Prepare against David Van Kerkhof
FM · NLD · World #3,063 classical · FIDE ID 1012827
When preparing against David Van Kerkhof, expect 1.e4 in 80% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (71% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (96%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Indian Defense as Black, 12.5% over 16 games.
Our database contains 344 games by David Van Kerkhof, covering Oct 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find David Van Kerkhof's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout David Van Kerkhof 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 | 2,335 | 2,393 | Nov 2018 |
| Blitz | 2,261 | 2,350 | Jul 2024 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 344 | 152 | 71 | 121 | 44.2% |
| As White | 176 | 81 | 34 | 61 | 46.0% |
| As Black | 168 | 71 | 37 | 60 | 42.3% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of David Van Kerkhof's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from David Van Kerkhof's side.
First moves as White (176 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 141 | 80.1% | 54.6% |
| d4 | 19 | 10.8% | 68.4% |
| c4 | 10 | 5.7% | 35.0% |
| Nf3 | 5 | 2.8% | 70.0% |
| g3 | 1 | 0.6% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 80% of White games, 54.6% score
- …c5 (40% of these games) — Kerkhof usually continues Nf3 (53.8% score)
- …e5 (22% of these games) — Kerkhof usually continues Nf3 (46.3% score)
- …e6 (16% of these games) — Kerkhof usually continues d4 (52.8% score)
- 1.d4 — 11% of White games, 68.4% score
- …Nf6 (47% of these games) — Kerkhof usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …d5 (42% of these games) — Kerkhof usually continues Nf3 (87.5% score)
- …c6 (5% of these games) — Kerkhof usually continues Nf3 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (97 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 69 | 71.1% | 54.3% |
| e5 | 24 | 24.7% | 58.3% |
| d5 | 4 | 4.1% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (45 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 43 | 95.6% | 51.2% |
| d5 | 1 | 2.2% | 0.0% |
| f5 | 1 | 2.2% | 100.0% |
David Van Kerkhof's chess games
All 344 games by David Van Kerkhof 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: 152 wins, 71 draws, 121 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B40 | Sicilian | 14 | 5/4/5 | 35.7% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 12 | 7/2/3 | 58.3% |
| C18 | French: Winawer Variation | 11 | 5/3/3 | 45.5% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 9 | 5/0/4 | 55.6% |
| D11 | Queen's Pawn Game | 8 | 6/2/0 | 75.0% |
| C11 | French: Classical Variation | 8 | 2/2/4 | 25.0% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 6 | 4/1/1 | 66.7% |
| B76 | Sicilian: Dragon | 6 | 3/0/3 | 50.0% |
| A20 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 5 | 1/0/4 | 20.0% |
| B34 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 5 | 0/2/3 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B33 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | 24 | 7/7/10 | 29.2% |
| B38 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 17 | 7/3/7 | 41.2% |
| A50 | Indian Defense | 16 | 2/6/8 | 12.5% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 15 | 9/3/3 | 60.0% |
| C63 | Ruy Lopez: Schliemann | 7 | 2/2/3 | 28.6% |
| A16 | English Opening | 7 | 4/1/2 | 57.1% |
| C55 | Italian Game | 7 | 4/2/1 | 57.1% |
| B22 | Sicilian | 6 | 2/1/3 | 33.3% |
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 6 | 3/1/2 | 50.0% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 6 | 4/0/2 | 66.7% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2010 | Yasser Seirawan | 2,646 | chT-NED 0910 | B19 |
| Oct 2022 | Roeland Pruijssers | 2,547 | chT-NED 2223 | A13 |
| Mar 2018 | Ilja Schneider | 2,513 | Karlsruhe Grenke Open | B00 |
| Jan 2013 | Hannes Stefansson | 2,512 | 12th Prague Open A | C51 |
| Aug 2006 | Robin Van Kampen | 2,475 | Dieren Open | B85 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dieren Open | 2006 | 35 | 17.5 | 2,251 |
| ch-NED U14 | 2001 | 18 | 9 | 2,159 |
| Hengelo U16 Open | 2003 | 18 | 12.5 | 2,313 |
| ch-NED U16 | 2003 | 18 | 9.5 | 2,179 |
| Hengelo U12 Open | 1998 | 16 | 9.5 | – |
| Hengelo U14 Open | 2003 | 10 | 6 | – |
| Haarlem Masters | 2018 | 9 | 6 | 2,471 |
| Karlsruhe Grenke Open | 2019 | 9 | 4.5 | 2,344 |
Interactive opening tree from all 344 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find David Van Kerkhof's chess games?
344 games by David Van Kerkhof, 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 Van Kerkhof has played.
What does David Van Kerkhof play on the first move as White?
Across 176 games with White in our database, David Van Kerkhof opens with 1.e4 (80% of games), 1.d4 (11% of games), 1.c4 (6% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, David Van Kerkhof answers 1...c5 (71% of games), 1...e5 (25% of games), 1...d5 (4% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (96% of games), 1...d5 (2% of games), 1...f5 (2% of games).
What openings does David Van Kerkhof play as White?
As White, David Van Kerkhof's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (14 games, 35.7% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (12 games, 58.3% win rate); French: Winawer Variation (11 games, 45.5% win rate). The full breakdown of 176 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does David Van Kerkhof play as Black?
As Black, David Van Kerkhof most often plays: Sicilian: Sveshnikov (24 games, 29.2% win rate); Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon (17 games, 41.2% win rate); Indian Defense (16 games, 12.5% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 168 games.
What is David Van Kerkhof's FIDE rating?
David Van Kerkhof is currently rated 2,335 in classical chess and 2,261 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,393 (Nov 2018).
How many games has David Van Kerkhof played?
Our database contains 344 games by David Van Kerkhof, covering Oct 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 152 wins, 71 draws, 121 losses (44.2% win rate).
How do I prepare against David Van Kerkhof?
344 games by David Van Kerkhof 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.