Prepare against Ernesto Inarkiev
GM · Russia · World #79 classical · FIDE ID 4162722
Our database contains 2,314 games by Ernesto Inarkiev, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Ernesto Inarkiev's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Ernesto Inarkiev 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 | 2,641 | 2,732 | Oct 2016 |
| Rapid | 2,625 | 2,767 | Dec 2017 |
| Blitz | 2,514 | 2,728 | Jun 2013 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 2,314 | 899 | 901 | 512 | 38.9% |
| As White | 1,184 | 537 | 434 | 212 | 45.4% |
| As Black | 1,130 | 362 | 467 | 300 | 32.0% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Ernesto Inarkiev's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Ernesto Inarkiev's side.
First moves as White (1,184 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 581 | 49.1% | 65.2% |
| d4 | 469 | 39.6% | 62.3% |
| c4 | 68 | 5.7% | 63.2% |
| Nf3 | 64 | 5.4% | 60.9% |
| b3 | 1 | 0.1% | 100.0% |
| f4 | 1 | 0.1% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 49% of White games, 65.2% score
- …c5 (42% of these games) — Inarkiev usually continues Nf3 (68.3% score)
- …e5 (32% of these games) — Inarkiev usually continues Nf3 (60.3% score)
- …c6 (13% of these games) — Inarkiev usually continues d4 (68.1% score)
- 1.d4 — 40% of White games, 62.3% score
- …Nf6 (61% of these games) — Inarkiev usually continues c4 (60.4% score)
- …d5 (30% of these games) — Inarkiev usually continues c4 (61.2% score)
- …e6 (4% of these games) — Inarkiev usually continues c4 (79.4% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (502 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 275 | 54.8% | 53.8% |
| c5 | 184 | 36.7% | 54.9% |
| g6 | 30 | 6.0% | 63.3% |
| c6 | 6 | 1.2% | 58.3% |
| d5 | 3 | 0.6% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 2 | 0.4% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (416 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 263 | 63.2% | 56.3% |
| d5 | 142 | 34.1% | 45.1% |
| g6 | 6 | 1.4% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 3 | 0.7% | 50.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 0.2% | 50.0% |
| f5 | 1 | 0.2% | 100.0% |
Ernesto Inarkiev's chess games
All 2,314 games by Ernesto Inarkiev 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: 899 wins, 901 draws, 512 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B46 | Sicilian | 90 | 47/27/15 | 52.2% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 81 | 48/22/11 | 59.3% |
| D11 | Slav Defense | 76 | 29/32/15 | 38.2% |
| D78 | Indian Defense | 75 | 35/29/11 | 46.7% |
| C88 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 55 | 21/27/7 | 38.2% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 55 | 28/16/11 | 50.9% |
| C67 | Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense | 50 | 18/21/11 | 36.0% |
| E05 | Catalan | 44 | 13/22/9 | 29.5% |
| D02 | London System | 43 | 21/11/11 | 48.8% |
| A29 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 32 | 14/12/6 | 43.8% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C92 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 110 | 25/60/25 | 22.7% |
| D11 | Slav Defense | 87 | 15/46/25 | 17.2% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 74 | 24/30/20 | 32.4% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 53 | 24/12/17 | 45.3% |
| A11 | Réti Opening | 51 | 15/22/14 | 29.4% |
| E97 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 44 | 12/20/12 | 27.3% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 39 | 18/12/9 | 46.2% |
| E63 | King's Indian Defense | 32 | 10/14/8 | 31.3% |
| C54 | Italian Game | 31 | 13/13/5 | 41.9% |
| D31 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 30 | 8/13/9 | 26.7% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2020 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 2,784 | Play for Russia Prelim | E14 |
| Aug 2009 | Dmitrij Jakovenko | 2,760 | Jermuk FIDE GP | C92 |
| Jun 2009 | Alexei Shirov | 2,755 | 10th Poikovsky Karpov | C78 |
| Apr 2008 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | 2,752 | Baku FIDE GP | B08 |
| Dec 2008 | Teimour Radjabov | 2,751 | Elista FIDE GP | B76 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wch Rapid | 2019 | 103 | 58 | 2,665 |
| Wch Blitz | 2019 | 84 | 48 | 2,660 |
| chT-TUR | 2019 | 65 | 40 | 2,697 |
| FIDE World Cup | 2019 | 48 | 23.5 | 2,654 |
| Moscow Open A | 2016 | 44 | 35 | 2,761 |
| ch-EU rapid | 2017 | 43 | 31.5 | 2,573 |
| ch-RUS rapid | 2017 | 33 | 23 | 2,758 |
| chT-CHN | 2019 | 33 | 22 | 2,663 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Boris Gelfand (39 games) · Alexander Riazantsev (27 games) · Ian Nepomniachtchi (27 games) · Alexander Grischuk (22 games) · Nikita Vitiugov (22 games) · Vladislav Artemiev (21 games) · Aleksey Dreev (18 games) · Evgeny Alekseev (17 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 2,314 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Ernesto Inarkiev's chess games?
2,314 games by Ernesto Inarkiev, 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 Ernesto Inarkiev has played.
What does Ernesto Inarkiev play on the first move as White?
Across 1,184 games with White in our database, Ernesto Inarkiev opens with 1.e4 (49% of games), 1.d4 (40% of games), 1.c4 (6% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Ernesto Inarkiev answers 1...e5 (55% of games), 1...c5 (37% of games), 1...g6 (6% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (63% of games), 1...d5 (34% of games), 1...g6 (1% of games).
What openings does Ernesto Inarkiev play as White?
As White, Ernesto Inarkiev's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (90 games, 52.2% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (81 games, 59.3% win rate); Slav Defense (76 games, 38.2% win rate). The full breakdown of 1,184 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Ernesto Inarkiev play as Black?
As Black, Ernesto Inarkiev most often plays: Ruy Lopez: Closed (110 games, 22.7% win rate); Slav Defense (87 games, 17.2% win rate); Indian Defense (74 games, 32.4% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 1,130 games.
What is Ernesto Inarkiev's FIDE rating?
Ernesto Inarkiev is currently rated 2,641 in classical chess, 2,625 in rapid and 2,514 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,732 (Oct 2016).
How many games has Ernesto Inarkiev played?
Our database contains 2,314 games by Ernesto Inarkiev, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 899 wins, 901 draws, 512 losses (38.9% win rate).
How do I prepare against Ernesto Inarkiev?
2,314 games by Ernesto Inarkiev 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.