Prepare against Istvan Kovacs
Hungary · World #17,953 classical · FIDE ID 701890
Our database contains 255 games by Istvan Kovacs, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Istvan Kovacs's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Istvan Kovacs 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 | 2,075 | 2,251 | Apr 2006 |
| Rapid | 1,986 | 2,171 | Jul 2015 |
| Blitz | 2,120 | 2,223 | Dec 2015 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 255 | 90 | 93 | 72 | 35.3% |
| As White | 127 | 48 | 44 | 35 | 37.8% |
| As Black | 128 | 42 | 49 | 37 | 32.8% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Istvan Kovacs's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Istvan Kovacs's side.
First moves as White (127 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 39 | 30.7% | 62.8% |
| Nf3 | 37 | 29.1% | 58.1% |
| c4 | 26 | 20.5% | 51.9% |
| e4 | 25 | 19.7% | 42.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 31% of White games, 62.8% score
- …Nf6 (51% of these games) — Kovacs usually continues Nf3 (54.2% score)
- …d5 (26% of these games) — Kovacs usually continues c4 (58.3% score)
- …f5 (8% of these games) — Kovacs usually continues c4 (75.0% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 29% of White games, 58.1% score
- …Nf6 (51% of these games) — Kovacs usually continues g3 (66.7% score)
- …d5 (27% of these games) — Kovacs usually continues c4 (62.5% score)
- …d6 (8% of these games) — Kovacs usually continues d4 (83.3% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (75 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 46 | 61.3% | 50.0% |
| e5 | 15 | 20.0% | 36.7% |
| Nc6 | 4 | 5.3% | 100.0% |
| e6 | 4 | 5.3% | 37.5% |
| d6 | 3 | 4.0% | 100.0% |
| g6 | 1 | 1.3% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (33 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 27 | 81.8% | 63.0% |
| d5 | 6 | 18.2% | 33.3% |
Istvan Kovacs's chess games
All 255 games by Istvan Kovacs 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: 90 wins, 93 draws, 72 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A07 | Réti Opening | 15 | 10/4/1 | 66.7% |
| A16 | English Opening | 12 | 6/1/5 | 50.0% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 8 | 2/3/3 | 25.0% |
| A84 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 6 | 2/3/1 | 33.3% |
| A35 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 6 | 1/5/0 | 16.7% |
| D11 | Slav Defense | 5 | 1/2/2 | 20.0% |
| A21 | Modern Defense | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| A10 | Dutch Defense | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| E92 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 4 | 1/3/0 | 25.0% |
| A25 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 4 | 1/2/1 | 25.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B40 | Sicilian | 19 | 6/10/3 | 31.6% |
| B81 | Sicilian: Scheveningen | 17 | 3/7/7 | 17.6% |
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 11 | 6/3/2 | 54.5% |
| A17 | English Opening | 8 | 2/4/2 | 25.0% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 5 | 0/4/1 | 0.0% |
| D03 | Torre Attack | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| A34 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| B06 | Nimzowitsch Defense | 3 | 3/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 3 | 3/0/0 | 100.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2005 | Emil Szalanczy | 2,380 | chT2-HUN Maroczy 0405 | A43 |
| Oct 2014 | Alexandru-Ovidiu Stanciu | 2,366 | chT2-HUN Maroczy 1415 | A16 |
| Dec 2021 | Istvan Mede | 2,248 | chT2-HUN Erkel 2122 | E94 |
| Feb 2013 | Mihaly Domany | 2,230 | chT2-HUN Erkel 1213 | B07 |
| Nov 2008 | Tamas Feher | 2,226 | chT2-HUN Maroczy 0809 | B06 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| chT2-HUN Erkel 0708 | 2008 | 11 | 3.5 | 1,783 |
| chT2-HUN Erkel 1314 | 2014 | 11 | 7.5 | 2,265 |
| chT2-HUN Charousek 0708 | 2008 | 11 | 6.5 | 2,270 |
| chT2-HUN Maroczy 1819 | 2019 | 11 | 3.5 | 1,988 |
| chT2-HUN Maroczy 0607 | 2007 | 11 | 5 | 2,120 |
| chT2-HUN Maroczy 0506 | 2006 | 10 | 4.5 | 2,166 |
| chT2-HUN Erkel 1213 | 2013 | 10 | 7 | 2,270 |
| chT2-HUN Maroczy 0405 | 2005 | 10 | 7 | 2,346 |
Interactive opening tree from all 255 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Istvan Kovacs's chess games?
255 games by Istvan Kovacs, 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 Istvan Kovacs has played.
What does Istvan Kovacs play on the first move as White?
Across 127 games with White in our database, Istvan Kovacs opens with 1.d4 (31% of games), 1.Nf3 (29% of games), 1.c4 (20% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Istvan Kovacs answers 1...c5 (61% of games), 1...e5 (20% of games), 1...Nc6 (5% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (82% of games), 1...d5 (18% of games).
What openings does Istvan Kovacs play as White?
As White, Istvan Kovacs's most-played openings in our database are: Réti Opening (15 games, 66.7% win rate); English Opening (12 games, 50.0% win rate); Indian Defense (8 games, 25.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 127 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Istvan Kovacs play as Black?
As Black, Istvan Kovacs most often plays: Sicilian (19 games, 31.6% win rate); Sicilian: Scheveningen (17 games, 17.6% win rate); Queen's Indian Defense (11 games, 54.5% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 128 games.
What is Istvan Kovacs's FIDE rating?
Istvan Kovacs is currently rated 2,075 in classical chess, 1,986 in rapid and 2,120 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,251 (Apr 2006).
How many games has Istvan Kovacs played?
Our database contains 255 games by Istvan Kovacs, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 90 wins, 93 draws, 72 losses (35.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Istvan Kovacs?
255 games by Istvan Kovacs 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.