Prepare against John Stark
CM · New Zealand · World #23,786 classical · FIDE ID 4300963
When preparing against John Stark, expect 1.c4 in 31% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e6 (78% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (88%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Queen's Indian Defense as Black, 12.5% over 24 games.
Our database contains 479 games by John Stark, covering Jan 2004 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find John Stark's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout John Stark 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 | 2,027 | 2,207 | Jan 2016 |
| Rapid | 2,011 | 2,150 | Jan 2016 |
| Blitz | 2,045 | 2,210 | Sep 2015 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 479 | 170 | 106 | 203 | 35.5% |
| As White | 240 | 94 | 61 | 85 | 39.2% |
| As Black | 239 | 76 | 45 | 118 | 31.8% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of John Stark's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from John Stark's side.
First moves as White (240 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c4 | 75 | 31.3% | 48.0% |
| d4 | 73 | 30.4% | 52.1% |
| Nf3 | 53 | 22.1% | 48.1% |
| e4 | 26 | 10.8% | 71.2% |
| b3 | 11 | 4.6% | 59.1% |
| e3 | 1 | 0.4% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.c4 — 31% of White games, 48.0% score
- …e5 (29% of these games) — Stark usually continues Nc3 (52.9% score)
- …Nf6 (20% of these games) — Stark usually continues g3 (56.3% score)
- …c6 (13% of these games) — Stark usually continues Nf3 (66.7% score)
- 1.d4 — 30% of White games, 52.1% score
- …Nf6 (49% of these games) — Stark usually continues c4 (66.7% score)
- …d5 (29% of these games) — Stark usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
- …e6 (8% of these games) — Stark usually continues g3 (33.3% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (102 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 80 | 78.4% | 40.0% |
| c6 | 17 | 16.7% | 61.8% |
| c5 | 3 | 2.9% | 100.0% |
| e5 | 1 | 1.0% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (78 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 69 | 88.5% | 45.7% |
| e6 | 6 | 7.7% | 25.0% |
| d5 | 2 | 2.6% | 100.0% |
| c6 | 1 | 1.3% | 50.0% |
John Stark's chess games
All 479 games by John Stark in the Chess.ceo database (Jan 2004 - 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: 170 wins, 106 draws, 203 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A46 | Indian Defense | 25 | 12/4/9 | 48.0% |
| A10 | English Opening | 25 | 10/5/10 | 40.0% |
| A21 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 24 | 10/2/12 | 41.7% |
| D46 | Slav Defense | 19 | 8/5/6 | 42.1% |
| A04 | Réti Opening | 14 | 3/9/2 | 21.4% |
| A01 | Nimzovich-Larsen attack | 11 | 6/1/4 | 54.5% |
| A37 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 9 | 2/3/4 | 22.2% |
| A04 | Modern Defense | 8 | 3/3/2 | 37.5% |
| A42 | Queen's Pawn Game | 7 | 2/3/2 | 28.6% |
| A67 | Benoni Defense | 6 | 2/2/2 | 33.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 24 | 3/6/15 | 12.5% |
| C11 | French: Classical Variation | 23 | 5/3/15 | 21.7% |
| A21 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 16 | 4/4/8 | 25.0% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 15 | 4/2/9 | 26.7% |
| E40 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 12 | 6/2/4 | 50.0% |
| C01 | French: Exchange Variation | 11 | 3/4/4 | 27.3% |
| E05 | Catalan | 11 | 3/3/5 | 27.3% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 11 | 3/4/4 | 27.3% |
| E17 | English Opening | 10 | 2/1/7 | 20.0% |
| C00 | French Defense | 9 | 4/1/4 | 44.4% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2014 | Nigel D Short | 2,674 | Short Simul | E48 |
| Oct 2015 | Margeir Petursson | 2,520 | Wch Rapid | D04 |
| Apr 2023 | Mika Karttunen | 2,490 | Titled Tue Late | A67 |
| Oct 2023 | Zbigniew Pakleza | 2,482 | Titled Tue Late | A47 |
| Jul 2010 | Stephen J Solomon | 2,423 | George Trundle IM | E25 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2024 | 111 | 41 | 2,180 |
| ch-North Island | 2021 | 24 | 16 | 2,111 |
| 9th Wch Blitz | 2015 | 21 | 4 | 2,123 |
| Auckland Open | 2004 | 18 | 9 | 2,199 |
| George Trundle IM | 2013 | 18 | 6.5 | 2,187 |
| Wch Rapid | 2015 | 15 | 4 | 2,238 |
| Auckland Morrison Memorial | 2013 | 12 | 8.5 | 2,201 |
| ch-NZL 112th | 2005 | 11 | 4.5 | 2,174 |
Interactive opening tree from all 479 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find John Stark's chess games?
479 games by John Stark, from Jan 2004 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 John Stark has played.
What does John Stark play on the first move as White?
Across 240 games with White in our database, John Stark opens with 1.c4 (31% of games), 1.d4 (30% of games), 1.Nf3 (22% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, John Stark answers 1...e6 (78% of games), 1...c6 (17% of games), 1...c5 (3% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (88% of games), 1...e6 (8% of games), 1...d5 (3% of games).
What openings does John Stark play as White?
As White, John Stark's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (25 games, 48.0% win rate); English Opening (25 games, 40.0% win rate); English Opening: Reverse Sicilian (24 games, 41.7% win rate). The full breakdown of 240 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does John Stark play as Black?
As Black, John Stark most often plays: Queen's Indian Defense (24 games, 12.5% win rate); French: Classical Variation (23 games, 21.7% win rate); English Opening: Reverse Sicilian (16 games, 25.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 239 games.
What is John Stark's FIDE rating?
John Stark is currently rated 2,027 in classical chess, 2,011 in rapid and 2,045 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,207 (Jan 2016).
How many games has John Stark played?
Our database contains 479 games by John Stark, covering Jan 2004 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 170 wins, 106 draws, 203 losses (35.5% win rate).
How do I prepare against John Stark?
479 games by John Stark 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.