Prepare against Helgi Olafsson
GM · Iceland · World #1,047 classical · FIDE ID 2300010
Our database contains 1,689 games by Helgi Olafsson, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Helgi Olafsson's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Helgi Olafsson 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 | 2,447 | 2,555 | Aug 2014 |
| Rapid | 2,496 | 2,546 | Dec 2013 |
| Blitz | 2,404 | 2,614 | Sep 2015 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,689 | 595 | 710 | 384 | 35.2% |
| As White | 850 | 333 | 369 | 148 | 39.2% |
| As Black | 839 | 262 | 341 | 236 | 31.2% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Helgi Olafsson's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Helgi Olafsson's side.
First moves as White (850 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 373 | 43.9% | 57.9% |
| Nf3 | 223 | 26.2% | 60.1% |
| c4 | 201 | 23.6% | 66.4% |
| e4 | 51 | 6.0% | 62.7% |
| g3 | 2 | 0.2% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 44% of White games, 57.9% score
- …Nf6 (67% of these games) — Olafsson usually continues c4 (55.7% score)
- …d5 (18% of these games) — Olafsson usually continues c4 (62.8% score)
- …e6 (7% of these games) — Olafsson usually continues Nf3 (57.7% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 26% of White games, 60.1% score
- …Nf6 (53% of these games) — Olafsson usually continues c4 (61.3% score)
- …d5 (22% of these games) — Olafsson usually continues d4 (48.5% score)
- …c5 (16% of these games) — Olafsson usually continues c4 (56.3% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (350 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 243 | 69.4% | 54.5% |
| e5 | 48 | 13.7% | 39.6% |
| c6 | 45 | 12.9% | 64.4% |
| d5 | 7 | 2.0% | 35.7% |
| Nf6 | 4 | 1.1% | 62.5% |
| e6 | 2 | 0.6% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (324 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 288 | 88.9% | 49.5% |
| d5 | 23 | 7.1% | 56.5% |
| e6 | 10 | 3.1% | 65.0% |
| g6 | 2 | 0.6% | 0.0% |
| d6 | 1 | 0.3% | 0.0% |
Helgi Olafsson's chess games
All 1,689 games by Helgi Olafsson 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: 595 wins, 710 draws, 384 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D55 | Indian Defense | 99 | 26/50/23 | 26.3% |
| A30 | English Opening | 78 | 38/29/11 | 48.7% |
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 74 | 17/40/17 | 23.0% |
| D45 | Slav Defense | 63 | 26/26/11 | 41.3% |
| A34 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 54 | 22/22/10 | 40.7% |
| A29 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 51 | 19/21/11 | 37.3% |
| E92 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 47 | 19/20/8 | 40.4% |
| E04 | Catalan | 38 | 8/21/9 | 21.1% |
| E32 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 27 | 9/13/5 | 33.3% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 25 | 10/14/1 | 40.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B80 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 118 | 36/44/38 | 30.5% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 84 | 17/41/26 | 20.2% |
| B33 | Sicilian | 52 | 25/17/10 | 48.1% |
| D55 | Indian Defense | 49 | 11/28/10 | 22.4% |
| A28 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 33 | 7/19/7 | 21.2% |
| E45 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 32 | 12/13/7 | 37.5% |
| E04 | Catalan | 28 | 4/12/12 | 14.3% |
| A37 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 27 | 12/8/7 | 44.4% |
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 26 | 9/9/8 | 34.6% |
| E32 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 22 | 8/7/7 | 36.4% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2003 | Veselin Topalov | 2,743 | Reykjavik Edda Rapid | B22 |
| Oct 2002 | Ivan Sokolov | 2,684 | 1st Selfoss Milk Masters | E32 |
| Oct 2015 | Ivan Cheparinov | 2,681 | 9th Wch Blitz | B14 |
| Apr 2000 | Viktor Lvovich Kortschnoj | 2,659 | Chess@iceland-A | A22 |
| Mar 2014 | Mihail Kobalia | 2,646 | Reykjavik Open | A57 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2023 | 105 | 58 | 2,366 |
| Reykjavik Open | 2014 | 90 | 58.5 | 2,566 |
| ch-ISL | 1996 | 69 | 52 | 2,565 |
| New York Open | 1997 | 53 | 33 | 2,561 |
| Reykjavik | 1992 | 46 | 23 | 2,502 |
| ch-Nordic | 2003 | 33 | 21 | 2,580 |
| PRO League Stage | 2018 | 32 | 10 | 2,382 |
| WchT Seniors 50 | 2024 | 28 | 17 | 2,456 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Johann Hjartarson (39 games) · Hannes Stefansson (33 games) · Margeir Petursson (30 games) · Throstur Thorhallsson (15 games) · Karl Thorsteins (12 games) · Curt Hansen (11 games) · Helgi Ass Gretarsson (11 games) · Simen Agdestein (10 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 1,689 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Helgi Olafsson's chess games?
1,689 games by Helgi Olafsson, 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 Helgi Olafsson has played.
What does Helgi Olafsson play on the first move as White?
Across 850 games with White in our database, Helgi Olafsson opens with 1.d4 (44% of games), 1.Nf3 (26% of games), 1.c4 (24% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Helgi Olafsson answers 1...c5 (69% of games), 1...e5 (14% of games), 1...c6 (13% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (89% of games), 1...d5 (7% of games), 1...e6 (3% of games).
What openings does Helgi Olafsson play as White?
As White, Helgi Olafsson's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (99 games, 26.3% win rate); English Opening (78 games, 48.7% win rate); Queen's Indian Defense (74 games, 23.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 850 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Helgi Olafsson play as Black?
As Black, Helgi Olafsson most often plays: Sicilian: Najdorf (118 games, 30.5% win rate); Queen's Indian Defense (84 games, 20.2% win rate); Sicilian (52 games, 48.1% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 839 games.
What is Helgi Olafsson's FIDE rating?
Helgi Olafsson is currently rated 2,447 in classical chess, 2,496 in rapid and 2,404 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,555 (Aug 2014).
How many games has Helgi Olafsson played?
Our database contains 1,689 games by Helgi Olafsson, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 595 wins, 710 draws, 384 losses (35.2% win rate).
How do I prepare against Helgi Olafsson?
1,689 games by Helgi Olafsson 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.