Prepare against James Ellis
United States · World #76,817 classical · FIDE ID 2013355
When preparing against James Ellis, expect 1.e4 in 87% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (90% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (100%).
Our database contains 84 games by James Ellis, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find James Ellis's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout James Ellis 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 | 1,799 | 2,150 | Jul 2003 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 84 | 20 | 18 | 46 | 23.8% |
| As White | 45 | 10 | 10 | 25 | 22.2% |
| As Black | 39 | 10 | 8 | 21 | 25.6% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of James Ellis's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from James Ellis's side.
First moves as White (45 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 39 | 86.7% | 32.1% |
| d4 | 6 | 13.3% | 41.7% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 87% of White games, 32.1% score
- …c5 (36% of these games) — Ellis usually continues Nf3 (21.4% score)
- …e5 (31% of these games) — Ellis usually continues Nf3 (22.7% score)
- …e6 (15% of these games) — Ellis usually continues d4 (41.7% score)
- 1.d4 — 13% of White games, 41.7% score
- …Nf6 (100% of these games) — Ellis usually continues c4 (41.7% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (21 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 19 | 90.5% | 50.0% |
| e5 | 2 | 9.5% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (13 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 13 | 100.0% | 19.2% |
James Ellis's chess games
All 84 games by James Ellis 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: 20 wins, 18 draws, 46 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B32 | Sicilian | 6 | 1/2/3 | 16.7% |
| C78 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 4 | 0/0/4 | 0.0% |
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 3 | 0/0/3 | 0.0% |
| B36 | Sicilian: Hyperaccelerated Dragon | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 3 | 0/2/1 | 0.0% |
| C63 | Ruy Lopez: Schliemann | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| C17 | French: Winawer Variation | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| D85 | Indian Defense | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B56 | Sicilian | 9 | 4/1/4 | 44.4% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| B72 | Sicilian: Dragon | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| E20 | Nimzo-Indian Defense | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| A32 | Benoni Defense | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| E41 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| E34 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| E20 | Nimzo-Indian: Kmoch Variation | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| E30 | Nimzo-Indian: Leningrad Variation | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| C57 | Italian Game: Two Knights Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2000 | Babakuli Annakov | 2,565 | North American Open | B33 |
| Aug 1999 | Jura Ochkoos | 2,305 | 6th Financial Concept Open | B22 |
| May 2003 | Oladapo ADU | 2,284 | Chicago Open 12th | B67 |
| Sep 2005 | Sergey Galant | 2,211 | Tulsa OCF Challengers | B22 |
| Aug 2003 | Deepyaman Datta | 2,113 | 22nd North American Open | E20 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lindsborg Rotary Open | 2002 | 9 | 4 | 2,202 |
| Canadian Open U2200 | 2017 | 9 | 3.5 | 1,808 |
| 6th Financial Concept Open | 1999 | 8 | 3.5 | 2,118 |
| Tulsa OCF Challengers | 2005 | 7 | 2.5 | 2,080 |
| Tulsa Okie Open | 2011 | 6 | 1.5 | 1,722 |
| Chicago Open 12th | 2003 | 5 | 2 | 2,262 |
| Tulsa Open | 2004 | 4 | 2 | – |
| Lindsborg Open | 2004 | 4 | 1 | 2,169 |
Interactive opening tree from all 84 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find James Ellis's chess games?
84 games by James Ellis, 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 James Ellis has played.
What does James Ellis play on the first move as White?
Across 45 games with White in our database, James Ellis opens with 1.e4 (87% of games), 1.d4 (13% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, James Ellis answers 1...c5 (90% of games), 1...e5 (10% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (100% of games).
What openings does James Ellis play as White?
As White, James Ellis's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (6 games, 16.7% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense (4 games, 0.0% win rate); Petrov's Defense (3 games, 0.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 45 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does James Ellis play as Black?
As Black, James Ellis most often plays: Sicilian (9 games, 44.4% win rate); Sicilian: Alapin (5 games, 40.0% win rate); Sicilian: Dragon (4 games, 50.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 39 games.
What is James Ellis's FIDE rating?
James Ellis is currently rated 1,799 in classical chess. Peak classical rating: 2,150 (Jul 2003).
How many games has James Ellis played?
Our database contains 84 games by James Ellis, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 20 wins, 18 draws, 46 losses (23.8% win rate).
How do I prepare against James Ellis?
84 games by James Ellis 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.