1,923 in rapid and 1,793 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,024 (Apr 2004).
How many games has Dai James played?
Our database contains 238 games by Dai James, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 71 wins, 76 draws, 91 losses (29.8% win rate).
How do I prepare against Dai James?
238 games by Dai James 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.