Prepare against Gabriel Viala Merlot
France · World #67,158 classical · FIDE ID 551013088
When preparing against Gabriel Viala Merlot, expect 1.e4 in 89% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (45% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (60%).
Our database contains 39 games by Gabriel Viala Merlot, covering Jun 2018 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Gabriel Viala Merlot's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Gabriel Viala Merlot 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 | 1,831 | 1,917 | Mar 2026 |
| Rapid | 1,895 | 1,895 | Aug 2026 |
| Blitz | 1,677 | 1,677 | Aug 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 39 | 15 | 4 | 20 | 38.5% |
| As White | 19 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 36.8% |
| As Black | 20 | 8 | 1 | 11 | 40.0% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Gabriel Viala Merlot's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Gabriel Viala Merlot's side.
First moves as White (19 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 17 | 89.5% | 50.0% |
| c4 | 1 | 5.3% | 0.0% |
| d4 | 1 | 5.3% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 89% of White games, 50.0% score
- …c5 (29% of these games) — Merlot usually continues Nf3 (20.0% score)
- …d5 (24% of these games) — Merlot usually continues exd5 (66.7% score)
- …c6 (12% of these games) — Merlot usually continues d4 (50.0% score)
- 1.c4 — 5% of White games, 0.0% score
- …e5 (100% of these games) — Merlot usually continues d3 (0.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (11 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 5 | 45.5% | 60.0% |
| d5 | 5 | 45.5% | 30.0% |
| c5 | 1 | 9.1% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (5 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 3 | 60.0% | 33.3% |
| e6 | 2 | 40.0% | 50.0% |
Gabriel Viala Merlot's chess games
All 39 games by Gabriel Viala Merlot in the Chess.ceo database (Jun 2018 - 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: 15 wins, 4 draws, 20 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B20 | Sicilian | 4 | 0/2/2 | 0.0% |
| C00 | French Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| A22 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| C50 | Italian Game | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B00 | Owen Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B08 | Pirc Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B22 | Scandinavian Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation | 4 | 0/1/3 | 0.0% |
| A20 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| C01 | French: Exchange Variation | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| D02 | Horwitz Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| C56 | Italian Game | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| C54 | Italian Game: Classical Variation | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| C34 | King's Gambit | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| D00 | London System | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| D24 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| D00 | Queen's Pawn Game | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | Jean-Yves Klein | 1,856 | French Chess Championship 2026 | Open C | D00 |
| Feb 2021 | Philippe Godon | 1,818 | Ville d'Orsay Online Blitz | D00 |
| Sep 2023 | Sebastien Gaudin | 1,764 | Orsay Blitz Open | C65 |
| May 2020 | Francois Duvert | 1,729 | ch-FRA Blitz Online Qual | C34 |
| Sep 2023 | Amine Chakir | 1,671 | Orsay Blitz Open | B01 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-FRA Blitz Online Qual | 2020 | 15 | 5.5 | 1,545 |
| Ville d'Orsay Online Blitz | 2021 | 11 | 5 | 1,769 |
| Orsay Blitz Open | 2023 | 10 | 5 | 1,677 |
| French Chess Championship 2026 | Open C | 2026 | 2 | 1.5 | 2,067 |
| French Open Blitz | 2025 | 1 | 0 | 1,994 |
Interactive opening tree from all 39 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Gabriel Viala Merlot's chess games?
39 games by Gabriel Viala Merlot, from Jun 2018 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 Gabriel Viala Merlot has played.
What does Gabriel Viala Merlot play on the first move as White?
Across 19 games with White in our database, Gabriel Viala Merlot opens with 1.e4 (89% of games), 1.c4 (5% of games), 1.d4 (5% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Gabriel Viala Merlot answers 1...e5 (45% of games), 1...d5 (45% of games), 1...c5 (9% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (60% of games), 1...e6 (40% of games).
What openings does Gabriel Viala Merlot play as White?
As White, Gabriel Viala Merlot's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (4 games, 0.0% win rate); French Defense (2 games, 50.0% win rate); Scandinavian Defense: Main Line (2 games, 50.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 19 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Gabriel Viala Merlot play as Black?
As Black, Gabriel Viala Merlot most often plays: Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation (4 games, 0.0% win rate); English Opening: Reverse Sicilian (1 games, 0.0% win rate); French: Exchange Variation (1 games, 100.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 20 games.
What is Gabriel Viala Merlot's FIDE rating?
Gabriel Viala Merlot is currently rated 1,831 in classical chess, 1,895 in rapid and 1,677 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 1,917 (Mar 2026).
How many games has Gabriel Viala Merlot played?
Our database contains 39 games by Gabriel Viala Merlot, covering Jun 2018 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 15 wins, 4 draws, 20 losses (38.5% win rate).
How do I prepare against Gabriel Viala Merlot?
39 games by Gabriel Viala Merlot 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.