Prepare against Henk Van der Poel
FM · NLD · World #11,079 classical · FIDE ID 1002449
Our database contains 410 games by Henk Van der Poel, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Henk Van der Poel's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Henk Van der Poel 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 | 2,153 | 2,326 | Jan 2008 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 410 | 124 | 153 | 133 | 30.2% |
| As White | 210 | 73 | 77 | 60 | 34.8% |
| As Black | 200 | 51 | 76 | 73 | 25.5% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Henk Van der Poel's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Henk Van der Poel's side.
First moves as White (210 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 210 | 100.0% | 53.1% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 100% of White games, 53.1% score
- …c5 (42% of these games) — Poel usually continues Nf3 (46.5% score)
- …e5 (18% of these games) — Poel usually continues Nf3 (62.2% score)
- …e6 (13% of these games) — Poel usually continues d4 (55.6% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (88 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 85 | 96.6% | 44.7% |
| e5 | 2 | 2.3% | 25.0% |
| d6 | 1 | 1.1% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (72 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 57 | 79.2% | 47.4% |
| d5 | 15 | 20.8% | 43.3% |
Henk Van der Poel's chess games
All 410 games by Henk Van der Poel 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: 124 wins, 153 draws, 133 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B42 | Sicilian | 27 | 8/12/7 | 29.6% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 24 | 8/11/5 | 33.3% |
| B93 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 23 | 6/6/11 | 26.1% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 13 | 4/4/5 | 30.8% |
| C17 | French: Winawer Variation | 12 | 6/5/1 | 50.0% |
| B15 | Modern Defense | 12 | 5/3/4 | 41.7% |
| C14 | French: Classical Variation | 10 | 1/7/2 | 10.0% |
| B09 | Pirc Defense | 9 | 4/4/1 | 44.4% |
| B70 | Sicilian: Dragon | 9 | 4/2/3 | 44.4% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 6 | 3/1/2 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B63 | Sicilian | 45 | 13/15/17 | 28.9% |
| B47 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 17 | 3/5/9 | 17.6% |
| A67 | Benoni Defense | 15 | 5/4/6 | 33.3% |
| A29 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 13 | 3/5/5 | 23.1% |
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 9 | 2/5/2 | 22.2% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 8 | 3/3/2 | 37.5% |
| D27 | Indian Defense | 7 | 2/4/1 | 28.6% |
| D44 | Slav Defense | 7 | 1/3/3 | 14.3% |
| A15 | English Opening | 7 | 0/4/3 | 0.0% |
| E41 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 6 | 1/3/2 | 16.7% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2011 | Marian Petrov | 2,534 | Dieren Open | B09 |
| Jul 2006 | Sipke Ernst | 2,504 | Dieren Open | C47 |
| Jul 2001 | Jeroen Bosch | 2,475 | Dieren Open | A28 |
| Jan 1991 | Richard Hendriks | 2,470 | Dieren Open | B63 |
| Jan 1989 | James C Howell | 2,440 | Guernsey Open | E75 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dieren Open | 2011 | 88 | 47.5 | 2,306 |
| Amsterdam Science Park Open A | 2024 | 31 | 15.5 | 2,192 |
| Hilversum Open | 2019 | 12 | 8 | 2,283 |
| chT-NED 1516 | 2016 | 9 | 4.5 | 2,270 |
| 2nd Amsterdam ACT Open | 2005 | 9 | 4 | 2,284 |
| 16th Hoogeveen Unive Open | 2012 | 9 | 4.5 | 2,109 |
| chT-NED 1213 | 2013 | 9 | 4 | 2,236 |
| 3rd Amsterdam Science Park Open A | 2013 | 9 | 5 | 2,204 |
Interactive opening tree from all 410 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Henk Van der Poel's chess games?
410 games by Henk Van der Poel, 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 Henk Van der Poel has played.
What does Henk Van der Poel play on the first move as White?
Across 210 games with White in our database, Henk Van der Poel opens with 1.e4 (100% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Henk Van der Poel answers 1...c5 (97% of games), 1...e5 (2% of games), 1...d6 (1% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (79% of games), 1...d5 (21% of games).
What openings does Henk Van der Poel play as White?
As White, Henk Van der Poel's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (27 games, 29.6% win rate); Scotch Game (24 games, 33.3% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (23 games, 26.1% win rate). The full breakdown of 210 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Henk Van der Poel play as Black?
As Black, Henk Van der Poel most often plays: Sicilian (45 games, 28.9% win rate); Sicilian: Taimanov (17 games, 17.6% win rate); Benoni Defense (15 games, 33.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 200 games.
What is Henk Van der Poel's FIDE rating?
Henk Van der Poel is currently rated 2,153 in classical chess. Peak classical rating: 2,326 (Jan 2008).
How many games has Henk Van der Poel played?
Our database contains 410 games by Henk Van der Poel, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 124 wins, 153 draws, 133 losses (30.2% win rate).
How do I prepare against Henk Van der Poel?
410 games by Henk Van der Poel 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.