Prepare against Jouni Yrjola
GM · Finland · World #4,538 classical · FIDE ID 500011
When preparing against Jouni Yrjola, expect 1.d4 in 86% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (82% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (45%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Indian Defense as Black, 12.0% over 25 games.
Our database contains 1,295 games by Jouni Yrjola, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Jouni Yrjola's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Jouni Yrjola 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 | 2,286 | 2,425 | Apr 2004 |
| Rapid | 2,273 | 2,278 | Jun 2022 |
| Blitz | 2,233 | 2,278 | Jun 2022 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,295 | 490 | 569 | 236 | 37.8% |
| As White | 667 | 275 | 297 | 95 | 41.2% |
| As Black | 628 | 215 | 272 | 141 | 34.2% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Jouni Yrjola's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Jouni Yrjola's side.
First moves as White (667 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 576 | 86.4% | 64.1% |
| c4 | 51 | 7.6% | 67.6% |
| e4 | 17 | 2.5% | 55.9% |
| Nf3 | 15 | 2.2% | 43.3% |
| g3 | 6 | 0.9% | 41.7% |
| f4 | 2 | 0.3% | 75.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 86% of White games, 64.1% score
- …Nf6 (61% of these games) — Yrjola usually continues c4 (63.7% score)
- …d5 (24% of these games) — Yrjola usually continues c4 (61.4% score)
- …e6 (7% of these games) — Yrjola usually continues c4 (64.7% score)
- 1.c4 — 8% of White games, 67.6% score
- …Nf6 (39% of these games) — Yrjola usually continues Nc3 (64.7% score)
- …e6 (22% of these games) — Yrjola usually continues Nc3 (66.7% score)
- …e5 (14% of these games) — Yrjola usually continues Nc3 (62.5% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (273 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 225 | 82.4% | 57.6% |
| g6 | 24 | 8.8% | 54.2% |
| d6 | 23 | 8.4% | 54.3% |
| Nf6 | 1 | 0.4% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (222 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 100 | 45.0% | 52.5% |
| d6 | 60 | 27.0% | 53.3% |
| f5 | 46 | 20.7% | 57.6% |
| g6 | 11 | 5.0% | 63.6% |
| d5 | 5 | 2.3% | 20.0% |
Jouni Yrjola's chess games
All 1,295 games by Jouni Yrjola 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: 490 wins, 569 draws, 236 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D37 | Indian Defense | 90 | 31/48/11 | 34.4% |
| D46 | Slav Defense | 73 | 34/29/10 | 46.6% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 70 | 47/16/7 | 67.1% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 45 | 16/18/11 | 35.6% |
| E32 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 40 | 7/27/6 | 17.5% |
| E69 | King's Indian Defense | 36 | 14/20/2 | 38.9% |
| D24 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 30 | 11/13/6 | 36.7% |
| E91 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 25 | 14/10/1 | 56.0% |
| A16 | English Opening | 20 | 7/9/4 | 35.0% |
| E11 | Bogo-Indian Defense | 18 | 5/12/1 | 27.8% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B66 | Sicilian | 110 | 49/41/20 | 44.5% |
| A87 | Dutch Defense | 54 | 22/18/14 | 40.7% |
| B07 | Modern Defense | 51 | 18/26/7 | 35.3% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 34 | 11/14/9 | 32.4% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 29 | 10/8/11 | 34.5% |
| D76 | Indian Defense | 25 | 3/16/6 | 12.0% |
| A41 | Rat Defense | 25 | 6/12/7 | 24.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 24 | 6/12/6 | 25.0% |
| A21 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 20 | 4/11/5 | 20.0% |
| B93 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 20 | 12/5/3 | 60.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1991 | Ulf Andersson | 2,625 | FIN-SWE | A26 |
| Jan 1989 | Bent Larsen | 2,580 | Holstebro Playoff | E90 |
| Dec 1999 | Zlatko Ilincic | 2,577 | 12th chT-EU | E94 |
| Nov 1992 | Andrei Kovalev | 2,570 | 10th EU-chT | E63 |
| Oct 1984 | Efim Geller | 2,560 | Chigorin Memorial-18 | B73 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-FIN | 1996 | 78 | 50.5 | 2,442 |
| chT-FIN | 1995 | 53 | 33 | 2,445 |
| Helsinki | 1995 | 49 | 30.5 | 2,521 |
| Helsinki Open | 2000 | 26 | 15.5 | 2,450 |
| Norrkoeping Easter Open | 2010 | 14 | 11 | 2,451 |
| Chigorin Memorial-18 | 1984 | 14 | 8 | 2,560 |
| Keres Memorial-05 | 1985 | 14 | 5.5 | 2,394 |
| Espoo zt | 1989 | 13 | 8.5 | 2,639 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Heikki M.J. Westerinen (18 games) · Joose Norri (15 games) · Kalle Kiik (10 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 1,295 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Jouni Yrjola's chess games?
1,295 games by Jouni Yrjola, 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 Jouni Yrjola has played.
What does Jouni Yrjola play on the first move as White?
Across 667 games with White in our database, Jouni Yrjola opens with 1.d4 (86% of games), 1.c4 (8% of games), 1.e4 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Jouni Yrjola answers 1...c5 (82% of games), 1...g6 (9% of games), 1...d6 (8% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (45% of games), 1...d6 (27% of games), 1...f5 (21% of games).
What openings does Jouni Yrjola play as White?
As White, Jouni Yrjola's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (90 games, 34.4% win rate); Slav Defense (73 games, 46.6% win rate); Benoni Defense (70 games, 67.1% win rate). The full breakdown of 667 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Jouni Yrjola play as Black?
As Black, Jouni Yrjola most often plays: Sicilian (110 games, 44.5% win rate); Dutch Defense (54 games, 40.7% win rate); Modern Defense (51 games, 35.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 628 games.
What is Jouni Yrjola's FIDE rating?
Jouni Yrjola is currently rated 2,286 in classical chess, 2,273 in rapid and 2,233 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,425 (Apr 2004).
How many games has Jouni Yrjola played?
Our database contains 1,295 games by Jouni Yrjola, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 490 wins, 569 draws, 236 losses (37.8% win rate).
How do I prepare against Jouni Yrjola?
1,295 games by Jouni Yrjola 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.