Prepare against Eric Li
IM · United States · World #2,720 classical · FIDE ID 30939941
When preparing against Eric Li, expect 1.d4 in 73% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (66% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (78%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Indian Defense as Black, 36.8% over 19 games.
Our database contains 496 games by Eric Li, covering Jun 2017 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Eric Li's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Eric Li 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 | 2,351 | 2,403 | Apr 2022 |
| Rapid | 2,262 | 2,262 | Sep 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,300 | 2,300 | Sep 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 496 | 210 | 124 | 162 | 42.3% |
| As White | 256 | 121 | 64 | 71 | 47.3% |
| As Black | 240 | 89 | 60 | 91 | 37.1% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Eric Li's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Eric Li's side.
First moves as White (256 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 187 | 73.0% | 63.9% |
| e4 | 52 | 20.3% | 49.0% |
| c4 | 14 | 5.5% | 50.0% |
| Nf3 | 3 | 1.2% | 33.3% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 73% of White games, 63.9% score
- …Nf6 (52% of these games) — Li usually continues c4 (59.5% score)
- …d5 (33% of these games) — Li usually continues c4 (69.5% score)
- …g6 (4% of these games) — Li usually continues c4 (42.9% score)
- 1.e4 — 20% of White games, 49.0% score
- …c5 (38% of these games) — Li usually continues Nf3 (57.9% score)
- …e5 (29% of these games) — Li usually continues Bc4 (31.8% score)
- …c6 (13% of these games) — Li usually continues d3 (0.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (125 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 82 | 65.6% | 52.4% |
| e5 | 34 | 27.2% | 47.1% |
| c6 | 6 | 4.8% | 58.3% |
| g6 | 1 | 0.8% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (72 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 56 | 77.8% | 54.5% |
| g6 | 9 | 12.5% | 44.4% |
| d5 | 6 | 8.3% | 33.3% |
| e6 | 1 | 1.4% | 100.0% |
Eric Li's chess games
All 496 games by Eric Li in the Chess.ceo database (Jun 2017 - Sep 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: 210 wins, 124 draws, 162 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E11 | Catalan | 35 | 17/7/11 | 48.6% |
| D45 | Slav Defense | 28 | 17/5/6 | 60.7% |
| D35 | Indian Defense | 21 | 10/9/2 | 47.6% |
| A58 | Benoni Defense | 12 | 6/3/3 | 50.0% |
| D30 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 10 | 4/2/4 | 40.0% |
| E81 | King's Indian: Sämisch | 9 | 4/2/3 | 44.4% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 8 | 3/2/3 | 37.5% |
| E20 | Nimzo-Indian: Kmoch Variation | 8 | 5/2/1 | 62.5% |
| D31 | Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense | 7 | 3/3/1 | 42.9% |
| E90 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 7 | 4/1/2 | 57.1% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 34 | 18/5/11 | 52.9% |
| D35 | Indian Defense | 19 | 7/6/6 | 36.8% |
| B50 | Sicilian | 13 | 4/5/4 | 30.8% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 12 | 4/3/5 | 33.3% |
| E04 | Catalan | 11 | 2/6/3 | 18.2% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 10 | 4/1/5 | 40.0% |
| A20 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 9 | 3/3/3 | 33.3% |
| B38 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 8 | 1/1/6 | 12.5% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 7 | 1/1/5 | 14.3% |
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 7 | 4/0/3 | 57.1% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2024 | Jingyao Tin | 2,570 | Las Vegas National Open | D30 |
| Jun 2024 | Sergey Drygalov | 2,541 | Titled Tue Early | E15 |
| Jun 2022 | Vladimir Belous | 2,536 | PNWCC Last Dance A | C01 |
| Jun 2021 | Alexander Shabalov | 2,532 | Las Vegas National Open | A88 |
| Jan 2024 | Alexander Rustemov | 2,525 | Titled Tue Early | D26 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2026 | 162 | 111.5 | 2,315 |
| PNWCC-Bulgaria Hybrid Match 2 | 2021 | 12 | 7.5 | 2,456 |
| Las Vegas National Open | 2024 | 12 | 4 | 2,381 |
| 2nd PNWCC Online Blitz JP | 2020 | 11 | 3.5 | 1,549 |
| 17th PNWCC Online Blitz JP | 2020 | 11 | 4 | 2,152 |
| 30th North American Blitz Open | 2020 | 11 | 6.5 | 2,381 |
| 12th PNWCC Online Blitz JP | 2020 | 11 | 3.5 | 1,770 |
| 15th PNWCC Online blitz JP | 2020 | 10 | 2.5 | 1,781 |
Interactive opening tree from all 496 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Eric Li's chess games?
496 games by Eric Li, from Jun 2017 to Sep 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 Eric Li has played.
What does Eric Li play on the first move as White?
Across 256 games with White in our database, Eric Li opens with 1.d4 (73% of games), 1.e4 (20% of games), 1.c4 (5% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Eric Li answers 1...c5 (66% of games), 1...e5 (27% of games), 1...c6 (5% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (78% of games), 1...g6 (13% of games), 1...d5 (8% of games).
What openings does Eric Li play as White?
As White, Eric Li's most-played openings in our database are: Catalan (35 games, 48.6% win rate); Slav Defense (28 games, 60.7% win rate); Indian Defense (21 games, 47.6% win rate). The full breakdown of 256 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Eric Li play as Black?
As Black, Eric Li most often plays: Sicilian: Najdorf (34 games, 52.9% win rate); Indian Defense (19 games, 36.8% win rate); Sicilian (13 games, 30.8% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 240 games.
What is Eric Li's FIDE rating?
Eric Li is currently rated 2,351 in classical chess, 2,262 in rapid and 2,300 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,403 (Apr 2022).
How many games has Eric Li played?
Our database contains 496 games by Eric Li, covering Jun 2017 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 210 wins, 124 draws, 162 losses (42.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Eric Li?
496 games by Eric Li 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.