Prepare against Hannu Pihlajasalo
Finland · World #11,663 classical · FIDE ID 502456
When preparing against Hannu Pihlajasalo, expect 1.d4 in 90% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (82% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (81%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: English Opening as Black, 8.7% over 23 games.
Our database contains 504 games by Hannu Pihlajasalo, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Hannu Pihlajasalo's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Hannu Pihlajasalo 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 | 2,145 | 2,280 | Mar 2011 |
| Rapid | 2,156 | 2,261 | Aug 2019 |
| Blitz | 2,040 | 2,139 | Dec 2019 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 504 | 109 | 292 | 103 | 21.6% |
| As White | 253 | 60 | 151 | 42 | 23.7% |
| As Black | 251 | 49 | 141 | 61 | 19.5% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Hannu Pihlajasalo's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Hannu Pihlajasalo's side.
First moves as White (253 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 228 | 90.1% | 53.3% |
| e4 | 14 | 5.5% | 60.7% |
| Nf3 | 7 | 2.8% | 42.9% |
| g3 | 1 | 0.4% | 100.0% |
| b3 | 1 | 0.4% | 50.0% |
| e3 | 1 | 0.4% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 90% of White games, 53.3% score
- …Nf6 (54% of these games) — Pihlajasalo usually continues c4 (52.4% score)
- …d5 (27% of these games) — Pihlajasalo usually continues c4 (58.8% score)
- …e6 (5% of these games) — Pihlajasalo usually continues c4 (33.3% score)
- 1.e4 — 6% of White games, 60.7% score
- …c5 (43% of these games) — Pihlajasalo usually continues Nf3 (58.3% score)
- …g6 (21% of these games) — Pihlajasalo usually continues d4 (50.0% score)
- …e6 (14% of these games) — Pihlajasalo usually continues d4 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (127 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 104 | 81.9% | 53.4% |
| c5 | 18 | 14.2% | 50.0% |
| d5 | 4 | 3.1% | 37.5% |
| e6 | 1 | 0.8% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (79 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 64 | 81.0% | 44.5% |
| d5 | 14 | 17.7% | 35.7% |
| g6 | 1 | 1.3% | 100.0% |
Hannu Pihlajasalo's chess games
All 504 games by Hannu Pihlajasalo in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - Jul 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: 109 wins, 292 draws, 103 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D36 | Indian Defense | 40 | 9/28/3 | 22.5% |
| E00 | Indian Defense: Seirawan Attack | 28 | 10/8/10 | 35.7% |
| D46 | Slav Defense | 27 | 4/21/2 | 14.8% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 21 | 7/10/4 | 33.3% |
| E87 | King's Indian: Sämisch | 20 | 6/11/3 | 30.0% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 14 | 2/8/4 | 14.3% |
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 10 | 3/5/2 | 30.0% |
| A49 | King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation | 9 | 1/8/0 | 11.1% |
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 7 | 1/5/1 | 14.3% |
| D06 | Queen's Gambit | 7 | 3/3/1 | 42.9% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 71 | 17/39/15 | 23.9% |
| E62 | English Opening | 23 | 2/12/9 | 8.7% |
| D00 | Indian Defense | 17 | 3/9/5 | 17.6% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 16 | 3/10/3 | 18.8% |
| C24 | Bishop's Opening | 13 | 5/4/4 | 38.5% |
| E68 | King's Indian Defense | 13 | 0/8/5 | 0.0% |
| E81 | King's Indian: Sämisch | 7 | 0/6/1 | 0.0% |
| B22 | Sicilian | 7 | 2/4/1 | 28.6% |
| C21 | Center Game | 5 | 2/3/0 | 40.0% |
| E73 | King's Indian Defense: Averbakh System | 5 | 1/3/1 | 20.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2004 | Tamaz Gelashvili | 2,529 | — | A16 |
| Mar 2004 | Richard K Delaune | 2,346 | — | E00 |
| Mar 2004 | Luis F. Dobson Aguilar | 2,341 | — | C42 |
| Jan 1997 | Jussi Tella | 2,335 | Helsinki We HSK Open | E87 |
| Mar 2013 | Tero Kokkila | 2,323 | chT-FIN 1213 | E05 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-Helsinki | 2000 | 23 | 13.5 | 2,258 |
| Tampere Elo Taraus Open | 1998 | 16 | 7.5 | 2,217 |
| Hyvinkaa Open | 1996 | 15 | 5 | 2,219 |
| Wch U20 | 1997 | 13 | 5.5 | 2,289 |
| Salo We SalSK Open | 2001 | 12 | 6 | 2,205 |
| ch-FIN U20 | 1997 | 12 | 7 | 2,283 |
| chT-FIN 1213 | 2013 | 11 | 5.5 | 2,212 |
| chT-FIN 1314 | 2014 | 11 | 6 | 2,252 |
Interactive opening tree from all 504 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Hannu Pihlajasalo's chess games?
504 games by Hannu Pihlajasalo, from Apr 2003 to Jul 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 Hannu Pihlajasalo has played.
What does Hannu Pihlajasalo play on the first move as White?
Across 253 games with White in our database, Hannu Pihlajasalo opens with 1.d4 (90% of games), 1.e4 (6% of games), 1.Nf3 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Hannu Pihlajasalo answers 1...e5 (82% of games), 1...c5 (14% of games), 1...d5 (3% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (81% of games), 1...d5 (18% of games), 1...g6 (1% of games).
What openings does Hannu Pihlajasalo play as White?
As White, Hannu Pihlajasalo's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (40 games, 22.5% win rate); Indian Defense: Seirawan Attack (28 games, 35.7% win rate); Slav Defense (27 games, 14.8% win rate). The full breakdown of 253 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Hannu Pihlajasalo play as Black?
As Black, Hannu Pihlajasalo most often plays: Petrov's Defense (71 games, 23.9% win rate); English Opening (23 games, 8.7% win rate); Indian Defense (17 games, 17.6% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 251 games.
What is Hannu Pihlajasalo's FIDE rating?
Hannu Pihlajasalo is currently rated 2,145 in classical chess, 2,156 in rapid and 2,040 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,280 (Mar 2011).
How many games has Hannu Pihlajasalo played?
Our database contains 504 games by Hannu Pihlajasalo, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 109 wins, 292 draws, 103 losses (21.6% win rate).
How do I prepare against Hannu Pihlajasalo?
504 games by Hannu Pihlajasalo 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.