Prepare against Jan Ristoja
FM · Finland · World #9,257 classical · FIDE ID 503673
When preparing against Jan Ristoja, expect 1.e4 in 34% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (44% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d6 (44%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Indian Defense as White, 5.9% over 17 games.
Our database contains 450 games by Jan Ristoja, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Jan Ristoja's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Jan Ristoja 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 | 2,181 | 2,341 | Jul 2004 |
| Rapid | 2,148 | 2,310 | Apr 2018 |
| Blitz | 2,233 | 2,292 | Dec 2016 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 450 | 170 | 161 | 119 | 37.8% |
| As White | 223 | 86 | 78 | 59 | 38.6% |
| As Black | 227 | 84 | 83 | 60 | 37.0% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Jan Ristoja's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Jan Ristoja's side.
First moves as White (223 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 75 | 33.6% | 46.0% |
| d4 | 67 | 30.0% | 55.2% |
| c4 | 64 | 28.7% | 65.6% |
| Nf3 | 7 | 3.1% | 71.4% |
| f4 | 5 | 2.2% | 50.0% |
| g3 | 4 | 1.8% | 75.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 34% of White games, 46.0% score
- …c5 (36% of these games) — Ristoja usually continues Nc3 (39.5% score)
- …e5 (25% of these games) — Ristoja usually continues Nf3 (56.7% score)
- …e6 (11% of these games) — Ristoja usually continues Qe2 (25.0% score)
- 1.d4 — 30% of White games, 55.2% score
- …Nf6 (49% of these games) — Ristoja usually continues Nf3 (47.1% score)
- …d5 (36% of these games) — Ristoja usually continues Nf3 (52.5% score)
- …e6 (6% of these games) — Ristoja usually continues Nf3 (62.5% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (95 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 42 | 44.2% | 48.8% |
| g6 | 30 | 31.6% | 56.7% |
| d6 | 15 | 15.8% | 56.7% |
| d5 | 3 | 3.2% | 50.0% |
| e6 | 3 | 3.2% | 66.7% |
| Nc6 | 1 | 1.1% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (93 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d6 | 41 | 44.1% | 54.9% |
| Nf6 | 40 | 43.0% | 46.3% |
| c5 | 5 | 5.4% | 60.0% |
| g6 | 5 | 5.4% | 80.0% |
| d5 | 2 | 2.2% | 50.0% |
Jan Ristoja's chess games
All 450 games by Jan Ristoja 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: 170 wins, 161 draws, 119 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A26 | English Opening | 22 | 11/8/3 | 50.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 19 | 5/5/9 | 26.3% |
| A25 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 18 | 10/5/3 | 55.6% |
| D05 | Indian Defense | 17 | 1/14/2 | 5.9% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 16 | 6/8/2 | 37.5% |
| A11 | English Opening: Slav Setup | 10 | 4/4/2 | 40.0% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 8 | 3/2/3 | 37.5% |
| A14 | English Opening: Neo-Catalan | 8 | 3/4/1 | 37.5% |
| A37 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 5 | 2/3/0 | 40.0% |
| D03 | Torre Attack | 5 | 3/0/2 | 60.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B06 | Modern Defense | 37 | 14/15/8 | 37.8% |
| A41 | Rat Defense | 22 | 6/10/6 | 27.3% |
| B06 | Pirc Defense | 18 | 7/7/4 | 38.9% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 14 | 5/6/3 | 35.7% |
| E90 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 13 | 5/2/6 | 38.5% |
| C41 | Philidor | 10 | 2/5/3 | 20.0% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | 10 | 1/5/4 | 10.0% |
| E61 | English Opening | 9 | 5/3/1 | 55.6% |
| E81 | King's Indian: Sämisch | 8 | 4/3/1 | 50.0% |
| B48 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 6 | 3/1/2 | 50.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2000 | Mikael Nouro | 2,390 | chT-FIN 0001 | B07 |
| Nov 2001 | Jarkko Penttinen | 2,379 | chT-FIN 0102 | C41 |
| Jul 2006 | Petri Kekki | 2,370 | 16th Heart of Finland Open | A16 |
| Sep 2013 | Janne Mertanen | 2,358 | chT-FIN 1314 | A41 |
| Oct 2002 | Risto Nevanlinna | 2,351 | chT-FIN 0203 | C86 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-FIN U18 | 1993 | 18 | 12 | – |
| chT-FIN 2324 | 2024 | 11 | 4.5 | 2,196 |
| ch-Helsinki | 1997 | 11 | 4.5 | 2,007 |
| FIN Team Cup | 2013 | 10 | 6 | 2,278 |
| Hameenlinna We HamSK | 2013 | 10 | 7.5 | 2,336 |
| chT-FIN | 1994 | 10 | 5 | 2,275 |
| chT-FIN 2022 | 2022 | 9 | 4 | 2,168 |
| chT-FIN 0910 | 2010 | 9 | 2 | 2,121 |
Interactive opening tree from all 450 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Jan Ristoja's chess games?
450 games by Jan Ristoja, 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 Jan Ristoja has played.
What does Jan Ristoja play on the first move as White?
Across 223 games with White in our database, Jan Ristoja opens with 1.e4 (34% of games), 1.d4 (30% of games), 1.c4 (29% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Jan Ristoja answers 1...c5 (44% of games), 1...g6 (32% of games), 1...d6 (16% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d6 (44% of games), 1...Nf6 (43% of games), 1...c5 (5% of games).
What openings does Jan Ristoja play as White?
As White, Jan Ristoja's most-played openings in our database are: English Opening (22 games, 50.0% win rate); Sicilian: Closed (19 games, 26.3% win rate); English Opening: Reverse Sicilian (18 games, 55.6% win rate). The full breakdown of 223 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Jan Ristoja play as Black?
As Black, Jan Ristoja most often plays: Modern Defense (37 games, 37.8% win rate); Rat Defense (22 games, 27.3% win rate); Pirc Defense (18 games, 38.9% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 227 games.
What is Jan Ristoja's FIDE rating?
Jan Ristoja is currently rated 2,181 in classical chess, 2,148 in rapid and 2,233 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,341 (Jul 2004).
How many games has Jan Ristoja played?
Our database contains 450 games by Jan Ristoja, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 170 wins, 161 draws, 119 losses (37.8% win rate).
How do I prepare against Jan Ristoja?
450 games by Jan Ristoja 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.