Prepare against Donald Van der Westhuizen
ZAF · World #89,634 classical · FIDE ID 14321084
When preparing against Donald Van der Westhuizen, expect 1.d4 in 97% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e6 (95% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (93%).
Our database contains 70 games by Donald Van der Westhuizen, covering Jun 2015 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Donald Van der Westhuizen's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Donald Van der Westhuizen 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 | 1,760 | 1,760 | Jul 2026 |
| Blitz | 1,731 | 1,731 | Jul 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 70 | 28 | 13 | 29 | 40.0% |
| As White | 34 | 12 | 5 | 17 | 35.3% |
| As Black | 36 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 44.4% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Donald Van der Westhuizen's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Donald Van der Westhuizen's side.
First moves as White (34 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 33 | 97.1% | 40.9% |
| e4 | 1 | 2.9% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 97% of White games, 40.9% score
- …Nf6 (61% of these games) — Westhuizen usually continues c4 (28.6% score)
- …d5 (33% of these games) — Westhuizen usually continues c4 (60.0% score)
- …c5 (3% of these games) — Westhuizen usually continues d5 (100.0% score)
- 1.e4 — 3% of White games, 100.0% score
- …c6 (100% of these games) — Westhuizen usually continues Nf3 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (19 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 18 | 94.7% | 58.3% |
| g6 | 1 | 5.3% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (15 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 14 | 93.3% | 53.6% |
| f5 | 1 | 6.7% | 0.0% |
Donald Van der Westhuizen's chess games
All 70 games by Donald Van der Westhuizen in the Chess.ceo database (Jun 2015 - 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: 28 wins, 13 draws, 29 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
| D35 | Indian Defense | 5 | 0/1/4 | 0.0% |
| E97 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
| D31 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| D36 | Semi-Slav Defense | 3 | 2/1/0 | 66.7% |
| D18 | Slav Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| D04 | Colle System | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| E42 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| E29 | Nimzo-Indian Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A70 | Benoni Defense | 8 | 2/2/4 | 25.0% |
| C11 | French: Classical Variation | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| C01 | French Defense | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| C01 | French: Exchange Variation | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| A13 | English Opening | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A45 | London System | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| D00 | Trompowsky Attack | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B13 | Indian Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2017 | Jesse Nikki February | 1,806 | Durban Ethekwini Open | C00 |
| Dec 2016 | Frederick Senekal | 1,780 | Boksburg Inter Region-ch | C06 |
| Dec 2017 | Lakpa Dorje Tamang | 1,573 | World ol U16 | A45 |
| Apr 2015 | Mayilan Chetty | 1,508 | ch-RSA U14 | C06 |
| Dec 2016 | Khosbayar Khangal | 1,499 | ch-World School U15 | A70 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCF University Cup | 2021 | 9 | 2.5 | 1,685 |
| ch-RSA U14 | 2015 | 9 | 4 | 1,301 |
| ch-World School U15 | 2016 | 9 | 3.5 | 1,603 |
| ch-RSA U16 | 2017 | 8 | 4 | 1,475 |
| Durban Ethekwini Open | 2017 | 7 | 4 | 1,655 |
| World ol U16 | 2017 | 7 | 2.5 | 1,866 |
| chT-RSA Regions | 2020 | 6 | 3 | 1,530 |
| Boksburg Inter Region-ch | 2016 | 5 | 3.5 | 1,789 |
Interactive opening tree from all 70 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Donald Van der Westhuizen's chess games?
70 games by Donald Van der Westhuizen, from Jun 2015 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 Donald Van der Westhuizen has played.
What does Donald Van der Westhuizen play on the first move as White?
Across 34 games with White in our database, Donald Van der Westhuizen opens with 1.d4 (97% of games), 1.e4 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Donald Van der Westhuizen answers 1...e6 (95% of games), 1...g6 (5% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (93% of games), 1...f5 (7% of games).
What openings does Donald Van der Westhuizen play as White?
As White, Donald Van der Westhuizen's most-played openings in our database are: Benoni Defense (5 games, 20.0% win rate); Indian Defense (5 games, 0.0% win rate); King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation (4 games, 50.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 34 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Donald Van der Westhuizen play as Black?
As Black, Donald Van der Westhuizen most often plays: Benoni Defense (8 games, 25.0% win rate); French: Classical Variation (5 games, 40.0% win rate); French Defense (4 games, 50.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 36 games.
What is Donald Van der Westhuizen's FIDE rating?
Donald Van der Westhuizen is currently rated 1,760 in classical chess and 1,731 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 1,760 (Jul 2026).
How many games has Donald Van der Westhuizen played?
Our database contains 70 games by Donald Van der Westhuizen, covering Jun 2015 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 28 wins, 13 draws, 29 losses (40.0% win rate).
How do I prepare against Donald Van der Westhuizen?
70 games by Donald Van der Westhuizen 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.