Prepare against Jan Smeets
GM · NLD · World #253 classical · FIDE ID 1007246
Our database contains 1,510 games by Jan Smeets, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Jan Smeets's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Jan Smeets 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 | 2,564 | 2,669 | Sep 2010 |
| Rapid | 2,517 | 2,548 | May 2024 |
| Blitz | 2,514 | 2,623 | Aug 2013 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,510 | 656 | 519 | 335 | 43.4% |
| As White | 767 | 370 | 267 | 130 | 48.2% |
| As Black | 743 | 286 | 252 | 205 | 38.5% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Jan Smeets's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Jan Smeets's side.
First moves as White (767 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 726 | 94.7% | 65.8% |
| d4 | 33 | 4.3% | 63.6% |
| Nf3 | 5 | 0.7% | 50.0% |
| c4 | 3 | 0.4% | 66.7% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 95% of White games, 65.8% score
- …c5 (42% of these games) — Smeets usually continues Nf3 (67.5% score)
- …e5 (26% of these games) — Smeets usually continues Nf3 (61.0% score)
- …e6 (13% of these games) — Smeets usually continues d4 (67.8% score)
- 1.d4 — 4% of White games, 63.6% score
- …Nf6 (48% of these games) — Smeets usually continues c4 (62.5% score)
- …d5 (39% of these games) — Smeets usually continues c4 (79.2% score)
- …e6 (6% of these games) — Smeets usually continues e4 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (344 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 158 | 45.9% | 51.3% |
| c5 | 115 | 33.4% | 64.8% |
| c6 | 29 | 8.4% | 55.2% |
| d5 | 29 | 8.4% | 62.1% |
| e6 | 9 | 2.6% | 66.7% |
| Nf6 | 2 | 0.6% | 75.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (243 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 225 | 92.6% | 54.9% |
| Nf6 | 18 | 7.4% | 69.4% |
Jan Smeets's chess games
All 1,510 games by Jan Smeets 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: 656 wins, 519 draws, 335 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B42 | Sicilian | 94 | 50/31/13 | 53.2% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 68 | 30/26/12 | 44.1% |
| C95 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 45 | 17/16/12 | 37.8% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 40 | 25/7/8 | 62.5% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 38 | 15/17/6 | 39.5% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 26 | 10/8/8 | 38.5% |
| B76 | Sicilian: Dragon | 24 | 13/8/3 | 54.2% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 24 | 13/9/2 | 54.2% |
| B19 | Caro-Kann: Classical | 22 | 8/12/2 | 36.4% |
| C67 | Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense | 21 | 8/12/1 | 38.1% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D11 | Slav Defense | 197 | 59/82/56 | 29.9% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 47 | 21/7/19 | 44.7% |
| D31 | Semi-Slav Defense | 39 | 17/15/7 | 43.6% |
| A11 | English Opening: Slav Setup | 34 | 8/15/11 | 23.5% |
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 33 | 7/14/12 | 21.2% |
| B50 | Sicilian | 28 | 14/10/4 | 50.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 27 | 13/6/8 | 48.1% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 27 | 10/9/8 | 37.0% |
| C80 | Ruy Lopez: Open | 22 | 5/6/11 | 22.7% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 17 | 8/6/3 | 47.1% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2010 | Vladimir Kramnik | 2,790 | 19th Amber Blindfold | B09 |
| Jan 2009 | Vassily Ivanchuk | 2,779 | Corus | D44 |
| Oct 2009 | Alexander Morozevich | 2,750 | 17th chT-EU | C24 |
| Jan 2011 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 2,733 | 73rd Tata Steel Masters | D46 |
| Jan 2011 | Alexei Shirov | 2,722 | 73rd Tata Steel Masters | C78 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corus B | 2008 | 52 | 24.5 | 2,578 |
| Dieren Open | 2012 | 36 | 23 | 2,510 |
| NED-ch internet | 2016 | 30 | 17.5 | 2,634 |
| Hoogeveen Essent Open | 2007 | 27 | 18 | 2,586 |
| Lost Boys Open | 2002 | 26 | 14.5 | 2,402 |
| Corus | 2010 | 26 | 10.5 | 2,647 |
| ch-NED | 2013 | 23 | 8.5 | 2,483 |
| Corus C | 2004 | 22 | 13.5 | 2,544 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Erwin L'Ami (31 games) · Loek Van Wely (26 games) · Ivan Sokolov (20 games) · Sipke Ernst (15 games) · Friso Nijboer (13 games) · Daan Brandenburg (11 games) · Magnus Carlsen (11 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 1,510 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Jan Smeets's chess games?
1,510 games by Jan Smeets, 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 Jan Smeets has played.
What does Jan Smeets play on the first move as White?
Across 767 games with White in our database, Jan Smeets opens with 1.e4 (95% of games), 1.d4 (4% of games), 1.Nf3 (1% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Jan Smeets answers 1...e5 (46% of games), 1...c5 (33% of games), 1...c6 (8% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (93% of games), 1...Nf6 (7% of games).
What openings does Jan Smeets play as White?
As White, Jan Smeets's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (94 games, 53.2% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (68 games, 44.1% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Closed (45 games, 37.8% win rate). The full breakdown of 767 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Jan Smeets play as Black?
As Black, Jan Smeets most often plays: Slav Defense (197 games, 29.9% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (47 games, 44.7% win rate); Semi-Slav Defense (39 games, 43.6% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 743 games.
What is Jan Smeets's FIDE rating?
Jan Smeets is currently rated 2,564 in classical chess, 2,517 in rapid and 2,514 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,669 (Sep 2010).
How many games has Jan Smeets played?
Our database contains 1,510 games by Jan Smeets, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 656 wins, 519 draws, 335 losses (43.4% win rate).
How do I prepare against Jan Smeets?
1,510 games by Jan Smeets 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.