Prepare against Istvan Szalay
Hungary · World #120,450 classical · FIDE ID 736937
When preparing against Istvan Szalay, expect 1.e4 in 95% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (55% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (63%).
Our database contains 78 games by Istvan Szalay, covering Jul 2008 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Istvan Szalay's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Istvan Szalay 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 | 1,672 | 1,672 | Jul 2026 |
| Rapid | 1,680 | 1,686 | Sep 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 78 | 6 | 24 | 48 | 7.7% |
| As White | 40 | 0 | 13 | 27 | 0.0% |
| As Black | 38 | 6 | 11 | 21 | 15.8% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Istvan Szalay's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Istvan Szalay's side.
First moves as White (40 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 38 | 95.0% | 14.5% |
| d4 | 2 | 5.0% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 95% of White games, 14.5% score
- …c5 (42% of these games) — Szalay usually continues Nf3 (9.4% score)
- …e5 (26% of these games) — Szalay usually continues Nf3 (20.0% score)
- …d6 (11% of these games) — Szalay usually continues d4 (25.0% score)
- 1.d4 — 5% of White games, 50.0% score
- …d5 (50% of these games) — Szalay usually continues Bf4 (50.0% score)
- …e6 (50% of these games) — Szalay usually continues e4 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (29 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 16 | 55.2% | 34.4% |
| c5 | 12 | 41.4% | 29.2% |
| d6 | 1 | 3.4% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (8 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 5 | 62.5% | 10.0% |
| e5 | 3 | 37.5% | 33.3% |
Istvan Szalay's chess games
All 78 games by Istvan Szalay in the Chess.ceo database (Jul 2008 - 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: 6 wins, 24 draws, 48 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B43 | Sicilian | 9 | 0/2/7 | 0.0% |
| C50 | Italian Game | 6 | 0/3/3 | 0.0% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 4 | 0/1/3 | 0.0% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 4 | 0/2/2 | 0.0% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| C41 | Philidor | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B00 | Goldsmith Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B32 | Sicilian | 5 | 3/0/2 | 60.0% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 4 | 0/0/4 | 0.0% |
| B34 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 4 | 0/1/3 | 0.0% |
| A40 | Englund Gambit | 3 | 0/2/1 | 0.0% |
| C50 | Italian Game: Anti-Fried Liver | 3 | 0/0/3 | 0.0% |
| C29 | Vienna Game | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| C45 | Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| C50 | Italian Game | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| D06 | Queen's Gambit | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2013 | Ferenc Bezsenyi | 1,807 | chT2-HUN Szechenyi 1314 | C47 |
| Mar 2018 | Gyorgy Acs | 1,741 | chT2-HUN Szechenyi 1718 | C62 |
| Apr 2016 | David Markovics | 1,700 | chT2-HUN Szechenyi 1516 | B32 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| chT2-HUN Szechenyi 1617 | 2017 | 10 | 1 | 1,473 |
| chT2-HUN Szechenyi 2223 | 2023 | 9 | 2 | 1,463 |
| chT2-HUN Szechenyi 2122 | 2022 | 9 | 2 | 1,462 |
| chT2-HUN Szechenyi 1213 | 2013 | 8 | 1.5 | 1,539 |
| chT2-HUN Szechenyi 1516 | 2016 | 8 | 2.5 | 1,666 |
| chT2-HUN Szechenyi 1718 | 2018 | 6 | 2 | 1,513 |
| chT2-HUN Szechenyi 0910 | 2010 | 5 | 2 | 1,546 |
| chT2-HUN Szechenyi 1415 | 2015 | 4 | 0.5 | 1,608 |
Interactive opening tree from all 78 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Istvan Szalay's chess games?
78 games by Istvan Szalay, from Jul 2008 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 Szalay has played.
What does Istvan Szalay play on the first move as White?
Across 40 games with White in our database, Istvan Szalay opens with 1.e4 (95% of games), 1.d4 (5% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Istvan Szalay answers 1...e5 (55% of games), 1...c5 (41% of games), 1...d6 (3% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (63% of games), 1...e5 (38% of games).
What openings does Istvan Szalay play as White?
As White, Istvan Szalay's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (9 games, 0.0% win rate); Italian Game (6 games, 0.0% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (4 games, 0.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 40 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Istvan Szalay play as Black?
As Black, Istvan Szalay most often plays: Sicilian (5 games, 60.0% win rate); Scotch Game (4 games, 25.0% win rate); Queen's Pawn Game (4 games, 0.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 38 games.
What is Istvan Szalay's FIDE rating?
Istvan Szalay is currently rated 1,672 in classical chess, 1,680 in rapid. Peak classical rating: 1,672 (Jul 2026).
How many games has Istvan Szalay played?
Our database contains 78 games by Istvan Szalay, covering Jul 2008 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 6 wins, 24 draws, 48 losses (7.7% win rate).
How do I prepare against Istvan Szalay?
78 games by Istvan Szalay 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.