Prepare against Kenneth Hobson
FM · United Kingdom · World #6,125 classical · FIDE ID 480819
When preparing against Kenneth Hobson, expect 1.e4 in 97% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (87% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (92%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense as Black, 25.0% over 20 games.
Our database contains 435 games by Kenneth Hobson, covering Mar 2019 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Kenneth Hobson's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Kenneth Hobson 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 | 2,244 | 2,365 | May 2025 |
| Rapid | 2,092 | 2,136 | Jul 2025 |
| Blitz | 2,029 | 2,034 | Aug 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 435 | 191 | 87 | 157 | 43.9% |
| As White | 215 | 96 | 46 | 73 | 44.7% |
| As Black | 220 | 95 | 41 | 84 | 43.2% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Kenneth Hobson's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Kenneth Hobson's side.
First moves as White (215 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 208 | 96.7% | 55.5% |
| d4 | 5 | 2.3% | 40.0% |
| Nf3 | 2 | 0.9% | 75.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 97% of White games, 55.5% score
- …c5 (46% of these games) — Hobson usually continues Nf3 (48.0% score)
- …e6 (15% of these games) — Hobson usually continues d4 (56.9% score)
- …e5 (15% of these games) — Hobson usually continues Nf3 (76.7% score)
- 1.d4 — 2% of White games, 40.0% score
- …Nf6 (60% of these games) — Hobson usually continues Nf3 (25.0% score)
- …d5 (40% of these games) — Hobson usually continues Nc3 (0.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (100 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 87 | 87.0% | 59.2% |
| c5 | 4 | 4.0% | 50.0% |
| Nc6 | 4 | 4.0% | 12.5% |
| d6 | 3 | 3.0% | 83.3% |
| c6 | 2 | 2.0% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (72 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 66 | 91.7% | 55.3% |
| d5 | 4 | 5.6% | 25.0% |
Kenneth Hobson's chess games
All 435 games by Kenneth Hobson in the Chess.ceo database (Mar 2019 - 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: 191 wins, 87 draws, 157 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 26 | 8/11/7 | 30.8% |
| B21 | Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit | 22 | 9/1/12 | 40.9% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 21 | 6/7/8 | 28.6% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 14 | 9/3/2 | 64.3% |
| B30 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 12 | 4/3/5 | 33.3% |
| B10 | Caro-Kann | 10 | 4/3/3 | 40.0% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 10 | 4/0/6 | 40.0% |
| C11 | French: Classical Variation | 10 | 5/3/2 | 50.0% |
| C48 | Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation | 8 | 6/1/1 | 75.0% |
| C55 | Italian Game | 7 | 6/0/1 | 85.7% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C55 | Italian Game | 27 | 18/4/5 | 66.7% |
| C78 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 20 | 5/8/7 | 25.0% |
| E11 | Catalan | 17 | 6/3/8 | 35.3% |
| D38 | Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense | 14 | 10/1/3 | 71.4% |
| A13 | English Opening | 12 | 4/1/7 | 33.3% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 12 | 4/2/6 | 33.3% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 10 | 3/2/5 | 30.0% |
| E52 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 9 | 4/2/3 | 44.4% |
| C63 | Ruy Lopez: Schliemann | 8 | 4/2/2 | 50.0% |
| E18 | Queen's Indian Defense | 7 | 2/0/5 | 28.6% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2025 | Eldar Gasanov | 2,471 | V Mindsports Int Open | E30 |
| Mar 2024 | Jan Malek | 2,447 | Titled Tue Early | B15 |
| Aug 2026 | Neil McDonald | 2,399 | 2026 British Chess Championships: Championship | C20 |
| Aug 2026 | Kanyamarala,Tarun | 2,398 | 112th ch-GBR 2026 | B13 |
| Apr 2025 | Tom O`Gorman | 2,391 | Southend Masters IM | D02 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2025 | 88 | 27 | 2,038 |
| ch-EU Schools U13 | 2022 | 23 | 13 | 1,662 |
| chT1-BCF U18 1920 (4NCL) online | 2020 | 16 | 13.5 | 1,877 |
| 4NCL Div 2 2024-25 | 2025 | 10 | 7.5 | 2,376 |
| Wch U14 | 2023 | 10 | 5.5 | 2,157 |
| World Cup U12 Prel | 2021 | 10 | 5.5 | 1,795 |
| World ol U16 | 2023 | 9 | 4 | 2,040 |
| V Mindsports Int Open | 2025 | 9 | 5 | 2,262 |
Interactive opening tree from all 435 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Kenneth Hobson's chess games?
435 games by Kenneth Hobson, from Mar 2019 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 Kenneth Hobson has played.
What does Kenneth Hobson play on the first move as White?
Across 215 games with White in our database, Kenneth Hobson opens with 1.e4 (97% of games), 1.d4 (2% of games), 1.Nf3 (1% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Kenneth Hobson answers 1...e5 (87% of games), 1...c5 (4% of games), 1...Nc6 (4% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (92% of games), 1...d5 (6% of games).
What openings does Kenneth Hobson play as White?
As White, Kenneth Hobson's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian: Moscow Variation (26 games, 30.8% win rate); Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit (22 games, 40.9% win rate); Sicilian (21 games, 28.6% win rate). The full breakdown of 215 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Kenneth Hobson play as Black?
As Black, Kenneth Hobson most often plays: Italian Game (27 games, 66.7% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense (20 games, 25.0% win rate); Catalan (17 games, 35.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 220 games.
What is Kenneth Hobson's FIDE rating?
Kenneth Hobson is currently rated 2,244 in classical chess, 2,092 in rapid and 2,029 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,365 (May 2025).
How many games has Kenneth Hobson played?
Our database contains 435 games by Kenneth Hobson, covering Mar 2019 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 191 wins, 87 draws, 157 losses (43.9% win rate).
How do I prepare against Kenneth Hobson?
435 games by Kenneth Hobson 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.