Prepare against Irina Zakurdjaeva
WGM · Russia · World #11,176 classical · FIDE ID 4135504
When preparing against Irina Zakurdjaeva, expect 1.e4 in 98% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (69% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (62%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Sicilian as White, 37.3% over 51 games.
Our database contains 644 games by Irina Zakurdjaeva, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Irina Zakurdjaeva's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Irina Zakurdjaeva 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 | 2,152 | 2,332 | Jan 2008 |
| Rapid | 1,994 | 2,291 | May 2013 |
| Blitz | 1,862 | 2,258 | Aug 2017 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 644 | 273 | 136 | 235 | 42.4% |
| As White | 323 | 155 | 70 | 98 | 48.0% |
| As Black | 321 | 118 | 66 | 137 | 36.8% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Irina Zakurdjaeva's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Irina Zakurdjaeva's side.
First moves as White (323 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 316 | 97.8% | 58.5% |
| d4 | 4 | 1.2% | 75.0% |
| Nf3 | 3 | 0.9% | 66.7% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 98% of White games, 58.5% score
- …c5 (49% of these games) — Zakurdjaeva usually continues Nf3 (53.4% score)
- …e5 (16% of these games) — Zakurdjaeva usually continues Nf3 (55.1% score)
- …e6 (12% of these games) — Zakurdjaeva usually continues d4 (63.5% score)
- 1.d4 — 1% of White games, 75.0% score
- …d5 (50% of these games) — Zakurdjaeva usually continues c4 (100.0% score)
- …Nf6 (50% of these games) — Zakurdjaeva usually continues Nc3 (75.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (167 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 116 | 69.5% | 53.4% |
| e5 | 18 | 10.8% | 36.1% |
| e6 | 16 | 9.6% | 53.1% |
| d5 | 9 | 5.4% | 38.9% |
| Nf6 | 5 | 3.0% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 1 | 0.6% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (109 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 68 | 62.4% | 46.3% |
| Nf6 | 27 | 24.8% | 40.7% |
| e6 | 9 | 8.3% | 50.0% |
| c5 | 2 | 1.8% | 25.0% |
| g6 | 2 | 1.8% | 50.0% |
| f5 | 1 | 0.9% | 0.0% |
Irina Zakurdjaeva's chess games
All 644 games by Irina Zakurdjaeva 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: 273 wins, 136 draws, 235 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B40 | Sicilian | 51 | 19/12/20 | 37.3% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 28 | 16/2/10 | 57.1% |
| C18 | French: Winawer Variation | 15 | 10/2/3 | 66.7% |
| C49 | Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation | 12 | 5/5/2 | 41.7% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | 12 | 6/1/5 | 50.0% |
| B35 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 10 | 5/3/2 | 50.0% |
| C11 | French: Classical Variation | 10 | 5/3/2 | 50.0% |
| B19 | Caro-Kann: Classical | 10 | 4/4/2 | 40.0% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 9 | 3/5/1 | 33.3% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 9 | 5/2/2 | 55.6% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B44 | Sicilian | 48 | 23/11/14 | 47.9% |
| D19 | Slav Defense | 34 | 15/4/15 | 44.1% |
| B47 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 18 | 8/2/8 | 44.4% |
| A84 | Semi-Slav Defense | 13 | 4/2/7 | 30.8% |
| D36 | Indian Defense | 10 | 2/2/6 | 20.0% |
| B26 | Sicilian: Closed | 9 | 4/1/4 | 44.4% |
| B85 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 9 | 2/2/5 | 22.2% |
| A04 | Réti Opening | 9 | 2/2/5 | 22.2% |
| E01 | Catalan | 9 | 3/1/5 | 33.3% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation | 9 | 3/1/5 | 33.3% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1999 | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | 2,494 | ch-RUS49 w | B80 |
| Sep 2007 | Aleksandr Karpatchev | 2,466 | Istanbul Open | C50 |
| Apr 2007 | Elisabeth Paehtz | 2,451 | 8th ch-EU w | B40 |
| Jan 2001 | Victor L Ivanov | 2,451 | Geller Memorial Open | B40 |
| May 1999 | Tatiana Stepovaia | 2,444 | ch-RUS49 w | B26 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-RUS U20 Girls | 2002 | 38 | 16.5 | 2,167 |
| ch-Moscow w | 2014 | 26 | 17.5 | 2,349 |
| EU-ch U20 Girls | 2002 | 22 | 14 | 2,318 |
| ch-RUS U18 Girls | 1999 | 18 | 13.5 | 2,387 |
| St Petersburg Rudenko Memorial w | 2011 | 18 | 10.5 | 2,208 |
| chT-RUS w | 2007 | 18 | 8 | 2,251 |
| ch-RUS 1L w | 2004 | 17 | 9.5 | 2,209 |
| ch-RUS w | 2001 | 17 | 8 | 2,219 |
Interactive opening tree from all 644 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Irina Zakurdjaeva's chess games?
644 games by Irina Zakurdjaeva, 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 Irina Zakurdjaeva has played.
What does Irina Zakurdjaeva play on the first move as White?
Across 323 games with White in our database, Irina Zakurdjaeva opens with 1.e4 (98% of games), 1.d4 (1% of games), 1.Nf3 (1% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Irina Zakurdjaeva answers 1...c5 (69% of games), 1...e5 (11% of games), 1...e6 (10% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (62% of games), 1...Nf6 (25% of games), 1...e6 (8% of games).
What openings does Irina Zakurdjaeva play as White?
As White, Irina Zakurdjaeva's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (51 games, 37.3% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (28 games, 57.1% win rate); French: Winawer Variation (15 games, 66.7% win rate). The full breakdown of 323 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Irina Zakurdjaeva play as Black?
As Black, Irina Zakurdjaeva most often plays: Sicilian (48 games, 47.9% win rate); Slav Defense (34 games, 44.1% win rate); Sicilian: Taimanov (18 games, 44.4% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 321 games.
What is Irina Zakurdjaeva's FIDE rating?
Irina Zakurdjaeva is currently rated 2,152 in classical chess, 1,994 in rapid and 1,862 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,332 (Jan 2008).
How many games has Irina Zakurdjaeva played?
Our database contains 644 games by Irina Zakurdjaeva, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 273 wins, 136 draws, 235 losses (42.4% win rate).
How do I prepare against Irina Zakurdjaeva?
644 games by Irina Zakurdjaeva 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.