Prepare against Ilia Botvinnik
IM · Israel · World #3,420 classical · FIDE ID 2804832
Our database contains 234 games by Ilia Botvinnik, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Ilia Botvinnik's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Ilia Botvinnik 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 | 2,322 | 2,409 | Apr 2003 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 234 | 44 | 132 | 58 | 18.8% |
| As White | 115 | 25 | 68 | 22 | 21.7% |
| As Black | 119 | 19 | 64 | 36 | 16.0% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Ilia Botvinnik's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Ilia Botvinnik's side.
First moves as White (115 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 62 | 53.9% | 51.6% |
| e4 | 30 | 26.1% | 53.3% |
| Nf3 | 12 | 10.4% | 45.8% |
| c4 | 10 | 8.7% | 50.0% |
| b4 | 1 | 0.9% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 54% of White games, 51.6% score
- …Nf6 (60% of these games) — Botvinnik usually continues c4 (47.0% score)
- …d5 (24% of these games) — Botvinnik usually continues c4 (64.3% score)
- …d6 (8% of these games) — Botvinnik usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- 1.e4 — 26% of White games, 53.3% score
- …c5 (60% of these games) — Botvinnik usually continues Nf3 (56.3% score)
- …e5 (17% of these games) — Botvinnik usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …e6 (13% of these games) — Botvinnik usually continues d4 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (52 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 39 | 75.0% | 47.4% |
| e6 | 10 | 19.2% | 35.0% |
| c6 | 1 | 1.9% | 50.0% |
| e5 | 1 | 1.9% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 1 | 1.9% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (46 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 26 | 56.5% | 48.1% |
| e6 | 10 | 21.7% | 40.0% |
| d5 | 7 | 15.2% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 1 | 2.2% | 0.0% |
| c5 | 1 | 2.2% | 50.0% |
Ilia Botvinnik's chess games
All 234 games by Ilia Botvinnik 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: 44 wins, 132 draws, 58 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D58 | Indian Defense | 9 | 2/3/4 | 22.2% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 8 | 1/6/1 | 12.5% |
| B29 | Sicilian | 7 | 1/4/2 | 14.3% |
| D46 | Slav Defense | 7 | 2/4/1 | 28.6% |
| D80 | Grünfeld Defense | 7 | 1/3/3 | 14.3% |
| D20 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 5 | 2/3/0 | 40.0% |
| A37 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 4 | 0/3/1 | 0.0% |
| A21 | English Opening | 4 | 1/3/0 | 25.0% |
| A67 | Benoni Defense | 4 | 2/2/0 | 50.0% |
| E21 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 4 | 0/3/1 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B42 | Sicilian | 22 | 5/10/7 | 22.7% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 10 | 4/4/2 | 40.0% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 10 | 1/7/2 | 10.0% |
| E28 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 5 | 0/3/2 | 0.0% |
| D11 | Slav Defense | 5 | 0/4/1 | 0.0% |
| B30 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 5 | 3/1/1 | 60.0% |
| A26 | Modern Defense | 5 | 1/2/2 | 20.0% |
| C03 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 5 | 0/4/1 | 0.0% |
| E90 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 4 | 1/2/1 | 25.0% |
| E32 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 4 | 0/3/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2012 | Tamir Nabaty | 2,586 | 28th EU-Cup | E11 |
| Dec 2011 | Vitali Golod | 2,570 | chT-ISR 1112 | D20 |
| Mar 2000 | Dennis De Vreugt | 2,498 | Tel Aviv int | A31 |
| Sep 2000 | Alexander Kaspi | 2,488 | Herzliya | B23 |
| Mar 2000 | Avigdor Bykhovsky | 2,467 | chT-ISR | D31 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| chT-ISR | 2022 | 32 | 14 | 2,371 |
| ch-BLR | 1994 | 29 | 11 | 2,329 |
| Petah Tikva | 1996 | 11 | 6 | 2,365 |
| Drobeta | 1993 | 11 | 7.5 | 2,462 |
| 5th Ramat Aviv | 2003 | 11 | 5.5 | 2,278 |
| Bucharest Schev | 1993 | 11 | 5 | 2,299 |
| Tel Aviv Summer | 2003 | 11 | 5.5 | 2,339 |
| Odorheiu Secuiesc-B | 1993 | 11 | 7 | 2,458 |
Interactive opening tree from all 234 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Ilia Botvinnik's chess games?
234 games by Ilia Botvinnik, 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 Ilia Botvinnik has played.
What does Ilia Botvinnik play on the first move as White?
Across 115 games with White in our database, Ilia Botvinnik opens with 1.d4 (54% of games), 1.e4 (26% of games), 1.Nf3 (10% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Ilia Botvinnik answers 1...c5 (75% of games), 1...e6 (19% of games), 1...c6 (2% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (57% of games), 1...e6 (22% of games), 1...d5 (15% of games).
What openings does Ilia Botvinnik play as White?
As White, Ilia Botvinnik's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (9 games, 22.2% win rate); Queen's Indian Defense (8 games, 12.5% win rate); Sicilian (7 games, 14.3% win rate). The full breakdown of 115 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Ilia Botvinnik play as Black?
As Black, Ilia Botvinnik most often plays: Sicilian (22 games, 22.7% win rate); Queen's Indian Defense (10 games, 40.0% win rate); Indian Defense (10 games, 10.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 119 games.
What is Ilia Botvinnik's FIDE rating?
Ilia Botvinnik is currently rated 2,322 in classical chess. Peak classical rating: 2,409 (Apr 2003).
How many games has Ilia Botvinnik played?
Our database contains 234 games by Ilia Botvinnik, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 44 wins, 132 draws, 58 losses (18.8% win rate).
How do I prepare against Ilia Botvinnik?
234 games by Ilia Botvinnik 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.