Prepare against Ilya Iyengar
United Kingdom · World #31,660 classical · FIDE ID 405949
When preparing against Ilya Iyengar, expect 1.d4 in 99% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (99% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (98%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Slav Defense as White, 38.1% over 21 games.
Our database contains 295 games by Ilya Iyengar, covering Oct 2007 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Ilya Iyengar's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Ilya Iyengar 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 | 1,976 | 2,049 | Aug 2015 |
| Rapid | 1,989 | 2,037 | May 2017 |
| Blitz | 1,990 | 2,062 | Jun 2015 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 295 | 128 | 61 | 106 | 43.4% |
| As White | 150 | 66 | 33 | 51 | 44.0% |
| As Black | 145 | 62 | 28 | 55 | 42.8% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Ilya Iyengar's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Ilya Iyengar's side.
First moves as White (147 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 146 | 99.3% | 55.1% |
| e4 | 1 | 0.7% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 99% of White games, 55.1% score
- …Nf6 (48% of these games) — Iyengar usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …d5 (29% of these games) — Iyengar usually continues c4 (64.1% score)
- …e6 (8% of these games) — Iyengar usually continues Nf3 (61.1% score)
- 1.e4 — 1% of White games, 100.0% score
- …e6 (100% of these games) — Iyengar usually continues d4 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (73 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 72 | 98.6% | 59.7% |
| c6 | 1 | 1.4% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (49 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 48 | 98.0% | 41.7% |
| c6 | 1 | 2.0% | 0.0% |
Ilya Iyengar's chess games
All 295 games by Ilya Iyengar in the Chess.ceo database (Oct 2007 - Sep 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: 128 wins, 61 draws, 106 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E60 | Indian Defense | 30 | 12/7/11 | 40.0% |
| D11 | Slav Defense | 21 | 8/5/8 | 38.1% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 14 | 7/2/5 | 50.0% |
| D76 | King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation | 13 | 5/2/6 | 38.5% |
| A81 | Dutch Defense | 9 | 6/1/2 | 66.7% |
| A45 | Trompowsky Attack | 7 | 1/4/2 | 14.3% |
| D32 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 7 | 2/1/4 | 28.6% |
| A46 | Torre Attack | 7 | 3/3/1 | 42.9% |
| A90 | Horwitz Defense | 6 | 4/1/1 | 66.7% |
| A43 | Benoni Defense | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B81 | Sicilian: Scheveningen | 34 | 23/2/9 | 67.6% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 21 | 8/2/11 | 38.1% |
| E70 | King's Indian Defense | 11 | 3/2/6 | 27.3% |
| A15 | English Opening | 9 | 3/2/4 | 33.3% |
| E97 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 9 | 3/1/5 | 33.3% |
| A48 | Indian Defense | 8 | 1/1/6 | 12.5% |
| E81 | King's Indian: Sämisch | 6 | 3/3/0 | 50.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 6 | 1/2/3 | 16.7% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 6 | 2/2/2 | 33.3% |
| A01 | Nimzovich-Larsen attack | 4 | 1/2/1 | 25.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2017 | John C Pigott | 2,418 | London Classic Rapid Open | D76 |
| Jul 2012 | Jean-Olivier Leconte | 2,298 | 9th South Wales Open | B23 |
| Sep 2022 | Viktor Stoyanov | 2,216 | London Mindsports Blitz | A46 |
| May 2025 | Jinghan Cameron Goh | 2,186 | 3rd Cambridge Int Open | B81 |
| Jul 2015 | Benedikt Migdal | 2,168 | 30th Hampstead Open | A45 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Rapidplay | 2025 | 22 | 12.5 | 2,031 |
| London Classic Open | 2017 | 19 | 8.5 | 1,948 |
| Southend Open | 2009 | 13 | 6 | 2,005 |
| 2026 Mind Sports Olympiad London Rapid - Blitz (Sun) | 2026 | 11 | 6.5 | 2,072 |
| 95th ch-GBR Major Open | 2008 | 9 | 3 | 1,640 |
| 7th London Classic Open | 2015 | 9 | 4 | 2,030 |
| 105th ch-GBR | 2018 | 9 | 3.5 | 2,097 |
| 102nd ch-GBR Major | 2015 | 9 | 5 | 1,862 |
Interactive opening tree from all 295 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Ilya Iyengar's chess games?
295 games by Ilya Iyengar, from Oct 2007 to Sep 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 Ilya Iyengar has played.
What does Ilya Iyengar play on the first move as White?
Across 147 games with White in our database, Ilya Iyengar opens with 1.d4 (99% of games), 1.e4 (1% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Ilya Iyengar answers 1...c5 (99% of games), 1...c6 (1% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (98% of games), 1...c6 (2% of games).
What openings does Ilya Iyengar play as White?
As White, Ilya Iyengar's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (30 games, 40.0% win rate); Slav Defense (21 games, 38.1% win rate); Queen's Pawn Game (14 games, 50.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 150 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Ilya Iyengar play as Black?
As Black, Ilya Iyengar most often plays: Sicilian: Scheveningen (34 games, 67.6% win rate); Sicilian (21 games, 38.1% win rate); King's Indian Defense (11 games, 27.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 145 games.
What is Ilya Iyengar's FIDE rating?
Ilya Iyengar is currently rated 1,976 in classical chess, 1,989 in rapid and 1,990 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,049 (Aug 2015).
How many games has Ilya Iyengar played?
Our database contains 295 games by Ilya Iyengar, covering Oct 2007 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 128 wins, 61 draws, 106 losses (43.4% win rate).
How do I prepare against Ilya Iyengar?
295 games by Ilya Iyengar 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.