Prepare against Igor Novikov
GM · United States · World #859 classical · FIDE ID 14100037
Our database contains 1,607 games by Igor Novikov, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Igor Novikov's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Igor Novikov 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 | 2,466 | 2,610 | Jul 2004 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,607 | 626 | 797 | 184 | 39.0% |
| As White | 798 | 346 | 385 | 67 | 43.4% |
| As Black | 809 | 280 | 412 | 117 | 34.6% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Igor Novikov's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Igor Novikov's side.
First moves as White (798 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 775 | 97.1% | 67.7% |
| e4 | 9 | 1.1% | 44.4% |
| Nf3 | 8 | 1.0% | 75.0% |
| c4 | 4 | 0.5% | 62.5% |
| a4 | 2 | 0.3% | 75.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 97% of White games, 67.7% score
- …Nf6 (63% of these games) — Novikov usually continues c4 (67.7% score)
- …d5 (24% of these games) — Novikov usually continues c4 (64.4% score)
- …e6 (5% of these games) — Novikov usually continues c4 (75.0% score)
- 1.e4 — 1% of White games, 44.4% score
- …c5 (56% of these games) — Novikov usually continues Nf3 (40.0% score)
- …d6 (11% of these games) — Novikov usually continues d4 (100.0% score)
- …Nf6 (11% of these games) — Novikov usually continues e5 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (349 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 346 | 99.1% | 61.0% |
| e5 | 1 | 0.3% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (310 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 214 | 69.0% | 59.3% |
| Nf6 | 95 | 30.6% | 53.2% |
Igor Novikov's chess games
All 1,607 games by Igor Novikov 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: 626 wins, 797 draws, 184 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 124 | 46/71/7 | 37.1% |
| D58 | Indian Defense | 107 | 33/68/6 | 30.8% |
| D44 | Slav Defense | 86 | 39/34/13 | 45.3% |
| E81 | King's Indian: Sämisch | 70 | 36/22/12 | 51.4% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 58 | 37/15/6 | 63.8% |
| D82 | Grünfeld Defense | 49 | 23/22/4 | 46.9% |
| E11 | Bogo-Indian Defense | 38 | 15/21/2 | 39.5% |
| E70 | King's Indian Defense | 37 | 19/18/0 | 51.4% |
| D27 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 31 | 14/14/3 | 45.2% |
| D43 | Semi-Slav Defense | 26 | 5/20/1 | 19.2% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B97 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 219 | 90/88/41 | 41.1% |
| D47 | Slav Defense | 145 | 34/89/22 | 23.4% |
| D43 | Semi-Slav Defense | 66 | 22/39/5 | 33.3% |
| A13 | English Opening | 40 | 13/23/4 | 32.5% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 38 | 6/26/6 | 15.8% |
| E04 | Catalan | 34 | 10/18/6 | 29.4% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 31 | 12/14/5 | 38.7% |
| B52 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 30 | 12/14/4 | 40.0% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 28 | 9/16/3 | 32.1% |
| B50 | Sicilian | 23 | 7/11/5 | 30.4% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1988 | Rafael A Vaganian | 2,625 | URS Cup rapid | D47 |
| Jul 2022 | Vladimir Akopian | 2,620 | ch-USA Seniors | B80 |
| Jan 1994 | Kiril Georgiev | 2,615 | Moscow PCA-op Rapid | A57 |
| Aug 1999 | Valerij Filippov | 2,605 | MK Cafe Cup A | D43 |
| Nov 2003 | Alexander Shabalov | 2,597 | 34th Philadelphia National Open | D47 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-URS U26 | 1987 | 60 | 32.5 | 2,478 |
| ch-USA Seniors | 2025 | 45 | 19.5 | 2,433 |
| WchT Seniors 50 | 2024 | 36 | 26 | 2,435 |
| New York Open | 2000 | 30 | 19 | 2,621 |
| Antwerp Open | 1996 | 27 | 22 | 2,679 |
| Poznan | 1987 | 22 | 14.5 | 2,512 |
| MK Cafe Cup A | 1999 | 20 | 13.5 | 2,673 |
| Dallas UTD | 2006 | 20 | 13 | 2,575 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Gregory Kaidanov (14 games) · Alexander Shabalov (13 games) · Eduardas Rozentalis (12 games) · Aleksandr Shneider (11 games) · Alex Yermolinsky (10 games) · Aleksey Dreev (10 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 1,607 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Igor Novikov's chess games?
1,607 games by Igor Novikov, 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 Igor Novikov has played.
What does Igor Novikov play on the first move as White?
Across 798 games with White in our database, Igor Novikov opens with 1.d4 (97% of games), 1.e4 (1% of games), 1.Nf3 (1% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Igor Novikov answers 1...c5 (99% of games), 1...e5 (0% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (69% of games), 1...Nf6 (31% of games).
What openings does Igor Novikov play as White?
As White, Igor Novikov's most-played openings in our database are: Queen's Indian Defense (124 games, 37.1% win rate); Indian Defense (107 games, 30.8% win rate); Slav Defense (86 games, 45.3% win rate). The full breakdown of 798 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Igor Novikov play as Black?
As Black, Igor Novikov most often plays: Sicilian: Najdorf (219 games, 41.1% win rate); Slav Defense (145 games, 23.4% win rate); Semi-Slav Defense (66 games, 33.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 809 games.
What is Igor Novikov's FIDE rating?
Igor Novikov is currently rated 2,466 in classical chess. Peak classical rating: 2,610 (Jul 2004).
How many games has Igor Novikov played?
Our database contains 1,607 games by Igor Novikov, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 626 wins, 797 draws, 184 losses (39.0% win rate).
How do I prepare against Igor Novikov?
1,607 games by Igor Novikov 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.