Prepare against Keith Khumalo
CM · ZAF · World #8,437 classical · FIDE ID 14319470
When preparing against Keith Khumalo, expect 1.d4 in 91% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (77% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (75%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Catalan as Black, 33.3% over 15 games.
Our database contains 857 games by Keith Khumalo, covering May 2015 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Keith Khumalo's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Keith Khumalo 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 | 2,197 | 2,201 | Jun 2026 |
| Rapid | 1,987 | 1,987 | Jul 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,129 | 2,147 | May 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 857 | 385 | 111 | 361 | 44.9% |
| As White | 418 | 202 | 54 | 162 | 48.3% |
| As Black | 439 | 183 | 57 | 199 | 41.7% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Keith Khumalo's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Keith Khumalo's side.
First moves as White (418 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 380 | 90.9% | 55.1% |
| Nf3 | 25 | 6.0% | 46.0% |
| e4 | 11 | 2.6% | 59.1% |
| c4 | 2 | 0.5% | 75.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 91% of White games, 55.1% score
- …Nf6 (61% of these games) — Khumalo usually continues c4 (51.6% score)
- …d5 (27% of these games) — Khumalo usually continues c4 (60.9% score)
- …g6 (3% of these games) — Khumalo usually continues c4 (65.4% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 6% of White games, 46.0% score
- …Nf6 (44% of these games) — Khumalo usually continues g3 (44.4% score)
- …d5 (24% of these games) — Khumalo usually continues g3 (50.0% score)
- …c5 (12% of these games) — Khumalo usually continues g3 (33.3% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (230 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 177 | 77.0% | 53.7% |
| e6 | 49 | 21.3% | 38.8% |
| e5 | 2 | 0.9% | 50.0% |
| c6 | 2 | 0.9% | 25.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (145 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 109 | 75.2% | 54.6% |
| d5 | 32 | 22.1% | 20.3% |
| e6 | 2 | 1.4% | 25.0% |
| c5 | 1 | 0.7% | 100.0% |
Keith Khumalo's chess games
All 857 games by Keith Khumalo in the Chess.ceo database (May 2015 - 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: 385 wins, 111 draws, 361 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E04 | Catalan | 80 | 45/6/29 | 56.3% |
| E70 | King's Indian Defense | 42 | 20/4/18 | 47.6% |
| A41 | Queen's Pawn Game | 37 | 15/5/17 | 40.5% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 31 | 17/2/12 | 54.8% |
| D80 | Grünfeld Defense | 30 | 14/5/11 | 46.7% |
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 28 | 11/6/11 | 39.3% |
| D11 | Slav Defense | 27 | 13/3/11 | 48.1% |
| A50 | Indian Defense | 18 | 9/0/9 | 50.0% |
| A41 | Modern Defense | 15 | 10/1/4 | 66.7% |
| A86 | Dutch Defense | 13 | 7/2/4 | 53.8% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B30 | Sicilian | 60 | 30/5/25 | 50.0% |
| B38 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 28 | 13/6/9 | 46.4% |
| A65 | Benoni Defense | 25 | 11/3/11 | 44.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 23 | 14/1/8 | 60.9% |
| B31 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 22 | 12/3/7 | 54.5% |
| A45 | London System | 21 | 8/2/11 | 38.1% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 18 | 7/4/7 | 38.9% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 17 | 6/4/7 | 35.3% |
| E05 | Catalan | 15 | 5/1/9 | 33.3% |
| A37 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 13 | 5/0/8 | 38.5% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2023 | Fabiano Caruana | 2,794 | Titled Tue Early | A41 |
| May 2022 | Sanan Sjugirov | 2,696 | Titled Tue Late | B24 |
| Mar 2023 | Kirill Alekseenko | 2,686 | Titled Tue Late | D21 |
| Sep 2020 | Pavel Eljanov | 2,672 | Titled Tue | C00 |
| Jan 2025 | Frederik Svane | 2,664 | Titled Tue Early | B31 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2026 | 603 | 310 | 2,345 |
| ch-RSA | 2024 | 22 | 7.5 | 2,060 |
| ch-RSA U16 | 2017 | 19 | 11 | 1,685 |
| South African Open | 2022 | 15 | 9.5 | 1,891 |
| chT-RSA Regions | 2020 | 13 | 6 | 1,755 |
| Sandton SWVG Blitz Open | 2019 | 10 | 7 | 2,262 |
| Johannesburg PSS Prestige Open | 2017 | 10 | 5 | 2,161 |
| ch-RSA Open | 2024 | 10 | 7.5 | 2,161 |
Interactive opening tree from all 857 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Keith Khumalo's chess games?
857 games by Keith Khumalo, from May 2015 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 Keith Khumalo has played.
What does Keith Khumalo play on the first move as White?
Across 418 games with White in our database, Keith Khumalo opens with 1.d4 (91% of games), 1.Nf3 (6% of games), 1.e4 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Keith Khumalo answers 1...c5 (77% of games), 1...e6 (21% of games), 1...e5 (1% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (75% of games), 1...d5 (22% of games), 1...e6 (1% of games).
What openings does Keith Khumalo play as White?
As White, Keith Khumalo's most-played openings in our database are: Catalan (80 games, 56.3% win rate); King's Indian Defense (42 games, 47.6% win rate); Queen's Pawn Game (37 games, 40.5% win rate). The full breakdown of 418 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Keith Khumalo play as Black?
As Black, Keith Khumalo most often plays: Sicilian (60 games, 50.0% win rate); Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon (28 games, 46.4% win rate); Benoni Defense (25 games, 44.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 439 games.
What is Keith Khumalo's FIDE rating?
Keith Khumalo is currently rated 2,197 in classical chess, 1,987 in rapid and 2,129 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,201 (Jun 2026).
How many games has Keith Khumalo played?
Our database contains 857 games by Keith Khumalo, covering May 2015 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 385 wins, 111 draws, 361 losses (44.9% win rate).
How do I prepare against Keith Khumalo?
857 games by Keith Khumalo 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.