Prepare against David Murray
Ireland · World #17,057 classical · FIDE ID 2501511
When preparing against David Murray, expect 1.e4 in 87% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (49% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (98%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Sicilian as Black, 21.1% over 19 games.
Our database contains 358 games by David Murray, covering Oct 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find David Murray's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout David Murray 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 | 2,084 | 2,221 | Oct 2018 |
| Rapid | 2,042 | 2,141 | Jun 2014 |
| Blitz | 2,112 | 2,162 | Oct 2013 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 358 | 125 | 84 | 149 | 34.9% |
| As White | 173 | 70 | 43 | 60 | 40.5% |
| As Black | 185 | 55 | 41 | 89 | 29.7% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of David Murray's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from David Murray's side.
First moves as White (173 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 151 | 87.3% | 51.3% |
| d4 | 17 | 9.8% | 61.8% |
| c4 | 3 | 1.7% | 66.7% |
| Nf3 | 1 | 0.6% | 50.0% |
| a3 | 1 | 0.6% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 87% of White games, 51.3% score
- …c5 (39% of these games) — Murray usually continues Nf3 (52.0% score)
- …e5 (23% of these games) — Murray usually continues Nf3 (51.6% score)
- …e6 (16% of these games) — Murray usually continues d4 (43.2% score)
- 1.d4 — 10% of White games, 61.8% score
- …Nf6 (53% of these games) — Murray usually continues c4 (56.3% score)
- …e6 (18% of these games) — Murray usually continues Nf3 (100.0% score)
- …c5 (12% of these games) — Murray usually continues d5 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (87 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 43 | 49.4% | 48.8% |
| e5 | 26 | 29.9% | 36.5% |
| e6 | 13 | 14.9% | 26.9% |
| c6 | 2 | 2.3% | 50.0% |
| d5 | 2 | 2.3% | 25.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (59 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 58 | 98.3% | 42.2% |
| e6 | 1 | 1.7% | 100.0% |
David Murray's chess games
All 358 games by David Murray in the Chess.ceo database (Oct 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: 125 wins, 84 draws, 149 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B28 | Sicilian | 16 | 8/5/3 | 50.0% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 13 | 6/4/3 | 46.2% |
| C14 | French: Classical Variation | 11 | 2/3/6 | 18.2% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 11 | 5/1/5 | 45.5% |
| C18 | French: Winawer Variation | 10 | 3/2/5 | 30.0% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 8 | 4/0/4 | 50.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 8 | 4/2/2 | 50.0% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 7 | 2/1/4 | 28.6% |
| B31 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 6 | 1/3/2 | 16.7% |
| A58 | Benoni Defense | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B59 | Sicilian | 19 | 4/7/8 | 21.1% |
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 17 | 5/4/8 | 29.4% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 12 | 4/4/4 | 33.3% |
| A25 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 12 | 5/1/6 | 41.7% |
| C78 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 10 | 5/2/3 | 50.0% |
| A33 | English Opening | 10 | 3/1/6 | 30.0% |
| E60 | Indian Defense | 8 | 2/4/2 | 25.0% |
| B26 | Sicilian: Closed | 6 | 2/2/2 | 33.3% |
| A34 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 6 | 1/2/3 | 16.7% |
| E42 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 5 | 1/0/4 | 20.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2013 | Robin Swinkels | 2,536 | 29th EU-Cup | E00 |
| Aug 2019 | Nenad Ristic | 2,376 | 3rd Innsbruck Open | A58 |
| Nov 2016 | Kaare Hove Kristensen | 2,374 | 32nd EU-Cup | B90 |
| Mar 2009 | Alex Astaneh Lopez | 2,367 | 17th Cork Masters | B51 |
| Jul 2018 | Thomas Hoefelsauer | 2,361 | 29th Pardubice Czech Open A | A58 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-IRL | 2020 | 70 | 36.5 | 2,140 |
| Wch U20 | 2003 | 12 | 3 | 1,999 |
| chT3N-BCF 1718 (4NCL) | 2018 | 11 | 9 | 2,153 |
| 14th Specsavers YM | 2004 | 10 | 4 | 1,927 |
| Gonzaga Masters | 2016 | 9 | 7.5 | 2,257 |
| 4NCL 2022-23 | 2023 | 9 | 2 | 2,059 |
| 3rd Innsbruck Open | 2019 | 9 | 5 | 2,315 |
| ch-IRL 100th | 2021 | 9 | 5 | 2,064 |
Interactive opening tree from all 358 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find David Murray's chess games?
358 games by David Murray, from Oct 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 David Murray has played.
What does David Murray play on the first move as White?
Across 173 games with White in our database, David Murray opens with 1.e4 (87% of games), 1.d4 (10% of games), 1.c4 (2% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, David Murray answers 1...c5 (49% of games), 1...e5 (30% of games), 1...e6 (15% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (98% of games), 1...e6 (2% of games).
What openings does David Murray play as White?
As White, David Murray's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (16 games, 50.0% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (13 games, 46.2% win rate); French: Classical Variation (11 games, 18.2% win rate). The full breakdown of 173 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does David Murray play as Black?
As Black, David Murray most often plays: Sicilian (19 games, 21.1% win rate); Grünfeld Defense (17 games, 29.4% win rate); Benoni Defense (12 games, 33.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 185 games.
What is David Murray's FIDE rating?
David Murray is currently rated 2,084 in classical chess, 2,042 in rapid and 2,112 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,221 (Oct 2018).
How many games has David Murray played?
Our database contains 358 games by David Murray, covering Oct 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 125 wins, 84 draws, 149 losses (34.9% win rate).
How do I prepare against David Murray?
358 games by David Murray 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.