Prepare against Ilir Seitaj
IM · Albania · World #4,112 classical · FIDE ID 4700031
When preparing against Ilir Seitaj, expect 1.e4 in 99% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (97% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (81%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation as White, 13.3% over 15 games.
Our database contains 454 games by Ilir Seitaj, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Ilir Seitaj's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Ilir Seitaj 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 | 2,300 | 2,400 | Sep 2012 |
| Rapid | 2,214 | 2,365 | Jul 2022 |
| Blitz | 2,117 | 2,345 | Oct 2021 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 454 | 156 | 161 | 137 | 34.4% |
| As White | 224 | 82 | 93 | 49 | 36.6% |
| As Black | 230 | 74 | 68 | 88 | 32.2% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Ilir Seitaj's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Ilir Seitaj's side.
First moves as White (224 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 222 | 99.1% | 57.7% |
| d4 | 2 | 0.9% | 25.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 99% of White games, 57.7% score
- …c5 (49% of these games) — Seitaj usually continues Nf3 (56.0% score)
- …e5 (15% of these games) — Seitaj usually continues Nf3 (58.8% score)
- …e6 (14% of these games) — Seitaj usually continues d4 (54.7% score)
- 1.d4 — 1% of White games, 25.0% score
- …Nf6 (50% of these games) — Seitaj usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …d5 (50% of these games) — Seitaj usually continues Nc3 (0.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (104 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 101 | 97.1% | 46.0% |
| c6 | 1 | 1.0% | 50.0% |
| c5 | 1 | 1.0% | 0.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 1.0% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (80 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 65 | 81.3% | 44.6% |
| Nf6 | 13 | 16.3% | 46.2% |
| e6 | 1 | 1.3% | 50.0% |
| c5 | 1 | 1.3% | 0.0% |
Ilir Seitaj's chess games
All 454 games by Ilir Seitaj 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: 156 wins, 161 draws, 137 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 41 | 14/19/8 | 34.1% |
| B22 | Sicilian | 33 | 14/11/8 | 42.4% |
| C17 | French: Winawer Variation | 16 | 6/7/3 | 37.5% |
| C48 | Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation | 15 | 2/12/1 | 13.3% |
| B93 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 12 | 2/5/5 | 16.7% |
| C14 | French: Classical Variation | 10 | 1/7/2 | 10.0% |
| C69 | Ruy Lopez: Exchange | 9 | 4/3/2 | 44.4% |
| B14 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 8 | 3/2/3 | 37.5% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 8 | 3/2/3 | 37.5% |
| B08 | Pirc Defense | 6 | 5/0/1 | 83.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D34 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 36 | 10/12/14 | 27.8% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 21 | 11/5/5 | 52.4% |
| C63 | Ruy Lopez: Schliemann | 20 | 7/4/9 | 35.0% |
| C55 | Italian Game | 19 | 6/5/8 | 31.6% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 15 | 5/5/5 | 33.3% |
| C92 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 13 | 5/2/6 | 38.5% |
| A24 | English Opening | 11 | 2/4/5 | 18.2% |
| D00 | Queen's Pawn Game | 8 | 3/1/4 | 37.5% |
| D34 | Catalan | 8 | 1/4/3 | 12.5% |
| A29 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 6 | 3/2/1 | 50.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2016 | Ante Brkic | 2,585 | chT-BIH 15th | C48 |
| Oct 1998 | Robert Zelcic | 2,585 | Olympiad-33 | B14 |
| Oct 2009 | Normunds Miezis | 2,558 | 25th EU-Cup | A29 |
| Sep 2005 | Michele Godena | 2,522 | 21st EU-Cup | C63 |
| Jan 1991 | Vasilios Kotronias | 2,520 | Xanthi | B22 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| chT-KOS | 2024 | 21 | 16 | 2,364 |
| Kavala Zonal5 | 1985 | 14 | 4.5 | 2,295 |
| Olympiad-26 | 1984 | 13 | 6.5 | 2,367 |
| Olympiad-31 | 1994 | 13 | 7 | 2,399 |
| Olympiad-28 | 1988 | 12 | 9 | 2,542 |
| Xanthi | 1991 | 11 | 6.5 | 2,483 |
| Olympiad-29 | 1990 | 11 | 7.5 | 2,506 |
| Olympiad-35 | 2002 | 11 | 5 | 2,326 |
Interactive opening tree from all 454 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Ilir Seitaj's chess games?
454 games by Ilir Seitaj, 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 Ilir Seitaj has played.
What does Ilir Seitaj play on the first move as White?
Across 224 games with White in our database, Ilir Seitaj opens with 1.e4 (99% of games), 1.d4 (1% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Ilir Seitaj answers 1...e5 (97% of games), 1...c6 (1% of games), 1...c5 (1% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (81% of games), 1...Nf6 (16% of games), 1...e6 (1% of games).
What openings does Ilir Seitaj play as White?
As White, Ilir Seitaj's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian: Alapin (41 games, 34.1% win rate); Sicilian (33 games, 42.4% win rate); French: Winawer Variation (16 games, 37.5% win rate). The full breakdown of 224 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Ilir Seitaj play as Black?
As Black, Ilir Seitaj most often plays: Queen's Gambit Declined (36 games, 27.8% win rate); Indian Defense (21 games, 52.4% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Schliemann (20 games, 35.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 230 games.
What is Ilir Seitaj's FIDE rating?
Ilir Seitaj is currently rated 2,300 in classical chess, 2,214 in rapid and 2,117 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,400 (Sep 2012).
How many games has Ilir Seitaj played?
Our database contains 454 games by Ilir Seitaj, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 156 wins, 161 draws, 137 losses (34.4% win rate).
How do I prepare against Ilir Seitaj?
454 games by Ilir Seitaj 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.