Prepare against Leighton Nicholls
CM · New Zealand · World #66,079 classical · FIDE ID 4303776
When preparing against Leighton Nicholls, expect 1.e4 in 63% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (88% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (74%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Bird's opening as White, 31.6% over 19 games.
Our database contains 166 games by Leighton Nicholls, covering Nov 2012 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Leighton Nicholls's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Leighton Nicholls 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 | 1,834 | 1,934 | Dec 2016 |
| Rapid | 1,796 | 1,910 | Nov 2024 |
| Blitz | 1,761 | 1,870 | Apr 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 166 | 57 | 39 | 70 | 34.3% |
| As White | 82 | 29 | 18 | 35 | 35.4% |
| As Black | 84 | 28 | 21 | 35 | 33.3% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Leighton Nicholls's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Leighton Nicholls's side.
First moves as White (82 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 52 | 63.4% | 47.1% |
| f4 | 19 | 23.2% | 44.7% |
| d4 | 6 | 7.3% | 66.7% |
| g3 | 4 | 4.9% | 12.5% |
| Nf3 | 1 | 1.2% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 63% of White games, 47.1% score
- …c5 (33% of these games) — Nicholls usually continues c3 (29.2% score)
- …e5 (27% of these games) — Nicholls usually continues Nf3 (54.5% score)
- …e6 (12% of these games) — Nicholls usually continues d4 (33.3% score)
- 1.f4 — 23% of White games, 44.7% score
- …d5 (53% of these games) — Nicholls usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …g6 (16% of these games) — Nicholls usually continues Nf3 (16.7% score)
- …Nf6 (16% of these games) — Nicholls usually continues Nf3 (33.3% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (33 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 29 | 87.9% | 51.7% |
| e6 | 3 | 9.1% | 16.7% |
| Nf6 | 1 | 3.0% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (31 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 23 | 74.2% | 39.1% |
| c5 | 4 | 12.9% | 100.0% |
| d5 | 4 | 12.9% | 50.0% |
Leighton Nicholls's chess games
All 166 games by Leighton Nicholls in the Chess.ceo database (Nov 2012 - 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: 57 wins, 39 draws, 70 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A03 | Bird's opening | 19 | 6/5/8 | 31.6% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 12 | 2/3/7 | 16.7% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 6 | 4/0/2 | 66.7% |
| B32 | Sicilian | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| D00 | Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| A00 | Hungarian Opening | 3 | 0/0/3 | 0.0% |
| C30 | King's Gambit | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| C77 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 3 | 3/0/0 | 100.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A44 | Benoni Defense | 9 | 4/0/5 | 44.4% |
| C92 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 8 | 1/6/1 | 12.5% |
| A38 | English Opening | 8 | 3/1/4 | 37.5% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 7 | 5/1/1 | 71.4% |
| D10 | Slav Defense | 4 | 0/2/2 | 0.0% |
| A47 | London System | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| D02 | Indian Defense | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| C56 | Italian Game | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| C54 | Italian Game: Classical Variation | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| E32 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2017 | Allen Chi Zhou Fan | 2,077 | George Trundle Qualifiers | C01 |
| Oct 2017 | Gord Morrell | 2,030 | George Trundle Qualifiers | E90 |
| Jan 2016 | Roger L Perry | 2,005 | 123rd ch-NZL Open | A03 |
| Jan 2017 | Fuatai Fuatai | 2,001 | 124th ch-NZL Open | B22 |
| Mar 2016 | Ian Sellen | 1,987 | Wellington Open | E61 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-North Island | 2014 | 16 | 8 | 1,824 |
| Dunedin Sutton Trophy | 2016 | 12 | 9.5 | 2,051 |
| Wellington Easter Open | 2017 | 12 | 7 | 1,920 |
| Wellington Open | 2016 | 12 | 6 | 2,031 |
| ch-NZL Major Open | 2013 | 11 | 5.5 | 1,664 |
| Queenstown Open | 2012 | 9 | 3 | 1,729 |
| 133rd ch-NZL Open | 2026 | 9 | 3.5 | 1,844 |
| ch-South Island | 2012 | 9 | 4.5 | 1,810 |
Interactive opening tree from all 166 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Leighton Nicholls's chess games?
166 games by Leighton Nicholls, from Nov 2012 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 Leighton Nicholls has played.
What does Leighton Nicholls play on the first move as White?
Across 82 games with White in our database, Leighton Nicholls opens with 1.e4 (63% of games), 1.f4 (23% of games), 1.d4 (7% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Leighton Nicholls answers 1...e5 (88% of games), 1...e6 (9% of games), 1...Nf6 (3% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (74% of games), 1...c5 (13% of games), 1...d5 (13% of games).
What openings does Leighton Nicholls play as White?
As White, Leighton Nicholls's most-played openings in our database are: Bird's opening (19 games, 31.6% win rate); Sicilian: Alapin (12 games, 16.7% win rate); Caro-Kann: Advance Variation (6 games, 66.7% win rate). The full breakdown of 82 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Leighton Nicholls play as Black?
As Black, Leighton Nicholls most often plays: Benoni Defense (9 games, 44.4% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Closed (8 games, 12.5% win rate); English Opening (8 games, 37.5% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 84 games.
What is Leighton Nicholls's FIDE rating?
Leighton Nicholls is currently rated 1,834 in classical chess, 1,796 in rapid and 1,761 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 1,934 (Dec 2016).
How many games has Leighton Nicholls played?
Our database contains 166 games by Leighton Nicholls, covering Nov 2012 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 57 wins, 39 draws, 70 losses (34.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Leighton Nicholls?
166 games by Leighton Nicholls 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.