Prepare against James Black
United States · World #15,684 classical · FIDE ID 2048280
Our database contains 59 games by James Black, covering Sep 2010 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find James Black's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout James Black 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 | 2,098 | 2,232 | Jul 2012 |
| Rapid | 2,199 | 2,202 | Aug 2014 |
| Blitz | 2,253 | 2,273 | Oct 2017 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 59 | 15 | 11 | 33 | 25.4% |
| As White | 27 | 6 | 5 | 16 | 22.2% |
| As Black | 32 | 9 | 6 | 17 | 28.1% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of James Black's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from James Black's side.
First moves as White (27 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 20 | 74.1% | 27.5% |
| c4 | 5 | 18.5% | 40.0% |
| Nf3 | 1 | 3.7% | 0.0% |
| e4 | 1 | 3.7% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 74% of White games, 27.5% score
- …Nf6 (55% of these games) — Black usually continues c4 (25.0% score)
- …d5 (30% of these games) — Black usually continues c4 (12.5% score)
- …c5 (5% of these games) — Black usually continues d5 (0.0% score)
- 1.c4 — 19% of White games, 40.0% score
- …e5 (40% of these games) — Black usually continues g3 (50.0% score)
- …Nf6 (40% of these games) — Black usually continues g3 (50.0% score)
- …c6 (20% of these games) — Black usually continues g3 (0.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (12 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 7 | 58.3% | 35.7% |
| c6 | 4 | 33.3% | 37.5% |
| e6 | 1 | 8.3% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (11 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 10 | 90.9% | 25.0% |
| c5 | 1 | 9.1% | 100.0% |
James Black's chess games
All 59 games by James Black in the Chess.ceo database (Sep 2010 - 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: 15 wins, 11 draws, 33 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E25 | Nimzo-Indian: Kmoch Variation | 3 | 0/0/3 | 0.0% |
| D46 | Slav Defense | 3 | 0/0/3 | 0.0% |
| A43 | Benoni Defense | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| A20 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| D80 | Grünfeld Defense | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| A14 | English Opening: Neo-Catalan | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| D00 | Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| A65 | King's Indian: Sämisch | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| A45 | Trompowsky Attack | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A52 | Budapest Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D43 | Slav Defense | 7 | 2/1/4 | 28.6% |
| B43 | Sicilian | 5 | 1/0/4 | 20.0% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| D43 | Semi-Slav Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| A20 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A11 | English Opening: Slav Setup | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B99 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| D00 | Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2012 | Farai Mandizha | 2,406 | 21st Chicago Open | D23 |
| Apr 2025 | Mikayel Manvelyan | 2,362 | Titled Tue Early | D00 |
| Dec 2012 | Samuel Sevian | 2,343 | 22nd North American Open | B17 |
| Apr 2025 | Yinn Long Wong | 2,300 | Titled Tue Early | A45 |
| Apr 2025 | Anastasia Avramidou | 2,275 | Titled Tue Early | D43 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11th Saint Louis SPICE Cup Open | 2017 | 9 | 4 | 2,108 |
| USA tt | 2011 | 8 | 3 | 2,048 |
| ch-USA U16 | 2013 | 7 | 3 | 2,162 |
| 1st Washington Open | 2012 | 6 | 1.5 | 2,036 |
| Titled Tuesday | 2025 | 6 | 3 | 2,338 |
| 22nd North American Open | 2012 | 5 | 1.5 | 2,178 |
| 21st Chicago Open | 2012 | 5 | 2 | 2,407 |
| Nashville Super Nationals V | 2013 | 3 | 1 | 2,040 |
Interactive opening tree from all 59 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find James Black's chess games?
59 games by James Black, from Sep 2010 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 James Black has played.
What does James Black play on the first move as White?
Across 27 games with White in our database, James Black opens with 1.d4 (74% of games), 1.c4 (19% of games), 1.Nf3 (4% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, James Black answers 1...c5 (58% of games), 1...c6 (33% of games), 1...e6 (8% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (91% of games), 1...c5 (9% of games).
What openings does James Black play as White?
As White, James Black's most-played openings in our database are: Nimzo-Indian: Kmoch Variation (3 games, 0.0% win rate); Slav Defense (3 games, 0.0% win rate); Benoni Defense (3 games, 33.3% win rate). The full breakdown of 27 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does James Black play as Black?
As Black, James Black most often plays: Slav Defense (7 games, 28.6% win rate); Sicilian (5 games, 20.0% win rate); Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation (3 games, 0.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 32 games.
What is James Black's FIDE rating?
James Black is currently rated 2,098 in classical chess, 2,199 in rapid and 2,253 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,232 (Jul 2012).
How many games has James Black played?
Our database contains 59 games by James Black, covering Sep 2010 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 15 wins, 11 draws, 33 losses (25.4% win rate).
How do I prepare against James Black?
59 games by James Black 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.