Prepare against Lars Karlsson
GM · Sweden · World #1,412 classical · FIDE ID 1700057
When preparing against Lars Karlsson, expect 1.Nf3 in 33% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e6 (44% of games); against 1.d4, 1...e6 (42%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: French: Tarrasch Variation as Black, 31.7% over 60 games.
Our database contains 1,809 games by Lars Karlsson, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Lars Karlsson's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Lars Karlsson 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 | 2,416 | 2,509 | Jan 2006 |
| Rapid | 2,470 | 2,491 | Sep 2022 |
| Blitz | 2,321 | 2,425 | Aug 2013 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,809 | 786 | 684 | 339 | 43.4% |
| As White | 917 | 424 | 355 | 138 | 46.2% |
| As Black | 892 | 362 | 329 | 201 | 40.6% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Lars Karlsson's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Lars Karlsson's side.
First moves as White (917 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf3 | 302 | 32.9% | 61.8% |
| c4 | 265 | 28.9% | 69.6% |
| b3 | 139 | 15.2% | 70.1% |
| g3 | 108 | 11.8% | 62.5% |
| f4 | 60 | 6.5% | 64.2% |
| d4 | 37 | 4.0% | 63.5% |
Main lines as White
- 1.Nf3 — 33% of White games, 61.8% score
- …Nf6 (37% of these games) — Karlsson usually continues g3 (61.1% score)
- …d5 (27% of these games) — Karlsson usually continues g3 (65.3% score)
- …c5 (17% of these games) — Karlsson usually continues g3 (51.9% score)
- 1.c4 — 29% of White games, 69.6% score
- …Nf6 (30% of these games) — Karlsson usually continues Nc3 (72.8% score)
- …e5 (18% of these games) — Karlsson usually continues g3 (69.4% score)
- …g6 (16% of these games) — Karlsson usually continues Nc3 (73.8% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (384 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 170 | 44.3% | 60.3% |
| c5 | 164 | 42.7% | 60.4% |
| g6 | 28 | 7.3% | 60.7% |
| d6 | 15 | 3.9% | 76.7% |
| c6 | 5 | 1.3% | 60.0% |
| b6 | 2 | 0.5% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (358 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 152 | 42.5% | 54.3% |
| Nf6 | 80 | 22.3% | 56.3% |
| f5 | 47 | 13.1% | 60.6% |
| g6 | 46 | 12.8% | 73.9% |
| d6 | 22 | 6.1% | 63.6% |
| Nc6 | 5 | 1.4% | 80.0% |
Lars Karlsson's chess games
All 1,809 games by Lars Karlsson 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: 786 wins, 684 draws, 339 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A07 | Réti Opening | 161 | 59/83/19 | 36.6% |
| A01 | Nimzovich-Larsen attack | 139 | 79/37/23 | 56.8% |
| A16 | English Opening | 95 | 49/34/12 | 51.6% |
| A36 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 66 | 28/28/10 | 42.4% |
| A03 | Hungarian Opening | 61 | 28/27/6 | 45.9% |
| A03 | Bird's opening | 60 | 30/17/13 | 50.0% |
| A25 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 58 | 27/20/11 | 46.6% |
| A26 | Modern Defense | 56 | 26/23/7 | 46.4% |
| A26 | Réti Opening: Symmetrical Defense | 36 | 12/17/7 | 33.3% |
| A06 | Nimzo-Larsen Attack | 19 | 7/6/6 | 36.8% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A90 | Horwitz Defense | 121 | 41/47/33 | 33.9% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 78 | 41/24/13 | 52.6% |
| C16 | French: Winawer Variation | 64 | 24/24/16 | 37.5% |
| C08 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 60 | 19/28/13 | 31.7% |
| A90 | Dutch Defense | 55 | 22/18/15 | 40.0% |
| B70 | Sicilian: Dragon | 37 | 15/12/10 | 40.5% |
| B38 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 36 | 12/13/11 | 33.3% |
| A10 | English Opening | 30 | 10/12/8 | 33.3% |
| A69 | Benoni Defense | 30 | 13/12/5 | 43.3% |
| A04 | Réti Opening | 29 | 10/12/7 | 34.5% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1980 | Mihail Tal | 2,705 | 7th chT-EU Final | A30 |
| Jan 2005 | Evgenij Agrest | 2,682 | chT-SWE 0405 | A10 |
| Jul 1982 | Jan H Timman | 2,655 | Interzonal-12a | A37 |
| Sep 1993 | Eric Lobron | 2,625 | 09th EU-Cup Group1 | A12 |
| Sep 1993 | Viktor Lvovich Kortschnoj | 2,625 | 09th EU-Cup Group1 | A26 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-SWE | 2008 | 190 | 103.5 | 2,442 |
| Stockholm Open | 2019 | 63 | 48 | 2,363 |
| Arnold Cup | 1994 | 31 | 17.5 | 2,423 |
| Stockholm | 2014 | 29 | 18.5 | 2,464 |
| Vasteras Open | 2017 | 25 | 19.5 | 2,474 |
| Haninge | 1990 | 22 | 9.5 | 2,516 |
| Norrkoeping Easter Open | 2015 | 22 | 14.5 | 2,329 |
| Oslo | 1988 | 18 | 12 | 2,526 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Thomas Ernst (27 games) · Tom Wedberg (26 games) · Axel Ornstein (17 games) · Stellan Brynell (15 games) · Jonny Hector (15 games) · Ralf Akesson (14 games) · Erling Mortensen (13 games) · Pia Cramling (12 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 1,809 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Lars Karlsson's chess games?
1,809 games by Lars Karlsson, 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 Lars Karlsson has played.
What does Lars Karlsson play on the first move as White?
Across 917 games with White in our database, Lars Karlsson opens with 1.Nf3 (33% of games), 1.c4 (29% of games), 1.b3 (15% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Lars Karlsson answers 1...e6 (44% of games), 1...c5 (43% of games), 1...g6 (7% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...e6 (42% of games), 1...Nf6 (22% of games), 1...f5 (13% of games).
What openings does Lars Karlsson play as White?
As White, Lars Karlsson's most-played openings in our database are: Réti Opening (161 games, 36.6% win rate); Nimzovich-Larsen attack (139 games, 56.8% win rate); English Opening (95 games, 51.6% win rate). The full breakdown of 917 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Lars Karlsson play as Black?
As Black, Lars Karlsson most often plays: Horwitz Defense (121 games, 33.9% win rate); Modern Defense (78 games, 52.6% win rate); French: Winawer Variation (64 games, 37.5% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 892 games.
What is Lars Karlsson's FIDE rating?
Lars Karlsson is currently rated 2,416 in classical chess, 2,470 in rapid and 2,321 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,509 (Jan 2006).
How many games has Lars Karlsson played?
Our database contains 1,809 games by Lars Karlsson, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 786 wins, 684 draws, 339 losses (43.4% win rate).
How do I prepare against Lars Karlsson?
1,809 games by Lars Karlsson 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.