Prepare against Ilie Nicolescu
Romania · World #136,188 classical · FIDE ID 1207768
When preparing against Ilie Nicolescu, expect 1.e4 in 93% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (100% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (100%).
Our database contains 30 games by Ilie Nicolescu, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Ilie Nicolescu's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Ilie Nicolescu 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 | 1,630 | 2,043 | Oct 2003 |
| Rapid | 1,698 | 1,860 | Sep 2019 |
| Blitz | 1,727 | 1,851 | Sep 2014 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 30 | 13 | 1 | 16 | 43.3% |
| As White | 14 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 21.4% |
| As Black | 16 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 62.5% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Ilie Nicolescu's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Ilie Nicolescu's side.
First moves as White (14 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 13 | 92.9% | 26.9% |
| Nf3 | 1 | 7.1% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 93% of White games, 26.9% score
- …c5 (38% of these games) — Nicolescu usually continues c3 (12.5% score)
- …e5 (23% of these games) — Nicolescu usually continues Nf3 (0.0% score)
- …e6 (15% of these games) — Nicolescu usually continues d4 (50.0% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 7% of White games, 0.0% score
- …d5 (100% of these games) — Nicolescu usually continues g3 (0.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (4 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 4 | 100.0% | 75.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (6 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 6 | 100.0% | 33.3% |
Ilie Nicolescu's chess games
All 30 games by Ilie Nicolescu 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: 13 wins, 1 draws, 16 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 4 | 0/1/3 | 0.0% |
| B30 | English Opening: The Whale | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| C47 | Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| C01 | French: Exchange Variation | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B10 | Caro-Kann | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| C41 | Pirc Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A38 | Réti Opening | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| C90 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| A05 | Sicilian | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A34 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| A31 | Benoni Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| B22 | Sicilian | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| B74 | Sicilian: Dragon | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A03 | Bird's opening | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A48 | Indian Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| E00 | Indian Defense: Seirawan Attack | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A08 | Réti Opening | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| E66 | Réti Opening: Symmetrical Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A63 | Catalan | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1999 | Daniela Manu | 2,040 | Centrocoop June Open B | C41 |
| Jan 1998 | Ilija Razdolksky | 1,650 | Centrocoop June Open B | C06 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centrocoop June Open B | 1999 | 22 | 13.5 | 1,989 |
| ch-Bucharest | 2022 | 2 | 0 | 1,482 |
| Centrocoop Open | 1997 | 2 | 0 | 1,970 |
| Eforie Nord Seacoast Open 25th | 2015 | 1 | 0 | 1,951 |
| Eforie Nord Open | 2014 | 1 | 0 | 2,127 |
| Ciocaltea Memorial Open | 2000 | 1 | 0 | 1,953 |
| 2nd Eforie Nord Open | 2010 | 1 | 0 | 2,095 |
Interactive opening tree from all 30 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Ilie Nicolescu's chess games?
30 games by Ilie Nicolescu, 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 Ilie Nicolescu has played.
What does Ilie Nicolescu play on the first move as White?
Across 14 games with White in our database, Ilie Nicolescu opens with 1.e4 (93% of games), 1.Nf3 (7% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Ilie Nicolescu answers 1...c5 (100% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (100% of games).
What openings does Ilie Nicolescu play as White?
As White, Ilie Nicolescu's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian: Alapin (4 games, 0.0% win rate); English Opening: The Whale (1 games, 100.0% win rate); Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation (1 games, 0.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 14 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Ilie Nicolescu play as Black?
As Black, Ilie Nicolescu most often plays: English Opening: Symmetrical (3 games, 66.7% win rate); Benoni Defense (2 games, 50.0% win rate); Sicilian (2 games, 50.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 16 games.
What is Ilie Nicolescu's FIDE rating?
Ilie Nicolescu is currently rated 1,630 in classical chess, 1,698 in rapid and 1,727 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,043 (Oct 2003).
How many games has Ilie Nicolescu played?
Our database contains 30 games by Ilie Nicolescu, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 13 wins, 1 draws, 16 losses (43.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Ilie Nicolescu?
30 games by Ilie Nicolescu 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.