Prepare against Derek Zhang
CM · United States · World #8,966 classical · FIDE ID 2087871
Our database contains 177 games by Derek Zhang, covering Dec 2014 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Derek Zhang's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Derek Zhang 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 | 2,186 | 2,216 | Feb 2020 |
| Blitz | 2,087 | 2,147 | Aug 2019 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 177 | 72 | 16 | 89 | 40.7% |
| As White | 93 | 44 | 10 | 39 | 47.3% |
| As Black | 84 | 28 | 6 | 50 | 33.3% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Derek Zhang's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Derek Zhang's side.
First moves as White (93 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf3 | 78 | 83.9% | 53.2% |
| f4 | 8 | 8.6% | 50.0% |
| e4 | 6 | 6.5% | 58.3% |
| d4 | 1 | 1.1% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.Nf3 — 84% of White games, 53.2% score
- …d5 (36% of these games) — Zhang usually continues c4 (60.7% score)
- …Nf6 (31% of these games) — Zhang usually continues c4 (63.0% score)
- …c5 (13% of these games) — Zhang usually continues c4 (30.0% score)
- 1.f4 — 9% of White games, 50.0% score
- …d5 (50% of these games) — Zhang usually continues Nf3 (62.5% score)
- …e5 (13% of these games) — Zhang usually continues fxe5 (100.0% score)
- …d6 (13% of these games) — Zhang usually continues Nf3 (0.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (30 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 28 | 93.3% | 32.1% |
| d6 | 1 | 3.3% | 100.0% |
| e5 | 1 | 3.3% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (28 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d6 | 21 | 75.0% | 38.1% |
| e6 | 7 | 25.0% | 57.1% |
Derek Zhang's chess games
All 177 games by Derek Zhang in the Chess.ceo database (Dec 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: 72 wins, 16 draws, 89 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A13 | English Opening | 24 | 13/2/9 | 54.2% |
| A09 | Réti Opening | 14 | 5/3/6 | 35.7% |
| E90 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 11 | 5/2/4 | 45.5% |
| A35 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 10 | 3/0/7 | 30.0% |
| A03 | Bird's opening | 8 | 3/2/3 | 37.5% |
| B09 | Modern Defense | 8 | 3/0/5 | 37.5% |
| A11 | English Opening: Slav Setup | 7 | 6/0/1 | 85.7% |
| E11 | Queen's Indian Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| A04 | Arctic Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B86 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C15 | French: Winawer Variation | 14 | 4/1/9 | 28.6% |
| A41 | Rat Defense | 11 | 2/0/9 | 18.2% |
| A21 | Réti Opening | 11 | 1/2/8 | 9.1% |
| C41 | Pirc Defense | 8 | 5/0/3 | 62.5% |
| A21 | English Opening | 6 | 3/0/3 | 50.0% |
| A85 | Horwitz Defense | 6 | 3/0/3 | 50.0% |
| C00 | French Defense | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
| A21 | Queen's Pawn Game | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 4 | 1/0/3 | 25.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2023 | Benjamin Bok | 2,615 | Titled Tue Late | A11 |
| Mar 2023 | Nitzan Steinberg | 2,546 | Titled Tue Late | E90 |
| Mar 2023 | Rithvik R Raja | 2,472 | Titled Tue Late | A09 |
| Sep 2020 | David Brodsky | 2,455 | US Collegiate Blitz | C06 |
| May 2022 | Bojan Maksimovic | 2,455 | Titled Tue Late | C41 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2025 | 122 | 54 | 2,275 |
| ch-Washington State | 2020 | 16 | 4.5 | 1,987 |
| US Collegiate Blitz | 2020 | 13 | 6.5 | 2,416 |
| ch-Pan American U20 | 2019 | 9 | 4.5 | 2,130 |
| ch-Washington State Premier | 2015 | 9 | 6.5 | 2,235 |
| Washington Open | 2015 | 4 | 2.5 | 2,183 |
| Seattle Classic Open | 2017 | 3 | 0.5 | 1,937 |
| 04 Seattle Masters A | 2018 | 1 | 1 | 2,512 |
Interactive opening tree from all 177 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Derek Zhang's chess games?
177 games by Derek Zhang, from Dec 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 Derek Zhang has played.
What does Derek Zhang play on the first move as White?
Across 93 games with White in our database, Derek Zhang opens with 1.Nf3 (84% of games), 1.f4 (9% of games), 1.e4 (6% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Derek Zhang answers 1...e6 (93% of games), 1...d6 (3% of games), 1...e5 (3% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d6 (75% of games), 1...e6 (25% of games).
What openings does Derek Zhang play as White?
As White, Derek Zhang's most-played openings in our database are: English Opening (24 games, 54.2% win rate); Réti Opening (14 games, 35.7% win rate); King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation (11 games, 45.5% win rate). The full breakdown of 93 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Derek Zhang play as Black?
As Black, Derek Zhang most often plays: French: Winawer Variation (14 games, 28.6% win rate); Rat Defense (11 games, 18.2% win rate); Réti Opening (11 games, 9.1% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 84 games.
What is Derek Zhang's FIDE rating?
Derek Zhang is currently rated 2,186 in classical chess and 2,087 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,216 (Feb 2020).
How many games has Derek Zhang played?
Our database contains 177 games by Derek Zhang, covering Dec 2014 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 72 wins, 16 draws, 89 losses (40.7% win rate).
How do I prepare against Derek Zhang?
177 games by Derek Zhang 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.