Prepare against Joe Varley
United Kingdom · World #23,326 classical · FIDE ID 461962
Our database contains 183 games by Joe Varley, covering Dec 2018 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Joe Varley's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Joe Varley 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 | 2,030 | 2,058 | Aug 2025 |
| Rapid | 1,868 | 1,868 | Jul 2026 |
| Blitz | 1,884 | 1,884 | Jul 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 183 | 75 | 35 | 73 | 41.0% |
| As White | 89 | 40 | 15 | 34 | 44.9% |
| As Black | 94 | 35 | 20 | 39 | 37.2% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Joe Varley's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Joe Varley's side.
First moves as White (89 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 88 | 98.9% | 52.8% |
| d4 | 1 | 1.1% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 99% of White games, 52.8% score
- …c5 (41% of these games) — Varley usually continues Nf3 (47.2% score)
- …e5 (15% of these games) — Varley usually continues Nf3 (61.5% score)
- …c6 (15% of these games) — Varley usually continues d4 (62.5% score)
- 1.d4 — 1% of White games, 100.0% score
- …Nf6 (100% of these games) — Varley usually continues c4 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (40 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 22 | 55.0% | 61.4% |
| e5 | 18 | 45.0% | 47.2% |
As Black against 1.d4 (40 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 39 | 97.5% | 43.6% |
Joe Varley's chess games
All 183 games by Joe Varley in the Chess.ceo database (Dec 2018 - 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: 75 wins, 35 draws, 73 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B50 | Sicilian | 25 | 11/4/10 | 44.0% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 11 | 7/0/4 | 63.6% |
| C77 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 7 | 5/1/1 | 71.4% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Fantasy Variation | 6 | 3/1/2 | 50.0% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 5 | 2/2/1 | 40.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 4 | 1/2/1 | 25.0% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 18 | 5/5/8 | 27.8% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 8 | 4/1/3 | 50.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 6 | 2/3/1 | 33.3% |
| C77 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 4 | 3/0/1 | 75.0% |
| B45 | Sicilian: Four Knights | 4 | 3/0/1 | 75.0% |
| A48 | Indian Defense | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
| A45 | Trompowsky Attack | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
| C91 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| A05 | Réti Opening: Symmetrical Defense | 3 | 2/1/0 | 66.7% |
| A31 | English Opening | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2023 | Andrew Burnett | 2,247 | 29th Harrogate 4NCL Open A | D90 |
| Jul 2025 | Shlok Verma | 2,169 | English Open | D80 |
| Jun 2025 | Martin Mitchell | 2,139 | 8th Crewe Congress | B07 |
| Jan 2023 | Lorenzo Fava | 2,111 | 29th Harrogate 4NCL Open A | B08 |
| Jul 2025 | Liu,Tianyi (Jack) | 2,111 | English Open | B40 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| chT1-BCF U18 1920 (4NCL) online | 2020 | 14 | 9 | 1,891 |
| Hull 4NCL Open | 2024 | 13 | 5.5 | 1,938 |
| chT3E-BCF 2224 (4NCL) | 2024 | 9 | 6 | 2,207 |
| chT3E-BCF 2223 (4NCL) | 2023 | 8 | 4.5 | 2,047 |
| English Open | 2025 | 7 | 4 | 2,140 |
| chT3-BCF 1920 (4NCL) online | 2020 | 7 | 6.5 | 2,114 |
| Peterborough 4NCL Easter Open A | 2024 | 7 | 3 | 1,831 |
| ch-BCF Major | 2024 | 7 | 3 | 1,812 |
Interactive opening tree from all 183 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Joe Varley's chess games?
183 games by Joe Varley, from Dec 2018 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 Joe Varley has played.
What does Joe Varley play on the first move as White?
Across 89 games with White in our database, Joe Varley opens with 1.e4 (99% of games), 1.d4 (1% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Joe Varley answers 1...c5 (55% of games), 1...e5 (45% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (98% of games).
What openings does Joe Varley play as White?
As White, Joe Varley's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (25 games, 44.0% win rate); French: Tarrasch Variation (11 games, 63.6% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense (7 games, 71.4% win rate). The full breakdown of 89 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Joe Varley play as Black?
As Black, Joe Varley most often plays: Grünfeld Defense (18 games, 27.8% win rate); Sicilian (8 games, 50.0% win rate); Sicilian: Closed (6 games, 33.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 94 games.
What is Joe Varley's FIDE rating?
Joe Varley is currently rated 2,030 in classical chess, 1,868 in rapid and 1,884 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,058 (Aug 2025).
How many games has Joe Varley played?
Our database contains 183 games by Joe Varley, covering Dec 2018 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 75 wins, 35 draws, 73 losses (41.0% win rate).
How do I prepare against Joe Varley?
183 games by Joe Varley 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.