Prepare against Gareth Richards
United Kingdom · World #139,101 classical · FIDE ID 1807374
When preparing against Gareth Richards, expect 1.e4 in 94% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (89% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (100%).
Our database contains 36 games by Gareth Richards, covering Aug 2023 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Gareth Richards's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Gareth Richards 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 | 1,622 | 1,629 | Jul 2026 |
| Rapid | 1,610 | 1,610 | Aug 2026 |
| Blitz | 1,651 | 1,665 | Nov 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 36 | 8 | 4 | 24 | 22.2% |
| As White | 17 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 17.6% |
| As Black | 19 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 26.3% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Gareth Richards's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Gareth Richards's side.
First moves as White (17 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 16 | 94.1% | 21.9% |
| b3 | 1 | 5.9% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 94% of White games, 21.9% score
- …c5 (44% of these games) — Richards usually continues Nf3 (25.0% score)
- …d6 (25% of these games) — Richards usually continues Bc4 (0.0% score)
- …c6 (19% of these games) — Richards usually continues d4 (0.0% score)
- 1.b3 — 6% of White games, 100.0% score
- …d5 (100% of these games) — Richards usually continues Bb2 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (9 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 8 | 88.9% | 37.5% |
| c6 | 1 | 11.1% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (4 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 4 | 100.0% | 12.5% |
Gareth Richards's chess games
All 36 games by Gareth Richards in the Chess.ceo database (Aug 2023 - 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: 8 wins, 4 draws, 24 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B50 | Sicilian | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
| B00 | Pirc Defense | 3 | 0/0/3 | 0.0% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| B07 | Philidor | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| A06 | Nimzovich-Larsen attack | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B17 | Caro-Kann: Karpov Variation | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B86 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C44 | Scotch Game | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| D20 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| A02 | Bird's opening | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| C60 | Ruy Lopez | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| C65 | Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| A00 | Anderssen's opening | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A01 | Nimzovich-Larsen attack | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| D00 | Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| C55 | Italian Game: Anti-Fried Liver | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B15 | Caro-Kann | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2025 | Mark Waterfield | 1,890 | 20th South Wales Int | C44 |
| Jul 2024 | Liam Powell-Jones | 1,789 | 19th South Wales Open | A06 |
| Jul 2026 | Andrew Di-Vetta | 1,756 | 21st South Wales Int 2026 | A03 |
| Jul 2025 | Steve Jones | 1,737 | 20th South Wales Int | B54 |
| Jul 2025 | Malcolm Probert | 1,697 | 20th South Wales Int | B01 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19th South Wales Open | 2024 | 9 | 3 | 1,702 |
| 21st South Wales Int 2026 | 2026 | 9 | 3.5 | 1,654 |
| 20th South Wales Int | 2025 | 9 | 3 | 1,703 |
| 18th South Wales Open | 2023 | 6 | 0.5 | 1,179 |
| Newport Open | 2024 | 3 | 0 | 1,560 |
Interactive opening tree from all 36 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Gareth Richards's chess games?
36 games by Gareth Richards, from Aug 2023 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 Gareth Richards has played.
What does Gareth Richards play on the first move as White?
Across 17 games with White in our database, Gareth Richards opens with 1.e4 (94% of games), 1.b3 (6% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Gareth Richards answers 1...e5 (89% of games), 1...c6 (11% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (100% of games).
What openings does Gareth Richards play as White?
As White, Gareth Richards's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (5 games, 20.0% win rate); Pirc Defense (3 games, 0.0% win rate); Caro-Kann: Advance Variation (2 games, 0.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 17 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Gareth Richards play as Black?
As Black, Gareth Richards most often plays: Scotch Game (3 games, 33.3% win rate); Queen's Gambit Accepted (2 games, 0.0% win rate); Bird's opening (2 games, 50.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 19 games.
What is Gareth Richards's FIDE rating?
Gareth Richards is currently rated 1,622 in classical chess, 1,610 in rapid and 1,651 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 1,629 (Jul 2026).
How many games has Gareth Richards played?
Our database contains 36 games by Gareth Richards, covering Aug 2023 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 8 wins, 4 draws, 24 losses (22.2% win rate).
How do I prepare against Gareth Richards?
36 games by Gareth Richards 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.