Prepare against Gaioz Nigalidze
IM · Georgia · World #2,536 classical · FIDE ID 13603078
When preparing against Gaioz Nigalidze, expect 1.d4 in 58% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (82% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (69%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Sicilian: Rossolimo as Black, 22.7% over 22 games.
Our database contains 1,185 games by Gaioz Nigalidze, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Gaioz Nigalidze's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Gaioz Nigalidze 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 | 2,358 | 2,566 | Apr 2015 |
| Rapid | 2,434 | 2,468 | Apr 2015 |
| Blitz | 2,302 | 2,533 | Apr 2019 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,185 | 569 | 247 | 369 | 48.0% |
| As White | 595 | 297 | 125 | 173 | 49.9% |
| As Black | 590 | 272 | 122 | 196 | 46.1% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Gaioz Nigalidze's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Gaioz Nigalidze's side.
First moves as White (595 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 347 | 58.3% | 58.8% |
| e4 | 119 | 20.0% | 59.7% |
| Nf3 | 85 | 14.3% | 68.2% |
| c4 | 36 | 6.1% | 65.3% |
| a3 | 3 | 0.5% | 0.0% |
| Na3 | 2 | 0.3% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 58% of White games, 58.8% score
- …Nf6 (59% of these games) — Nigalidze usually continues c4 (56.6% score)
- …d5 (27% of these games) — Nigalidze usually continues c4 (68.1% score)
- …g6 (4% of these games) — Nigalidze usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
- 1.e4 — 20% of White games, 59.7% score
- …c5 (50% of these games) — Nigalidze usually continues Nf3 (52.2% score)
- …e5 (13% of these games) — Nigalidze usually continues Nf3 (53.3% score)
- …e6 (12% of these games) — Nigalidze usually continues d4 (60.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (273 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 223 | 81.7% | 56.7% |
| d6 | 16 | 5.9% | 50.0% |
| e5 | 13 | 4.8% | 42.3% |
| e6 | 7 | 2.6% | 71.4% |
| c6 | 5 | 1.8% | 70.0% |
| g6 | 5 | 1.8% | 70.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (201 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 138 | 68.7% | 62.7% |
| d5 | 33 | 16.4% | 42.4% |
| g6 | 11 | 5.5% | 72.7% |
| c5 | 7 | 3.5% | 50.0% |
| e6 | 5 | 2.5% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 4 | 2.0% | 75.0% |
Gaioz Nigalidze's chess games
All 1,185 games by Gaioz Nigalidze in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - 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: 569 wins, 247 draws, 369 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D37 | Indian Defense | 62 | 26/12/24 | 41.9% |
| D13 | Slav Defense | 32 | 12/13/7 | 37.5% |
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 32 | 9/9/14 | 28.1% |
| A13 | English Opening | 27 | 14/8/5 | 51.9% |
| A58 | Benoni Defense | 27 | 20/2/5 | 74.1% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 22 | 7/9/6 | 31.8% |
| D91 | Grünfeld Defense | 20 | 8/5/7 | 40.0% |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 20 | 10/7/3 | 50.0% |
| A42 | Modern Defense | 19 | 9/3/7 | 47.4% |
| D31 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 17 | 13/1/3 | 76.5% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 75 | 42/12/21 | 56.0% |
| A58 | Benoni Defense | 48 | 30/10/8 | 62.5% |
| B50 | Sicilian | 41 | 17/8/16 | 41.5% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 34 | 15/8/11 | 44.1% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | 27 | 11/7/9 | 40.7% |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 26 | 9/7/10 | 34.6% |
| B30 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 22 | 5/6/11 | 22.7% |
| B52 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 20 | 8/5/7 | 40.0% |
| A40 | Modern Defense | 18 | 12/1/5 | 66.7% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 17 | 8/3/6 | 47.1% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2023 | Jan-Krzysztof Duda | 2,726 | Titled Tue Late | A37 |
| Aug 2023 | Vincent Keymer | 2,701 | Titled Tue Early | D11 |
| Dec 2014 | Yuriy Kuzubov | 2,701 | 3rd Al Ain Open | B92 |
| Apr 2024 | Etienne Bacrot | 2,686 | Titled Tue Late | B31 |
| Sep 2024 | Nihal Sarin | 2,668 | Titled Tue Early | A21 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2025 | 625 | 363 | 2,389 |
| Baku Open | 2013 | 24 | 12 | 2,426 |
| Speed Chess Q2 Sw | 2023 | 14 | 8 | 2,446 |
| ch-GEO 68th | 2009 | 13 | 6 | 2,463 |
| ch-GEO U16 | 2002 | 13 | 7 | 2,244 |
| 20th Fajr Open | 2012 | 11 | 8 | 2,575 |
| 23rd ch-EU | 2023 | 11 | 6.5 | 2,458 |
| ch-GEO 72nd | 2013 | 11 | 9 | 2,744 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Levan Pantsulaia (14 games) · Giga Quparadze (14 games) · Luka Paichadze (10 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 1,185 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Gaioz Nigalidze's chess games?
1,185 games by Gaioz Nigalidze, from Apr 2003 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 Gaioz Nigalidze has played.
What does Gaioz Nigalidze play on the first move as White?
Across 595 games with White in our database, Gaioz Nigalidze opens with 1.d4 (58% of games), 1.e4 (20% of games), 1.Nf3 (14% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Gaioz Nigalidze answers 1...c5 (82% of games), 1...d6 (6% of games), 1...e5 (5% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (69% of games), 1...d5 (16% of games), 1...g6 (5% of games).
What openings does Gaioz Nigalidze play as White?
As White, Gaioz Nigalidze's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (62 games, 41.9% win rate); Slav Defense (32 games, 37.5% win rate); Queen's Indian Defense (32 games, 28.1% win rate). The full breakdown of 595 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Gaioz Nigalidze play as Black?
As Black, Gaioz Nigalidze most often plays: Sicilian: Najdorf (75 games, 56.0% win rate); Benoni Defense (48 games, 62.5% win rate); Sicilian (41 games, 41.5% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 590 games.
What is Gaioz Nigalidze's FIDE rating?
Gaioz Nigalidze is currently rated 2,358 in classical chess, 2,434 in rapid and 2,302 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,566 (Apr 2015).
How many games has Gaioz Nigalidze played?
Our database contains 1,185 games by Gaioz Nigalidze, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 569 wins, 247 draws, 369 losses (48.0% win rate).
How do I prepare against Gaioz Nigalidze?
1,185 games by Gaioz Nigalidze 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.