Prepare against Ivan Zaja
GM · HRV · World #1,801 classical · FIDE ID 14500450
Our database contains 1,548 games by Ivan Zaja, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Ivan Zaja's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Ivan Zaja 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 | 2,394 | 2,516 | Mar 2012 |
| Rapid | 2,399 | 2,511 | May 2012 |
| Blitz | 2,374 | 2,488 | Jan 2013 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,548 | 614 | 684 | 250 | 39.7% |
| As White | 781 | 344 | 343 | 94 | 44.0% |
| As Black | 767 | 270 | 341 | 156 | 35.2% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Ivan Zaja's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Ivan Zaja's side.
First moves as White (780 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 739 | 94.7% | 66.4% |
| Nf3 | 22 | 2.8% | 61.4% |
| e4 | 10 | 1.3% | 60.0% |
| c4 | 6 | 0.8% | 50.0% |
| b3 | 2 | 0.3% | 75.0% |
| g3 | 1 | 0.1% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 95% of White games, 66.4% score
- …Nf6 (58% of these games) — Zaja usually continues c4 (63.1% score)
- …d5 (26% of these games) — Zaja usually continues c4 (69.9% score)
- …d6 (4% of these games) — Zaja usually continues e4 (64.3% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 3% of White games, 61.4% score
- …Nf6 (77% of these games) — Zaja usually continues c4 (64.3% score)
- …d5 (9% of these games) — Zaja usually continues g3 (75.0% score)
- …g6 (5% of these games) — Zaja usually continues e4 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (356 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 162 | 45.5% | 63.3% |
| e5 | 116 | 32.6% | 49.6% |
| c5 | 39 | 11.0% | 74.4% |
| d6 | 28 | 7.9% | 53.6% |
| Nc6 | 6 | 1.7% | 66.7% |
| b6 | 4 | 1.1% | 87.5% |
As Black against 1.d4 (249 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 142 | 57.0% | 58.5% |
| e6 | 54 | 21.7% | 62.0% |
| d5 | 44 | 17.7% | 42.0% |
| f5 | 3 | 1.2% | 100.0% |
| d6 | 3 | 1.2% | 33.3% |
| g6 | 2 | 0.8% | 75.0% |
Ivan Zaja's chess games
All 1,548 games by Ivan Zaja 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: 614 wins, 684 draws, 250 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D36 | Indian Defense | 111 | 41/59/11 | 36.9% |
| E42 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 87 | 28/43/16 | 32.2% |
| E81 | King's Indian: Sämisch | 84 | 43/26/15 | 51.2% |
| D17 | Slav Defense | 76 | 29/41/6 | 38.2% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 53 | 26/22/5 | 49.1% |
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 37 | 22/12/3 | 59.5% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 32 | 11/16/5 | 34.4% |
| A42 | Modern Defense | 24 | 15/6/3 | 62.5% |
| D20 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 22 | 9/8/5 | 40.9% |
| E11 | Bogo-Indian Defense | 19 | 10/7/2 | 52.6% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E18 | Queen's Indian Defense | 54 | 16/29/9 | 29.6% |
| C18 | French: Winawer Variation | 54 | 15/29/10 | 27.8% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 41 | 14/14/13 | 34.1% |
| A10 | English Opening | 36 | 15/15/6 | 41.7% |
| D15 | Slav Defense | 34 | 4/17/13 | 11.8% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 30 | 12/14/4 | 40.0% |
| E11 | Bogo-Indian Defense | 28 | 5/14/9 | 17.9% |
| C95 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 28 | 4/19/5 | 14.3% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 25 | 17/4/4 | 68.0% |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 24 | 12/7/5 | 50.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2000 | Emil Sutovsky | 2,597 | Pula zt 1.2 | C16 |
| Oct 2011 | Zoran Jovanovic | 2,589 | 20th chT1A-CRO | C41 |
| Mar 2014 | Tamir Nabaty | 2,586 | Zagreb Open | A45 |
| Oct 2011 | Alojzije Jankovic | 2,584 | 20th chT1A-CRO | E38 |
| Jan 2000 | Robert Zelcic | 2,561 | ch-CRO | E42 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| chT-CRO | 2013 | 112 | 60 | 2,452 |
| Zagreb Open | 2014 | 41 | 30 | 2,468 |
| ch-CRO | 2000 | 37 | 24 | 2,495 |
| Zagreb Open A | 2013 | 35 | 21 | 2,456 |
| Omis Open | 2006 | 29 | 22 | 2,526 |
| Porec Open | 2011 | 27 | 20.5 | 2,493 |
| CRO Cup | 2024 | 18 | 11 | 2,450 |
| chT1-SLO Ost | 2012 | 17 | 11.5 | 2,502 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Robert Zelcic (21 games) · Mladen Palac (16 games) · Blazimir Kovacevic (16 games) · Branko Rogulj (15 games) · Nenad Fercec (14 games) · Davor Rogic (13 games) · Zdenko Kozul (13 games) · Ante Saric (13 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 1,548 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Ivan Zaja's chess games?
1,548 games by Ivan Zaja, 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 Ivan Zaja has played.
What does Ivan Zaja play on the first move as White?
Across 780 games with White in our database, Ivan Zaja opens with 1.d4 (95% of games), 1.Nf3 (3% of games), 1.e4 (1% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Ivan Zaja answers 1...e6 (46% of games), 1...e5 (33% of games), 1...c5 (11% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (57% of games), 1...e6 (22% of games), 1...d5 (18% of games).
What openings does Ivan Zaja play as White?
As White, Ivan Zaja's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (111 games, 36.9% win rate); Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System (87 games, 32.2% win rate); King's Indian: Sämisch (84 games, 51.2% win rate). The full breakdown of 781 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Ivan Zaja play as Black?
As Black, Ivan Zaja most often plays: Queen's Indian Defense (54 games, 29.6% win rate); French: Winawer Variation (54 games, 27.8% win rate); French: Tarrasch Variation (41 games, 34.1% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 767 games.
What is Ivan Zaja's FIDE rating?
Ivan Zaja is currently rated 2,394 in classical chess, 2,399 in rapid and 2,374 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,516 (Mar 2012).
How many games has Ivan Zaja played?
Our database contains 1,548 games by Ivan Zaja, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 614 wins, 684 draws, 250 losses (39.7% win rate).
How do I prepare against Ivan Zaja?
1,548 games by Ivan Zaja 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.