Prepare against John Costello
IOM · World #66,757 classical · FIDE ID 451819
When preparing against John Costello, expect 1.d4 in 100% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...d5 (79% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (80%).
Our database contains 46 games by John Costello, covering Nov 2016 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find John Costello's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout John Costello 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 | 1,832 | 1,832 | Sep 2026 |
| Rapid | 1,820 | 1,820 | Sep 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 46 | 12 | 11 | 23 | 26.1% |
| As White | 23 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 21.7% |
| As Black | 23 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 30.4% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of John Costello's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from John Costello's side.
First moves as White (23 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 23 | 100.0% | 37.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 100% of White games, 37.0% score
- …Nf6 (43% of these games) — Costello usually continues c4 (21.4% score)
- …d5 (35% of these games) — Costello usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
- …e6 (13% of these games) — Costello usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (14 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 11 | 78.6% | 36.4% |
| d6 | 3 | 21.4% | 33.3% |
As Black against 1.d4 (5 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 4 | 80.0% | 25.0% |
| Nf6 | 1 | 20.0% | 100.0% |
John Costello's chess games
All 46 games by John Costello 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: 12 wins, 11 draws, 23 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E73 | King's Indian Defense: Averbakh System | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| D13 | Slav Defense | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| D08 | Albin Countergambit | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| E12 | Nimzo-Indian Defense | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| D34 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| D31 | Semi-Slav Defense | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| A96 | Dutch Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| E60 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| A42 | Modern Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| D30 | Queen's Pawn Game | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 9 | 3/1/5 | 33.3% |
| B00 | Pirc Defense | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| E04 | Catalan | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| A16 | English Opening | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| D96 | Grünfeld Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| D36 | Indian Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| A03 | Bird's opening | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| A06 | Nimzo-Larsen Attack | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B01 | Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B13 | Queen's Pawn Game | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2023 | Keith Allen | 2,128 | Douglas Major & Minor Open | D34 |
| Mar 2017 | Raymond Carpenter | 1,990 | chT3N-BCF 1617 (4NCL) | B01 |
| Mar 2018 | Natasha K Regan | 1,987 | chT2a-BCF 1718 (4NCL) | E73 |
| Jan 2020 | Tim Hilton | 1,975 | chT3N-BCF 1920 (4NCL) | A96 |
| Oct 2016 | Zia Mehmet | 1,818 | Douglas IoM Major Open | D13 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 2026 | Open | Matches 1-12 | 2026 | 9 | 2.5 | 1,748 |
| Douglas Major & Minor Open | 2023 | 7 | 3 | 1,804 |
| chT3N-BCF 1819 (4NCL) | 2019 | 6 | 1.5 | 1,719 |
| Douglas IoM Major Open | 2016 | 6 | 2 | 1,754 |
| chT3N-BCF 1617 (4NCL) | 2017 | 5 | 2.5 | 1,911 |
| chT3N-BCF 1920 (4NCL) | 2020 | 5 | 4 | 2,046 |
| chT2a-BCF 1718 (4NCL) | 2018 | 3 | 1 | 1,885 |
| chT-BCF 3Nd 1516 (4NCL) | 2016 | 3 | 0 | 1,466 |
Interactive opening tree from all 46 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find John Costello's chess games?
46 games by John Costello, 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 John Costello has played.
What does John Costello play on the first move as White?
Across 23 games with White in our database, John Costello opens with 1.d4 (100% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, John Costello answers 1...d5 (79% of games), 1...d6 (21% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (80% of games), 1...Nf6 (20% of games).
What openings does John Costello play as White?
As White, John Costello's most-played openings in our database are: King's Indian Defense: Averbakh System (3 games, 33.3% win rate); Slav Defense (3 games, 33.3% win rate); Albin Countergambit (2 games, 0.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 23 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does John Costello play as Black?
As Black, John Costello most often plays: Scandinavian Defense: Main Line (9 games, 33.3% win rate); Pirc Defense (3 games, 33.3% win rate); Catalan (1 games, 0.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 23 games.
What is John Costello's FIDE rating?
John Costello is currently rated 1,832 in classical chess, 1,820 in rapid. Peak classical rating: 1,832 (Sep 2026).
How many games has John Costello played?
Our database contains 46 games by John Costello, covering Nov 2016 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 12 wins, 11 draws, 23 losses (26.1% win rate).
How do I prepare against John Costello?
46 games by John Costello 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.