Prepare against Ivan Sokolov
GM · NLD · World #266 classical · FIDE ID 14400030
When preparing against Ivan Sokolov, expect 1.d4 in 93% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (89% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (60%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Ruy Lopez: Open as Black, 26.2% over 42 games.
Our database contains 3,275 games by Ivan Sokolov, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Ivan Sokolov's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Ivan Sokolov 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 | 2,559 | 2,706 | Jan 2004 |
| Rapid | 2,588 | 2,650 | Jun 2014 |
| Blitz | 2,583 | 2,676 | Jul 2012 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 3,275 | 1,390 | 1,306 | 578 | 42.4% |
| As White | 1,681 | 806 | 665 | 209 | 47.9% |
| As Black | 1,594 | 584 | 641 | 369 | 36.6% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Ivan Sokolov's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Ivan Sokolov's side.
First moves as White (1,681 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 1,566 | 93.2% | 67.4% |
| c4 | 46 | 2.7% | 66.3% |
| e4 | 41 | 2.4% | 81.7% |
| Nf3 | 26 | 1.5% | 71.2% |
| b3 | 2 | 0.1% | 75.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 93% of White games, 67.4% score
- …Nf6 (58% of these games) — Sokolov usually continues c4 (67.8% score)
- …d5 (29% of these games) — Sokolov usually continues c4 (64.3% score)
- …e6 (7% of these games) — Sokolov usually continues c4 (70.3% score)
- 1.c4 — 3% of White games, 66.3% score
- …Nf6 (26% of these games) — Sokolov usually continues Nc3 (77.8% score)
- …e5 (22% of these games) — Sokolov usually continues Nc3 (58.3% score)
- …e6 (17% of these games) — Sokolov usually continues Nc3 (66.7% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (728 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 650 | 89.3% | 54.8% |
| c5 | 67 | 9.2% | 58.2% |
| c6 | 5 | 0.7% | 50.0% |
| g6 | 4 | 0.5% | 75.0% |
| d5 | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 0.1% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (564 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 340 | 60.3% | 58.2% |
| d5 | 221 | 39.2% | 57.0% |
| f5 | 1 | 0.2% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 1 | 0.2% | 100.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 0.2% | 50.0% |
Ivan Sokolov's chess games
All 3,275 games by Ivan Sokolov in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - 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: 1,390 wins, 1,306 draws, 578 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D15 | Slav Defense | 216 | 77/112/27 | 35.6% |
| D36 | Indian Defense | 176 | 79/75/22 | 44.9% |
| E32 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 111 | 46/53/12 | 41.4% |
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 110 | 45/52/13 | 40.9% |
| E48 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 108 | 53/37/18 | 49.1% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 105 | 41/50/14 | 39.0% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 93 | 57/22/14 | 61.3% |
| E70 | King's Indian Defense | 79 | 50/23/6 | 63.3% |
| D27 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 64 | 26/32/6 | 40.6% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 61 | 38/17/6 | 62.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D11 | Slav Defense | 203 | 74/94/35 | 36.5% |
| C88 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 179 | 56/76/47 | 31.3% |
| D35 | Indian Defense | 144 | 55/66/23 | 38.2% |
| A21 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 94 | 33/42/19 | 35.1% |
| D91 | Grünfeld Defense | 62 | 19/28/15 | 30.6% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 57 | 20/22/15 | 35.1% |
| C77 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 57 | 20/22/15 | 35.1% |
| C82 | Ruy Lopez: Open | 42 | 11/20/11 | 26.2% |
| C54 | Italian Game | 41 | 18/16/7 | 43.9% |
| A09 | Réti Opening | 37 | 18/11/8 | 48.6% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1999 | Garry Kasparov | 2,812 | Hoogovens | E59 |
| Jan 2004 | Vladimir Kramnik | 2,777 | Corus | E12 |
| May 2007 | Alexander Morozevich | 2,762 | 37th Sarajevo Bosnia-A | A11 |
| Apr 2007 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | 2,754 | 2nd Calatrava Open Rapid | D45 |
| Aug 1996 | Gata Kamsky | 2,745 | Donner Memorial | A61 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoogovens | 1999 | 82 | 39.5 | 2,599 |
| ch-NED | 2019 | 55 | 35 | 2,679 |
| Reykjavik Open | 2013 | 45 | 33 | 2,649 |
| Corus | 2006 | 39 | 12.5 | 2,570 |
| FRA-chT Top 12 | 2015 | 37 | 25 | 2,722 |
| chT-BIH | 2004 | 35 | 25.5 | 2,658 |
| Lost Boys Open | 2002 | 35 | 26 | 2,678 |
| Groningen | 1995 | 31 | 18 | 2,678 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Loek Van Wely (56 games) · Michael Adams (33 games) · Predrag Nikolic (29 games) · Alexei Shirov (26 games) · Nigel D Short (25 games) · Friso Nijboer (23 games) · Sergei Tiviakov (23 games) · Kiril Georgiev (23 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 3,275 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Ivan Sokolov's chess games?
3,275 games by Ivan Sokolov, from Apr 2003 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 Ivan Sokolov has played.
What does Ivan Sokolov play on the first move as White?
Across 1,681 games with White in our database, Ivan Sokolov opens with 1.d4 (93% of games), 1.c4 (3% of games), 1.e4 (2% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Ivan Sokolov answers 1...e5 (89% of games), 1...c5 (9% of games), 1...c6 (1% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (60% of games), 1...d5 (39% of games), 1...f5 (0% of games).
What openings does Ivan Sokolov play as White?
As White, Ivan Sokolov's most-played openings in our database are: Slav Defense (216 games, 35.6% win rate); Indian Defense (176 games, 44.9% win rate); Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation (111 games, 41.4% win rate). The full breakdown of 1,681 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Ivan Sokolov play as Black?
As Black, Ivan Sokolov most often plays: Slav Defense (203 games, 36.5% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Closed (179 games, 31.3% win rate); Indian Defense (144 games, 38.2% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 1,594 games.
What is Ivan Sokolov's FIDE rating?
Ivan Sokolov is currently rated 2,559 in classical chess, 2,588 in rapid and 2,583 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,706 (Jan 2004).
How many games has Ivan Sokolov played?
Our database contains 3,275 games by Ivan Sokolov, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 1,390 wins, 1,306 draws, 578 losses (42.4% win rate).
How do I prepare against Ivan Sokolov?
3,275 games by Ivan Sokolov 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.