Prepare against Jaco Nelson
ZAF · World #39,457 classical · FIDE ID 14300400
Our database contains 131 games by Jaco Nelson, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Jaco Nelson's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Jaco Nelson 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 | 1,938 | 2,138 | Jul 2003 |
| Rapid | 1,968 | 1,986 | Apr 2017 |
| Blitz | 1,990 | 2,007 | Jan 2022 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 131 | 53 | 37 | 41 | 40.5% |
| As White | 66 | 29 | 18 | 19 | 43.9% |
| As Black | 65 | 24 | 19 | 22 | 36.9% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Jaco Nelson's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Jaco Nelson's side.
First moves as White (66 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 31 | 47.0% | 46.8% |
| d4 | 20 | 30.3% | 77.5% |
| Nf3 | 9 | 13.6% | 66.7% |
| c4 | 5 | 7.6% | 40.0% |
| f4 | 1 | 1.5% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 47% of White games, 46.8% score
- …c5 (48% of these games) — Nelson usually continues Nf3 (35.7% score)
- …e5 (26% of these games) — Nelson usually continues Nf3 (41.7% score)
- …e6 (13% of these games) — Nelson usually continues d4 (50.0% score)
- 1.d4 — 30% of White games, 77.5% score
- …Nf6 (70% of these games) — Nelson usually continues Nf3 (75.0% score)
- …d5 (30% of these games) — Nelson usually continues c4 (80.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (27 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 13 | 48.1% | 34.6% |
| e6 | 6 | 22.2% | 58.3% |
| g6 | 3 | 11.1% | 33.3% |
| d6 | 2 | 7.4% | 100.0% |
| d5 | 1 | 3.7% | 50.0% |
| e5 | 1 | 3.7% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (26 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 12 | 46.2% | 66.7% |
| d6 | 6 | 23.1% | 58.3% |
| d5 | 4 | 15.4% | 87.5% |
| c5 | 2 | 7.7% | 25.0% |
| g6 | 2 | 7.7% | 25.0% |
Jaco Nelson's chess games
All 131 games by Jaco Nelson 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: 53 wins, 37 draws, 41 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B20 | Sicilian | 7 | 2/1/4 | 28.6% |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 6 | 5/0/1 | 83.3% |
| A48 | Indian Defense | 6 | 4/2/0 | 66.7% |
| D02 | London System | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| B34 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| D30 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| A52 | Budapest Defense | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B18 | Caro-Kann: Classical | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| C01 | French: Classical Variation | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| A25 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A42 | Modern Defense | 7 | 2/1/4 | 28.6% |
| B28 | Sicilian | 6 | 2/2/2 | 33.3% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 5 | 3/1/1 | 60.0% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 5 | 4/0/1 | 80.0% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| C00 | French Defense | 3 | 2/1/0 | 66.7% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| A44 | Benoni Defense | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| A21 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| A10 | English Opening | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1999 | Pablo Ricardi | 2,527 | 22nd San Sebastian Open | B06 |
| Feb 2014 | Rodwell Makoto | 2,287 | Pretoria Waterkloof Open | A42 |
| Apr 2016 | Dennis Ovcina | 2,214 | Johannesburg PSS Open | A15 |
| Mar 2015 | Musatwe Simutowe | 2,166 | Pretoria Waterkloof Open | C10 |
| Apr 2004 | Edmund C Player | 2,151 | Southend Open | D02 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southend Open | 2004 | 14 | 7.5 | 2,214 |
| South African Open | 2022 | 11 | 7 | 1,863 |
| Johannesburg PSS Prestige Open | 2017 | 10 | 4 | 1,794 |
| Pretoria Capablanca A | 2018 | 9 | 4.5 | 1,950 |
| Pretoria FM A | 2012 | 9 | 4.5 | 2,144 |
| Johannesburg PSS Capablanca B | 2017 | 9 | 5 | 1,888 |
| Johannesburg Tsogo Sun Open | 2015 | 9 | 5.5 | 1,984 |
| Johannesburg PSS Open | 2016 | 8 | 4 | 2,118 |
Interactive opening tree from all 131 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Jaco Nelson's chess games?
131 games by Jaco Nelson, 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 Jaco Nelson has played.
What does Jaco Nelson play on the first move as White?
Across 66 games with White in our database, Jaco Nelson opens with 1.e4 (47% of games), 1.d4 (30% of games), 1.Nf3 (14% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Jaco Nelson answers 1...c5 (48% of games), 1...e6 (22% of games), 1...g6 (11% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (46% of games), 1...d6 (23% of games), 1...d5 (15% of games).
What openings does Jaco Nelson play as White?
As White, Jaco Nelson's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (7 games, 28.6% win rate); Réti Opening (6 games, 83.3% win rate); Indian Defense (6 games, 66.7% win rate). The full breakdown of 66 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Jaco Nelson play as Black?
As Black, Jaco Nelson most often plays: Modern Defense (7 games, 28.6% win rate); Sicilian (6 games, 33.3% win rate); Queen's Pawn Game (5 games, 60.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 65 games.
What is Jaco Nelson's FIDE rating?
Jaco Nelson is currently rated 1,938 in classical chess, 1,968 in rapid and 1,990 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,138 (Jul 2003).
How many games has Jaco Nelson played?
Our database contains 131 games by Jaco Nelson, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 53 wins, 37 draws, 41 losses (40.5% win rate).
How do I prepare against Jaco Nelson?
131 games by Jaco Nelson 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.