Prepare against David J Ireland
United Kingdom · World #36,700 classical · FIDE ID 413178
When preparing against David J Ireland, expect 1.e4 in 62% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (52% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (90%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Benoni Defense as Black, 31.0% over 29 games.
Our database contains 353 games by David J Ireland, covering Jul 2005 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find David J Ireland's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout David J Ireland 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 | 1,950 | 2,019 | May 2011 |
| Rapid | 1,904 | 1,921 | Oct 2024 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 353 | 137 | 99 | 117 | 38.8% |
| As White | 173 | 73 | 51 | 49 | 42.2% |
| As Black | 180 | 64 | 48 | 68 | 35.6% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of David J Ireland's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from David J Ireland's side.
First moves as White (173 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 107 | 61.8% | 57.0% |
| d4 | 45 | 26.0% | 53.3% |
| Nf3 | 13 | 7.5% | 61.5% |
| c4 | 5 | 2.9% | 70.0% |
| b3 | 3 | 1.7% | 66.7% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 62% of White games, 57.0% score
- …c5 (36% of these games) — Ireland usually continues Nc3 (51.6% score)
- …e6 (20% of these games) — Ireland usually continues c4 (70.8% score)
- …e5 (20% of these games) — Ireland usually continues Nf3 (60.0% score)
- 1.d4 — 26% of White games, 53.3% score
- …Nf6 (58% of these games) — Ireland usually continues Nf3 (53.8% score)
- …d5 (24% of these games) — Ireland usually continues c4 (78.6% score)
- …e6 (9% of these games) — Ireland usually continues Nf3 (66.7% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (84 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 44 | 52.4% | 46.6% |
| e5 | 20 | 23.8% | 47.5% |
| Nf6 | 11 | 13.1% | 54.5% |
| c6 | 5 | 6.0% | 60.0% |
| Nc6 | 2 | 2.4% | 100.0% |
| e6 | 2 | 2.4% | 75.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (67 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 60 | 89.6% | 50.8% |
| d5 | 6 | 9.0% | 41.7% |
| g6 | 1 | 1.5% | 50.0% |
David J Ireland's chess games
All 353 games by David J Ireland in the Chess.ceo database (Jul 2005 - 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: 137 wins, 99 draws, 117 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 31 | 12/8/11 | 38.7% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 16 | 7/6/3 | 43.8% |
| C00 | French Defense | 12 | 8/1/3 | 66.7% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 7 | 1/5/1 | 14.3% |
| C56 | Italian Game | 6 | 2/2/2 | 33.3% |
| D02 | London System | 6 | 1/3/2 | 16.7% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| C52 | Italian Game: Evans Gambit | 5 | 2/2/1 | 40.0% |
| D63 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 5 | 4/1/0 | 80.0% |
| C05 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 29 | 9/8/12 | 31.0% |
| B72 | Sicilian: Dragon | 21 | 8/5/8 | 38.1% |
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 14 | 4/3/7 | 28.6% |
| A26 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 13 | 3/4/6 | 23.1% |
| A43 | Indian Defense | 12 | 5/4/3 | 41.7% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 12 | 5/3/4 | 41.7% |
| B05 | Alekhine Defense | 11 | 4/4/3 | 36.4% |
| A46 | Réti Opening | 7 | 2/1/4 | 28.6% |
| D00 | Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation | 6 | 2/2/2 | 33.3% |
| A45 | London System | 6 | 4/0/2 | 66.7% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2023 | Joseph Stewart | 2,224 | chT4-BCF 2223 (4NCL) | B23 |
| Feb 2020 | Guillaume Machin | 2,159 | 27th Bunratty Masters | C13 |
| Jan 2012 | Humphrey Andolo | 2,157 | chT3S-BCF 1112 (4NCL) | B77 |
| Jan 2020 | Alex Richardson | 2,128 | Shropshire Open | D37 |
| Feb 2019 | Andrew R Talbot | 2,126 | Coventry Warwickshire Open | A58 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas IoM Major Open | 2017 | 14 | 9.5 | 1,985 |
| ch-ENG Chessable | 2023 | 13 | 4.5 | 1,879 |
| Coventry Open | 2023 | 12 | 3 | 1,770 |
| chT4S-BCF 1718 (4NCL) | 2018 | 11 | 4.5 | 1,815 |
| 102nd ch-GBR Major | 2015 | 11 | 5 | 1,886 |
| chT4S-BCF 1617 (4NCL) | 2017 | 11 | 7 | 1,930 |
| chT4-BCF 1516 (4NCL) | 2016 | 10 | 5.5 | 1,936 |
| chT4-BCF 2223 (4NCL) | 2023 | 10 | 5 | 1,909 |
Interactive opening tree from all 353 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find David J Ireland's chess games?
353 games by David J Ireland, from Jul 2005 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 David J Ireland has played.
What does David J Ireland play on the first move as White?
Across 173 games with White in our database, David J Ireland opens with 1.e4 (62% of games), 1.d4 (26% of games), 1.Nf3 (8% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, David J Ireland answers 1...c5 (52% of games), 1...e5 (24% of games), 1...Nf6 (13% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (90% of games), 1...d5 (9% of games), 1...g6 (1% of games).
What openings does David J Ireland play as White?
As White, David J Ireland's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian: Closed (31 games, 38.7% win rate); Indian Defense (16 games, 43.8% win rate); French Defense (12 games, 66.7% win rate). The full breakdown of 173 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does David J Ireland play as Black?
As Black, David J Ireland most often plays: Benoni Defense (29 games, 31.0% win rate); Sicilian: Dragon (21 games, 38.1% win rate); Petrov's Defense (14 games, 28.6% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 180 games.
What is David J Ireland's FIDE rating?
David J Ireland is currently rated 1,950 in classical chess, 1,904 in rapid. Peak classical rating: 2,019 (May 2011).
How many games has David J Ireland played?
Our database contains 353 games by David J Ireland, covering Jul 2005 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 137 wins, 99 draws, 117 losses (38.8% win rate).
How do I prepare against David J Ireland?
353 games by David J Ireland 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.