Prepare against Ian A Marks
United Kingdom · World #52,854 classical · FIDE ID 2401983
Our database contains 434 games by Ian A Marks, covering Jan 2005 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Ian A Marks's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Ian A Marks 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 | 1,882 | 1,985 | Apr 2014 |
| Rapid | 1,964 | 1,964 | Jul 2026 |
| Blitz | 1,963 | 1,981 | Jun 2013 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 434 | 118 | 127 | 189 | 27.2% |
| As White | 214 | 69 | 64 | 81 | 32.2% |
| As Black | 220 | 49 | 63 | 108 | 22.3% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Ian A Marks's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Ian A Marks's side.
First moves as White (214 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 113 | 52.8% | 46.9% |
| d4 | 78 | 36.4% | 49.4% |
| c4 | 17 | 7.9% | 44.1% |
| Nf3 | 4 | 1.9% | 25.0% |
| b3 | 1 | 0.5% | 50.0% |
| f4 | 1 | 0.5% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 53% of White games, 46.9% score
- …c5 (47% of these games) — Marks usually continues Nf3 (37.9% score)
- …e5 (16% of these games) — Marks usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …e6 (10% of these games) — Marks usually continues d4 (61.1% score)
- 1.d4 — 36% of White games, 49.4% score
- …Nf6 (47% of these games) — Marks usually continues c4 (38.1% score)
- …d5 (35% of these games) — Marks usually continues c4 (55.3% score)
- …g6 (8% of these games) — Marks usually continues e4 (41.7% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (108 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 49 | 45.4% | 27.6% |
| d6 | 16 | 14.8% | 40.6% |
| d5 | 12 | 11.1% | 37.5% |
| e5 | 11 | 10.2% | 36.4% |
| e6 | 10 | 9.3% | 20.0% |
| c6 | 6 | 5.6% | 41.7% |
As Black against 1.d4 (74 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 52 | 70.3% | 36.5% |
| d6 | 10 | 13.5% | 75.0% |
| g6 | 5 | 6.8% | 60.0% |
| d5 | 3 | 4.1% | 33.3% |
| e6 | 2 | 2.7% | 50.0% |
| f5 | 2 | 2.7% | 100.0% |
Ian A Marks's chess games
All 434 games by Ian A Marks in the Chess.ceo database (Jan 2005 - 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: 118 wins, 127 draws, 189 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 16 | 4/3/9 | 25.0% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 13 | 7/3/3 | 53.8% |
| D13 | Slav Defense | 9 | 5/3/1 | 55.6% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 8 | 2/3/3 | 25.0% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 8 | 2/3/3 | 25.0% |
| B99 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 7 | 3/1/3 | 42.9% |
| B09 | Queen's Pawn Game | 6 | 2/2/2 | 33.3% |
| A39 | English Opening | 6 | 3/2/1 | 50.0% |
| A21 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| E32 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 5 | 1/3/1 | 20.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 17 | 5/5/7 | 29.4% |
| B20 | Sicilian | 16 | 3/5/8 | 18.8% |
| B93 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 12 | 1/2/9 | 8.3% |
| A47 | Indian Defense | 11 | 2/4/5 | 18.2% |
| A41 | Rat Defense | 9 | 6/3/0 | 66.7% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 9 | 1/1/7 | 11.1% |
| A26 | English Opening | 8 | 1/3/4 | 12.5% |
| A22 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 7 | 0/4/3 | 0.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 6 | 0/2/4 | 0.0% |
| A48 | Modern Defense | 6 | 2/2/2 | 33.3% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2016 | Nikolai Pushkov | 2,336 | chT-EU Seniors 65 | A41 |
| Apr 2016 | Boris Gutkin | 2,320 | chT-EU Seniors 65 | B84 |
| Jul 2012 | Martin Mitchell | 2,217 | 119th ch-SCO | B07 |
| Jun 2007 | Edwin A Spencer | 2,203 | Hawick Open | B65 |
| May 2008 | Alan G Grant | 2,200 | East of Scotland | B48 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dundee & Angus Open | 2016 | 43 | 22.5 | 1,947 |
| Oban Open | 2015 | 27 | 9 | 1,864 |
| Hawick Open | 2009 | 19 | 6 | 1,906 |
| chT-EU Seniors | 2014 | 17 | 9 | 2,017 |
| ch-SCO | 2007 | 17 | 3 | 1,945 |
| ch-Scotland | 2011 | 13 | 4.5 | 1,850 |
| chT-EU Seniors 65 | 2024 | 13 | 7 | 2,081 |
| Budapest FS08 FM-C | 2005 | 11 | 8 | 2,102 |
Interactive opening tree from all 434 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Ian A Marks's chess games?
434 games by Ian A Marks, from Jan 2005 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 Ian A Marks has played.
What does Ian A Marks play on the first move as White?
Across 214 games with White in our database, Ian A Marks opens with 1.e4 (53% of games), 1.d4 (36% of games), 1.c4 (8% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Ian A Marks answers 1...c5 (45% of games), 1...d6 (15% of games), 1...d5 (11% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (70% of games), 1...d6 (14% of games), 1...g6 (7% of games).
What openings does Ian A Marks play as White?
As White, Ian A Marks's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian: Closed (16 games, 25.0% win rate); Modern Defense (13 games, 53.8% win rate); Slav Defense (9 games, 55.6% win rate). The full breakdown of 214 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Ian A Marks play as Black?
As Black, Ian A Marks most often plays: Pirc Defense (17 games, 29.4% win rate); Sicilian (16 games, 18.8% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (12 games, 8.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 220 games.
What is Ian A Marks's FIDE rating?
Ian A Marks is currently rated 1,882 in classical chess, 1,964 in rapid and 1,963 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 1,985 (Apr 2014).
How many games has Ian A Marks played?
Our database contains 434 games by Ian A Marks, covering Jan 2005 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 118 wins, 127 draws, 189 losses (27.2% win rate).
How do I prepare against Ian A Marks?
434 games by Ian A Marks 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.