Prepare against Denis Makhnev
GM · Kazakhstan · World #242 classical · FIDE ID 13707647
When preparing against Denis Makhnev, expect 1.d4 in 86% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (78% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (59%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Catalan as Black, 30.0% over 20 games.
Our database contains 1,385 games by Denis Makhnev, covering Jan 2011 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Denis Makhnev's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Denis Makhnev 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 | 2,568 | 2,568 | Aug 2026 |
| Rapid | 2,537 | 2,544 | Jun 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,530 | 2,582 | Aug 2024 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,385 | 697 | 343 | 345 | 50.3% |
| As White | 711 | 387 | 170 | 154 | 54.4% |
| As Black | 674 | 310 | 173 | 191 | 46.0% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Denis Makhnev's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Denis Makhnev's side.
First moves as White (710 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 608 | 85.6% | 66.3% |
| Nf3 | 52 | 7.3% | 63.5% |
| e4 | 21 | 3.0% | 78.6% |
| f4 | 17 | 2.4% | 64.7% |
| c4 | 12 | 1.7% | 62.5% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 86% of White games, 66.3% score
- …Nf6 (60% of these games) — Makhnev usually continues c4 (65.0% score)
- …d5 (30% of these games) — Makhnev usually continues c4 (68.4% score)
- …d6 (3% of these games) — Makhnev usually continues Nf3 (75.0% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 7% of White games, 63.5% score
- …Nf6 (52% of these games) — Makhnev usually continues c4 (61.4% score)
- …d5 (35% of these games) — Makhnev usually continues g3 (57.1% score)
- …c5 (10% of these games) — Makhnev usually continues c4 (66.7% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (323 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 251 | 77.7% | 62.4% |
| c6 | 36 | 11.1% | 55.6% |
| c5 | 17 | 5.3% | 61.8% |
| g6 | 9 | 2.8% | 88.9% |
| d6 | 5 | 1.5% | 70.0% |
| Nf6 | 3 | 0.9% | 66.7% |
As Black against 1.d4 (223 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 132 | 59.2% | 51.9% |
| d5 | 88 | 39.5% | 55.1% |
| g6 | 3 | 1.3% | 66.7% |
Denis Makhnev's chess games
All 1,385 games by Denis Makhnev in the Chess.ceo database (Jan 2011 - 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: 697 wins, 343 draws, 345 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E05 | Catalan | 141 | 74/34/33 | 52.5% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 83 | 45/21/17 | 54.2% |
| D23 | Slav Defense | 60 | 30/18/12 | 50.0% |
| E70 | King's Indian Defense | 55 | 36/6/13 | 65.5% |
| E11 | Bogo-Indian Defense | 27 | 17/5/5 | 63.0% |
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 24 | 15/2/7 | 62.5% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 24 | 12/8/4 | 50.0% |
| D38 | Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense | 22 | 12/5/5 | 54.5% |
| D26 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 22 | 13/5/4 | 59.1% |
| D02 | London System | 18 | 8/6/4 | 44.4% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C88 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 46 | 22/15/9 | 47.8% |
| C70 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 46 | 17/15/14 | 37.0% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 41 | 13/9/19 | 31.7% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 38 | 20/5/13 | 52.6% |
| A20 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 34 | 20/9/5 | 58.8% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 24 | 11/6/7 | 45.8% |
| C50 | Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo | 24 | 14/6/4 | 58.3% |
| D31 | Semi-Slav Defense | 23 | 10/6/7 | 43.5% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 21 | 10/5/6 | 47.6% |
| E11 | Catalan | 20 | 6/8/6 | 30.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2023 | Fabiano Caruana | 2,794 | Wch Blitz | E49 |
| Dec 2025 | Praggnanandhaa R | 2,761 | World Blitz 2025 | E11 |
| Dec 2025 | Richard Rapport | 2,741 | World Rapid 2025 | B06 |
| Jun 2025 | Leinier Dominguez Perez | 2,738 | FIDE World Rapid Team | D02 |
| Mar 2026 | Quang Liem Le | 2,731 | Chess.com Open PlayIn4 | D37 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2026 | 473 | 323.5 | 2,539 |
| ch-KAZ | 2023 | 69 | 42.5 | 2,503 |
| Wch Blitz | 2023 | 42 | 23.5 | 2,655 |
| FIDE World Rapid Team | 2026 | 32 | 16.5 | 2,558 |
| Wch Rapid | 2023 | 25 | 13 | 2,543 |
| Kazakhstan Cup | 2023 | 24 | 11.5 | 2,423 |
| Pavlodar Open | 2019 | 20 | 11 | 2,354 |
| Kazakhstan Cup Final 2024 | 2024 | 19 | 12.5 | 2,611 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Ramazan Zhalmakhanov (22 games) · Kazybek Nogerbek (17 games) · Aldiyar Ansat (15 games) · Arystanbek Urazayev (15 games) · Alisher Suleymenov (14 games) · Zhandos Agmanov (14 games) · Daniyal Sapenov (12 games) · Murtas Kazhgaleyev (10 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 1,385 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Denis Makhnev's chess games?
1,385 games by Denis Makhnev, from Jan 2011 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 Denis Makhnev has played.
What does Denis Makhnev play on the first move as White?
Across 710 games with White in our database, Denis Makhnev opens with 1.d4 (86% of games), 1.Nf3 (7% of games), 1.e4 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Denis Makhnev answers 1...e5 (78% of games), 1...c6 (11% of games), 1...c5 (5% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (59% of games), 1...d5 (39% of games), 1...g6 (1% of games).
What openings does Denis Makhnev play as White?
As White, Denis Makhnev's most-played openings in our database are: Catalan (141 games, 52.5% win rate); Indian Defense (83 games, 54.2% win rate); Slav Defense (60 games, 50.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 711 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Denis Makhnev play as Black?
As Black, Denis Makhnev most often plays: Ruy Lopez: Closed (46 games, 47.8% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense (46 games, 37.0% win rate); Indian Defense (41 games, 31.7% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 674 games.
What is Denis Makhnev's FIDE rating?
Denis Makhnev is currently rated 2,568 in classical chess, 2,537 in rapid and 2,530 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,568 (Aug 2026).
How many games has Denis Makhnev played?
Our database contains 1,385 games by Denis Makhnev, covering Jan 2011 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 697 wins, 343 draws, 345 losses (50.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Denis Makhnev?
1,385 games by Denis Makhnev 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.