Prepare against Dirk Paulsen
FM · DEU · World #4,256 classical · FIDE ID 4601343
When preparing against Dirk Paulsen, expect 1.d4 in 80% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...Nf6 (45% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (76%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Indian Defense as Black, 20.0% over 35 games.
Our database contains 903 games by Dirk Paulsen, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Dirk Paulsen's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Dirk Paulsen 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 | 2,296 | 2,390 | Apr 2005 |
| Rapid | 2,324 | 2,324 | Aug 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,295 | 2,436 | Mar 2018 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 903 | 414 | 213 | 276 | 45.8% |
| As White | 463 | 231 | 109 | 123 | 49.9% |
| As Black | 440 | 183 | 104 | 153 | 41.6% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Dirk Paulsen's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Dirk Paulsen's side.
First moves as White (463 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 370 | 79.9% | 60.8% |
| e4 | 65 | 14.0% | 64.6% |
| Nf3 | 16 | 3.5% | 68.8% |
| c4 | 9 | 1.9% | 72.2% |
| g3 | 2 | 0.4% | 50.0% |
| c3 | 1 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 80% of White games, 60.8% score
- …Nf6 (55% of these games) — Paulsen usually continues c4 (60.5% score)
- …d5 (28% of these games) — Paulsen usually continues c4 (64.0% score)
- …g6 (4% of these games) — Paulsen usually continues e4 (26.7% score)
- 1.e4 — 14% of White games, 64.6% score
- …c5 (35% of these games) — Paulsen usually continues Nf3 (58.3% score)
- …e6 (17% of these games) — Paulsen usually continues f4 (66.7% score)
- …e5 (17% of these games) — Paulsen usually continues Nf3 (66.7% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (203 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 92 | 45.3% | 55.4% |
| g6 | 34 | 16.7% | 44.1% |
| d6 | 33 | 16.3% | 56.1% |
| c5 | 19 | 9.4% | 44.7% |
| c6 | 18 | 8.9% | 63.9% |
| e5 | 3 | 1.5% | 33.3% |
As Black against 1.d4 (130 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 99 | 76.2% | 53.5% |
| d5 | 15 | 11.5% | 73.3% |
| g6 | 12 | 9.2% | 45.8% |
| c5 | 1 | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| d6 | 1 | 0.8% | 100.0% |
| f5 | 1 | 0.8% | 100.0% |
Dirk Paulsen's chess games
All 903 games by Dirk Paulsen in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - 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: 414 wins, 213 draws, 276 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D55 | Indian Defense | 55 | 24/15/16 | 43.6% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 48 | 24/8/16 | 50.0% |
| D15 | Slav Defense | 36 | 18/8/10 | 50.0% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 28 | 17/6/5 | 60.7% |
| E71 | King's Indian Defense | 26 | 12/5/9 | 46.2% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 23 | 8/3/12 | 34.8% |
| E11 | Bogo-Indian Defense | 18 | 8/8/2 | 44.4% |
| D31 | Semi-Slav Defense | 17 | 11/3/3 | 64.7% |
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 15 | 5/5/5 | 33.3% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 15 | 5/4/6 | 33.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B05 | Alekhine Defense | 91 | 44/13/34 | 48.4% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 48 | 19/6/23 | 39.6% |
| A47 | Indian Defense | 35 | 7/15/13 | 20.0% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 31 | 13/8/10 | 41.9% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 25 | 8/5/12 | 32.0% |
| A25 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 24 | 11/8/5 | 45.8% |
| A04 | Réti Opening | 23 | 6/7/10 | 26.1% |
| A31 | English Opening | 14 | 6/2/6 | 42.9% |
| B04 | Caro-Kann | 13 | 4/6/3 | 30.8% |
| A45 | Trompowsky Attack | 13 | 3/3/7 | 23.1% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1984 | Murray G Chandler | 2,515 | Bundesliga 1983-84 | D40 |
| Apr 2004 | Jakob Meister | 2,505 | ch-Berlin | E54 |
| Oct 2000 | Robert Kempinski | 2,498 | Bundesliga 2000-01 | B50 |
| Jan 2025 | Zbigniew Pakleza | 2,485 | Titled Tue Late | A00 |
| Apr 2010 | Sergey Kalinitschew | 2,475 | ch-Berlin | A81 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2025 | 146 | 67.5 | 2,189 |
| ch-Berlin | 2014 | 73 | 48.5 | 2,378 |
| Berlin Open | 1999 | 33 | 22.5 | 2,395 |
| ch-Steglitz | 1987 | 17 | 12 | 2,411 |
| Berlin Werner Ott Open | 2023 | 16 | 11 | 2,243 |
| Bundesliga 1986-87 | 1987 | 15 | 7 | 2,287 |
| Bundesliga 1980-81 | 1981 | 15 | 11 | 2,491 |
| Bundesliga 1985-86 | 1986 | 15 | 11 | 2,516 |
Interactive opening tree from all 903 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Dirk Paulsen's chess games?
903 games by Dirk Paulsen, from Apr 2003 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 Dirk Paulsen has played.
What does Dirk Paulsen play on the first move as White?
Across 463 games with White in our database, Dirk Paulsen opens with 1.d4 (80% of games), 1.e4 (14% of games), 1.Nf3 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Dirk Paulsen answers 1...Nf6 (45% of games), 1...g6 (17% of games), 1...d6 (16% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (76% of games), 1...d5 (12% of games), 1...g6 (9% of games).
What openings does Dirk Paulsen play as White?
As White, Dirk Paulsen's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (55 games, 43.6% win rate); Benoni Defense (48 games, 50.0% win rate); Slav Defense (36 games, 50.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 463 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Dirk Paulsen play as Black?
As Black, Dirk Paulsen most often plays: Alekhine Defense (91 games, 48.4% win rate); Modern Defense (48 games, 39.6% win rate); Indian Defense (35 games, 20.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 440 games.
What is Dirk Paulsen's FIDE rating?
Dirk Paulsen is currently rated 2,296 in classical chess, 2,324 in rapid and 2,295 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,390 (Apr 2005).
How many games has Dirk Paulsen played?
Our database contains 903 games by Dirk Paulsen, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 414 wins, 213 draws, 276 losses (45.8% win rate).
How do I prepare against Dirk Paulsen?
903 games by Dirk Paulsen 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.