Prepare against James Naughton
Ireland · World #13,086 classical · FIDE ID 2509199
When preparing against James Naughton, expect 1.e4 in 73% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (50% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (71%).
Our database contains 33 games by James Naughton, covering Nov 2016 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find James Naughton's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout James Naughton 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 | 2,128 | 2,128 | Sep 2026 |
| Rapid | 2,045 | 2,080 | Sep 2024 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 33 | 16 | 12 | 5 | 48.5% |
| As White | 15 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 60.0% |
| As Black | 18 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 38.9% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of James Naughton's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from James Naughton's side.
First moves as White (15 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 11 | 73.3% | 81.8% |
| d4 | 4 | 26.7% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 73% of White games, 81.8% score
- …d5 (27% of these games) — Naughton usually continues exd5 (50.0% score)
- …c5 (27% of these games) — Naughton usually continues Nf3 (100.0% score)
- …e5 (18% of these games) — Naughton usually continues Nc3 (100.0% score)
- 1.d4 — 27% of White games, 50.0% score
- …Nf6 (100% of these games) — Naughton usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (10 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 5 | 50.0% | 70.0% |
| c5 | 5 | 50.0% | 30.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (7 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 5 | 71.4% | 80.0% |
| d5 | 2 | 28.6% | 75.0% |
James Naughton's chess games
All 33 games by James Naughton in the Chess.ceo database (Nov 2016 - Sep 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: 16 wins, 12 draws, 5 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| D35 | Indian Defense | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| D92 | Grünfeld Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| C50 | Italian Game | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| E38 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| B00 | Owen Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B44 | Sicilian | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B76 | Sicilian: Dragon | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C67 | Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense | 3 | 0/3/0 | 0.0% |
| C44 | Scotch Game | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| D12 | Slav Defense | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| D02 | London System | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| B42 | Sicilian | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| B27 | Sicilian: Hyperaccelerated Dragon | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B31 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B21 | Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| D00 | Trompowsky Attack | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | Vojtech Plat | 2,483 | Wroclaw Festival Open A | C45 |
| Feb 2023 | Andrei Rakhmangulov | 2,293 | Enniscrone Sligo Spring Open | D00 |
| Jul 2020 | Aditya Verma | 2,169 | Glorney Cup | B76 |
| Aug 2026 | Yacine Zounani | 2,161 | Wroclaw Festival Open A | D92 |
| Feb 2024 | Ben Sheahan | 2,025 | Enniscrone Sligo Winter Open | D38 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wroclaw Festival Open A | 2026 | 9 | 5.5 | 2,296 |
| Enniscrone Sligo Winter Open | 2024 | 5 | 4 | 2,217 |
| Robinson Cup U14 | 2017 | 5 | 4.5 | 1,893 |
| Daventry Stokes Cup U12 | 2016 | 5 | 2.5 | 1,653 |
| Glorney Cup | 2020 | 4 | 3 | 2,116 |
| Enniscrone Sligo Spring Open | 2023 | 4 | 2 | 2,168 |
| Dublin Bolger Cup | 2023 | 1 | 0.5 | 2,326 |
Interactive opening tree from all 33 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find James Naughton's chess games?
33 games by James Naughton, from Nov 2016 to Sep 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 Naughton has played.
What does James Naughton play on the first move as White?
Across 15 games with White in our database, James Naughton opens with 1.e4 (73% of games), 1.d4 (27% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, James Naughton answers 1...e5 (50% of games), 1...c5 (50% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (71% of games), 1...d5 (29% of games).
What openings does James Naughton play as White?
As White, James Naughton's most-played openings in our database are: Scandinavian Defense: Main Line (2 games, 0.0% win rate); Indian Defense (2 games, 0.0% win rate); Grünfeld Defense (1 games, 100.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 15 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does James Naughton play as Black?
As Black, James Naughton most often plays: Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense (3 games, 0.0% win rate); Scotch Game (2 games, 100.0% win rate); Slav Defense (2 games, 50.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 18 games.
What is James Naughton's FIDE rating?
James Naughton is currently rated 2,128 in classical chess, 2,045 in rapid. Peak classical rating: 2,128 (Sep 2026).
How many games has James Naughton played?
Our database contains 33 games by James Naughton, covering Nov 2016 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 16 wins, 12 draws, 5 losses (48.5% win rate).
How do I prepare against James Naughton?
33 games by James Naughton 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.