Prepare against Declan Shafi
United Kingdom · World #9,838 classical · FIDE ID 2405156
Our database contains 334 games by Declan Shafi, covering Jul 2014 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Declan Shafi's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Declan Shafi 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 | 2,172 | 2,231 | Feb 2024 |
| Rapid | 2,099 | 2,213 | Sep 2022 |
| Blitz | 2,060 | 2,126 | Sep 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 334 | 141 | 68 | 125 | 42.2% |
| As White | 168 | 77 | 34 | 57 | 45.8% |
| As Black | 166 | 64 | 34 | 68 | 38.6% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Declan Shafi's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Declan Shafi's side.
First moves as White (168 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 129 | 76.8% | 55.0% |
| e4 | 20 | 11.9% | 62.5% |
| Nf3 | 13 | 7.7% | 53.8% |
| c4 | 6 | 3.6% | 58.3% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 77% of White games, 55.0% score
- …Nf6 (51% of these games) — Shafi usually continues c4 (43.1% score)
- …d5 (29% of these games) — Shafi usually continues c4 (58.1% score)
- …e6 (5% of these games) — Shafi usually continues c4 (20.0% score)
- 1.e4 — 12% of White games, 62.5% score
- …c5 (40% of these games) — Shafi usually continues Nf3 (56.3% score)
- …c6 (20% of these games) — Shafi usually continues d4 (50.0% score)
- …e6 (10% of these games) — Shafi usually continues d4 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (79 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 52 | 65.8% | 53.8% |
| c5 | 22 | 27.8% | 50.0% |
| c6 | 3 | 3.8% | 33.3% |
| e6 | 2 | 2.5% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (52 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 51 | 98.1% | 47.1% |
| d5 | 1 | 1.9% | 0.0% |
Declan Shafi's chess games
All 334 games by Declan Shafi in the Chess.ceo database (Jul 2014 - 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: 141 wins, 68 draws, 125 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D36 | Indian Defense | 23 | 14/3/6 | 60.9% |
| E32 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 11 | 3/3/5 | 27.3% |
| A40 | Queen's Pawn Game | 10 | 6/2/2 | 60.0% |
| D11 | Slav Defense | 9 | 5/2/2 | 55.6% |
| A43 | Benoni Defense | 8 | 5/1/2 | 62.5% |
| E97 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 7 | 2/1/4 | 28.6% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 7 | 4/0/3 | 57.1% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 6 | 2/0/4 | 33.3% |
| D26 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 6 | 1/2/3 | 16.7% |
| B08 | King's Indian Defense | 6 | 3/2/1 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 26 | 11/4/11 | 42.3% |
| D85 | Indian Defense | 13 | 4/3/6 | 30.8% |
| C84 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 13 | 4/2/7 | 30.8% |
| C54 | Italian Game | 7 | 2/3/2 | 28.6% |
| A36 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 7 | 3/1/3 | 42.9% |
| C54 | Italian Game: Classical Variation | 7 | 4/1/2 | 57.1% |
| A16 | English Opening | 6 | 2/1/3 | 33.3% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 6 | 4/1/1 | 66.7% |
| C77 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 5 | 2/2/1 | 40.0% |
| A48 | King's Indian Defense | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2023 | Mark L Hebden | 2,454 | Cambridge Open | A49 |
| Feb 2022 | Radu-Cristian Toma | 2,388 | Kasparov CF University Cup | D26 |
| Dec 2023 | Pavel Jirasek | 2,358 | 5th Rome City Open | A37 |
| Dec 2023 | Ritvik Krishnan | 2,346 | 5th Rome City Open | A37 |
| Jun 2022 | Klaudia Kulon | 2,293 | chT-BCF 2122 (4NCL) | A36 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glorney Cup | 2018 | 22 | 11 | 1,958 |
| World ol U16 | 2016 | 17 | 10.5 | 2,024 |
| 4NCL 2024-25 | 2025 | 11 | 4.5 | 2,196 |
| chT2-BCF 2223 (4NCL) | 2023 | 11 | 3 | 2,001 |
| Dundee & Angus Open | 2016 | 10 | 5 | 1,723 |
| Dundee & Angus Open Challengers | 2014 | 10 | 4.5 | 1,608 |
| 1st FIDE World Uni Blitz-C | 2021 | 10 | 7 | 2,069 |
| 111th ch-GBR | 2025 | 9 | 4 | 2,069 |
Interactive opening tree from all 334 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Declan Shafi's chess games?
334 games by Declan Shafi, from Jul 2014 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 Declan Shafi has played.
What does Declan Shafi play on the first move as White?
Across 168 games with White in our database, Declan Shafi opens with 1.d4 (77% of games), 1.e4 (12% of games), 1.Nf3 (8% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Declan Shafi answers 1...e5 (66% of games), 1...c5 (28% of games), 1...c6 (4% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (98% of games), 1...d5 (2% of games).
What openings does Declan Shafi play as White?
As White, Declan Shafi's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (23 games, 60.9% win rate); Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation (11 games, 27.3% win rate); Queen's Pawn Game (10 games, 60.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 168 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Declan Shafi play as Black?
As Black, Declan Shafi most often plays: Grünfeld Defense (26 games, 42.3% win rate); Indian Defense (13 games, 30.8% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Closed (13 games, 30.8% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 166 games.
What is Declan Shafi's FIDE rating?
Declan Shafi is currently rated 2,172 in classical chess, 2,099 in rapid and 2,060 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,231 (Feb 2024).
How many games has Declan Shafi played?
Our database contains 334 games by Declan Shafi, covering Jul 2014 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 141 wins, 68 draws, 125 losses (42.2% win rate).
How do I prepare against Declan Shafi?
334 games by Declan Shafi 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.