Prepare against Ismael Karim
IM · Morocco · World #2,979 classical · FIDE ID 625736
Our database contains 507 games by Ismael Karim, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Ismael Karim's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Ismael Karim 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 | 2,339 | 2,410 | Apr 2009 |
| Rapid | 2,317 | 2,374 | Apr 2022 |
| Blitz | 2,233 | 2,375 | Nov 2014 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 507 | 192 | 169 | 146 | 37.9% |
| As White | 273 | 112 | 92 | 69 | 41.0% |
| As Black | 234 | 80 | 77 | 77 | 34.2% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Ismael Karim's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Ismael Karim's side.
First moves as White (273 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 245 | 89.7% | 56.5% |
| d4 | 17 | 6.2% | 73.5% |
| Nf3 | 9 | 3.3% | 66.7% |
| c4 | 2 | 0.7% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 90% of White games, 56.5% score
- …c5 (50% of these games) — Karim usually continues Nf3 (58.3% score)
- …e5 (18% of these games) — Karim usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …e6 (14% of these games) — Karim usually continues d4 (60.9% score)
- 1.d4 — 6% of White games, 73.5% score
- …d5 (53% of these games) — Karim usually continues Nf3 (64.3% score)
- …Nf6 (35% of these games) — Karim usually continues c4 (83.3% score)
- …e6 (12% of these games) — Karim usually continues c4 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (117 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 41 | 35.0% | 47.6% |
| c5 | 28 | 23.9% | 39.3% |
| g6 | 22 | 18.8% | 81.8% |
| d6 | 21 | 17.9% | 57.1% |
| c6 | 2 | 1.7% | 25.0% |
| Nf6 | 1 | 0.9% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (88 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 41 | 46.6% | 41.5% |
| Nf6 | 22 | 25.0% | 52.3% |
| d6 | 17 | 19.3% | 44.1% |
| g6 | 7 | 8.0% | 78.6% |
| e6 | 1 | 1.1% | 0.0% |
Ismael Karim's chess games
All 507 games by Ismael Karim in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - Aug 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: 192 wins, 169 draws, 146 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B41 | Sicilian | 52 | 25/15/12 | 48.1% |
| B92 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 19 | 7/8/4 | 36.8% |
| C12 | French: Classical Variation | 13 | 5/7/1 | 38.5% |
| C01 | French: Winawer Variation | 12 | 6/3/3 | 50.0% |
| B52 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 9 | 2/5/2 | 22.2% |
| C41 | Philidor | 9 | 2/2/5 | 22.2% |
| C55 | Italian Game | 7 | 2/3/2 | 28.6% |
| B38 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 7 | 3/3/1 | 42.9% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 7 | 3/3/1 | 42.9% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 7 | 5/0/2 | 71.4% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B06 | Modern Defense | 31 | 22/7/2 | 71.0% |
| D44 | Slav Defense | 26 | 7/13/6 | 26.9% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 16 | 7/5/4 | 43.8% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 13 | 2/4/7 | 15.4% |
| C41 | Philidor | 11 | 2/7/2 | 18.2% |
| D23 | Queen's Pawn Game | 10 | 3/5/2 | 30.0% |
| A53 | Indian Defense | 7 | 2/2/3 | 28.6% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 6 | 1/1/4 | 16.7% |
| A40 | Rat Defense | 6 | 1/3/2 | 16.7% |
| C54 | Italian Game: Classical Variation | 5 | 0/2/3 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2003 | Vladimir Epishin | 2,626 | Cergy Pontoise Open | B41 |
| Jan 2008 | Chen Zhu | 2,548 | 6th Gibraltar Masters | C77 |
| May 2006 | Sandipan Chanda | 2,546 | Olympiad-37 | B85 |
| Jan 2008 | Tiger Hillarp Persson | 2,535 | 6th Gibraltar Masters | B58 |
| Jan 2008 | Davorin Komljenovic | 2,482 | 33rd Seville Open | B53 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRA-chT Top 12 | 2013 | 21 | 10 | 2,374 |
| ch-FRA Accession | 2006 | 17 | 7 | 2,216 |
| chT1B-FRA 0607 | 2007 | 11 | 6 | 2,474 |
| Olympiad-36 | 2004 | 11 | 5.5 | 2,266 |
| Olympiad-37 | 2006 | 11 | 4 | 2,280 |
| 6th Gibraltar Masters | 2008 | 10 | 5.5 | 2,481 |
| Budapest FS03 IM-B | 2006 | 10 | 5 | 2,268 |
| 17th Gibraltar Masters | 2019 | 10 | 4.5 | 2,376 |
Interactive opening tree from all 507 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Ismael Karim's chess games?
507 games by Ismael Karim, from Apr 2003 to Aug 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 Ismael Karim has played.
What does Ismael Karim play on the first move as White?
Across 273 games with White in our database, Ismael Karim opens with 1.e4 (90% of games), 1.d4 (6% of games), 1.Nf3 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Ismael Karim answers 1...e5 (35% of games), 1...c5 (24% of games), 1...g6 (19% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (47% of games), 1...Nf6 (25% of games), 1...d6 (19% of games).
What openings does Ismael Karim play as White?
As White, Ismael Karim's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (52 games, 48.1% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (19 games, 36.8% win rate); French: Classical Variation (13 games, 38.5% win rate). The full breakdown of 273 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Ismael Karim play as Black?
As Black, Ismael Karim most often plays: Modern Defense (31 games, 71.0% win rate); Slav Defense (26 games, 26.9% win rate); Pirc Defense (16 games, 43.8% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 234 games.
What is Ismael Karim's FIDE rating?
Ismael Karim is currently rated 2,339 in classical chess, 2,317 in rapid and 2,233 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,410 (Apr 2009).
How many games has Ismael Karim played?
Our database contains 507 games by Ismael Karim, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 192 wins, 169 draws, 146 losses (37.9% win rate).
How do I prepare against Ismael Karim?
507 games by Ismael Karim 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.