Prepare against James Kavanagh
Ireland · World #49,428 classical · FIDE ID 2510006
Our database contains 49 games by James Kavanagh, covering Feb 2018 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find James Kavanagh's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout James Kavanagh 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 | 1,895 | 1,895 | Aug 2026 |
| Rapid | 1,809 | 1,809 | Aug 2026 |
| Blitz | 1,796 | 1,796 | Aug 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 49 | 21 | 13 | 15 | 42.9% |
| As White | 26 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 53.8% |
| As Black | 23 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 30.4% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of James Kavanagh's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from James Kavanagh's side.
First moves as White (26 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 22 | 84.6% | 65.9% |
| d4 | 3 | 11.5% | 66.7% |
| Nf3 | 1 | 3.8% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 85% of White games, 65.9% score
- …e6 (45% of these games) — Kavanagh usually continues d4 (62.5% score)
- …c5 (23% of these games) — Kavanagh usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …c6 (9% of these games) — Kavanagh usually continues Nf3 (100.0% score)
- 1.d4 — 12% of White games, 66.7% score
- …d5 (100% of these games) — Kavanagh usually continues Bf4 (66.7% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (13 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c6 | 7 | 53.8% | 42.9% |
| c5 | 5 | 38.5% | 50.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 7.7% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (7 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 7 | 100.0% | 57.1% |
James Kavanagh's chess games
All 49 games by James Kavanagh in the Chess.ceo database (Feb 2018 - 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: 21 wins, 13 draws, 15 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 5 | 4/0/1 | 80.0% |
| D00 | London System | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| B35 | Sicilian: Hyperaccelerated Dragon | 3 | 2/1/0 | 66.7% |
| C00 | French Defense | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B52 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| C15 | French: Winawer Variation | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| B04 | Alekhine Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Petrosian Variation | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A15 | Réti Opening | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| A16 | English Opening | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| E16 | Queen's Indian Defense | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| B20 | Sicilian | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| A48 | Indian Defense | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B44 | Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B19 | Caro-Kann: Classical | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2023 | Daniel Mallaghan | 1,967 | Enniscrone Sligo Spring Open | B35 |
| May 2024 | Alex Goss | 1,914 | Dublin Malahide Millennium Open | C06 |
| May 2026 | Darragh Greenan | 1,911 | 35th Drogheda Chess Congress | O'Boyle Championship | C10 |
| May 2024 | Cian Guinan | 1,881 | Dublin Malahide Millennium Open | B06 |
| May 2026 | John Loughran | 1,843 | 35th Drogheda Chess Congress | O'Boyle Championship | D30 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| chT2-BCF U18 1920 (4NCL) online | 2020 | 10 | 9 | 1,790 |
| Dublin Malahide Millennium Open | 2024 | 6 | 2.5 | 1,874 |
| 35th Drogheda Chess Congress | O'Boyle Championship | 2026 | 6 | 4 | 1,974 |
| ch-Dublin Final Weekender 100th | 2021 | 5 | 4 | 1,620 |
| Enniscrone Sligo Spring Open | 2023 | 5 | 2 | 1,982 |
| Dublin St Andrews Open B | 2019 | 5 | 3 | 1,622 |
| Enniscrone Sligo Winter Open | 2024 | 4 | 1.5 | 1,952 |
| ch-IRL U16 | 2019 | 3 | 1 | 1,576 |
Interactive opening tree from all 49 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find James Kavanagh's chess games?
49 games by James Kavanagh, from Feb 2018 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 Kavanagh has played.
What does James Kavanagh play on the first move as White?
Across 26 games with White in our database, James Kavanagh opens with 1.e4 (85% of games), 1.d4 (12% of games), 1.Nf3 (4% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, James Kavanagh answers 1...c6 (54% of games), 1...c5 (38% of games), 1...e6 (8% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (100% of games).
What openings does James Kavanagh play as White?
As White, James Kavanagh's most-played openings in our database are: French: Tarrasch Variation (5 games, 80.0% win rate); London System (3 games, 66.7% win rate); Sicilian: Hyperaccelerated Dragon (3 games, 66.7% win rate). The full breakdown of 26 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does James Kavanagh play as Black?
As Black, James Kavanagh most often plays: Caro-Kann: Advance Variation (3 games, 33.3% win rate); English Opening (2 games, 0.0% win rate); Queen's Indian Defense (2 games, 0.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 23 games.
What is James Kavanagh's FIDE rating?
James Kavanagh is currently rated 1,895 in classical chess, 1,809 in rapid and 1,796 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 1,895 (Aug 2026).
How many games has James Kavanagh played?
Our database contains 49 games by James Kavanagh, covering Feb 2018 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 21 wins, 13 draws, 15 losses (42.9% win rate).
How do I prepare against James Kavanagh?
49 games by James Kavanagh 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.