Prepare against Leonid Nikolaev
FM · Ukraine · World #9,857 classical · FIDE ID 14103249
Our database contains 252 games by Leonid Nikolaev, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Leonid Nikolaev's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Leonid Nikolaev 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 | 2,172 | 2,342 | Jul 2011 |
| Rapid | 2,211 | 2,275 | Feb 2013 |
| Blitz | 2,182 | 2,276 | May 2012 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 252 | 104 | 97 | 51 | 41.3% |
| As White | 128 | 56 | 50 | 22 | 43.8% |
| As Black | 124 | 48 | 47 | 29 | 38.7% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Leonid Nikolaev's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Leonid Nikolaev's side.
First moves as White (128 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 52 | 40.6% | 68.3% |
| Nf3 | 47 | 36.7% | 64.9% |
| e4 | 16 | 12.5% | 53.1% |
| c4 | 12 | 9.4% | 50.0% |
| g3 | 1 | 0.8% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 41% of White games, 68.3% score
- …Nf6 (44% of these games) — Nikolaev usually continues Nf3 (60.5% score)
- …d5 (42% of these games) — Nikolaev usually continues c4 (66.7% score)
- …e6 (6% of these games) — Nikolaev usually continues Nf3 (66.7% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 37% of White games, 64.9% score
- …Nf6 (47% of these games) — Nikolaev usually continues c4 (52.9% score)
- …d5 (28% of these games) — Nikolaev usually continues d4 (66.7% score)
- …g6 (9% of these games) — Nikolaev usually continues d4 (75.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (61 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 47 | 77.0% | 53.2% |
| g6 | 7 | 11.5% | 85.7% |
| e5 | 4 | 6.6% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 2 | 3.3% | 75.0% |
| c6 | 1 | 1.6% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (42 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 25 | 59.5% | 64.0% |
| d5 | 9 | 21.4% | 61.1% |
| g6 | 5 | 11.9% | 70.0% |
| c5 | 2 | 4.8% | 25.0% |
| d6 | 1 | 2.4% | 0.0% |
Leonid Nikolaev's chess games
All 252 games by Leonid Nikolaev 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: 104 wins, 97 draws, 51 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E62 | English Opening | 14 | 4/10/0 | 28.6% |
| D05 | Indian Defense | 13 | 7/4/2 | 53.8% |
| D14 | Slav Defense | 11 | 2/7/2 | 18.2% |
| D28 | Queen's Pawn Game | 8 | 2/5/1 | 25.0% |
| E04 | Catalan | 7 | 5/2/0 | 71.4% |
| E90 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 6 | 2/2/2 | 33.3% |
| A09 | Réti Opening | 6 | 4/1/1 | 66.7% |
| A11 | English Opening: Slav Setup | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| A14 | English Opening: Neo-Catalan | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
| A30 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 4 | 4/0/0 | 100.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B50 | Sicilian | 13 | 6/4/3 | 46.2% |
| B15 | Modern Defense | 12 | 8/3/1 | 66.7% |
| E91 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 9 | 3/2/4 | 33.3% |
| A37 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 7 | 4/0/3 | 57.1% |
| A43 | Benoni Defense | 7 | 3/1/3 | 42.9% |
| A04 | Réti Opening | 7 | 2/4/1 | 28.6% |
| B35 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 6 | 1/3/2 | 16.7% |
| A35 | English Opening | 6 | 3/3/0 | 50.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 6 | 2/4/0 | 33.3% |
| B76 | Sicilian: Dragon | 6 | 1/3/2 | 16.7% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2010 | Anatoliy Nesterets | 2,427 | Myrhorod Open | E90 |
| Jul 2004 | Timofey Galinsky | 2,418 | 3rd Sakharov Memorial | A13 |
| Nov 2010 | Stanislav Cifka | 2,410 | 4th Cesky Krumlov Open | E14 |
| Apr 2005 | Vadim Biliy | 2,397 | 12th chT-UKR | A14 |
| Jan 2006 | Dmitry Gordenko | 2,375 | 13th Stepichev Memorial | A95 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Myrhorod Open | 2011 | 18 | 11 | 2,276 |
| 4th Sakharov Memorial | 2005 | 11 | 5 | 2,248 |
| 13th Stepichev Memorial | 2006 | 11 | 6 | 2,317 |
| 8th Nabokov Memorial-B | 2010 | 11 | 5 | 2,296 |
| 3rd Sakharov Memorial | 2004 | 11 | 7.5 | 2,428 |
| ch-Kiev Chess Union | 2005 | 11 | 5.5 | 2,334 |
| 2nd Sakharov Memorial | 2003 | 11 | 3 | 2,122 |
| 4th Cesky Krumlov Open | 2010 | 9 | 7.5 | 2,479 |
Interactive opening tree from all 252 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Leonid Nikolaev's chess games?
252 games by Leonid Nikolaev, 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 Leonid Nikolaev has played.
What does Leonid Nikolaev play on the first move as White?
Across 128 games with White in our database, Leonid Nikolaev opens with 1.d4 (41% of games), 1.Nf3 (37% of games), 1.e4 (13% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Leonid Nikolaev answers 1...c5 (77% of games), 1...g6 (11% of games), 1...e5 (7% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (60% of games), 1...d5 (21% of games), 1...g6 (12% of games).
What openings does Leonid Nikolaev play as White?
As White, Leonid Nikolaev's most-played openings in our database are: English Opening (14 games, 28.6% win rate); Indian Defense (13 games, 53.8% win rate); Slav Defense (11 games, 18.2% win rate). The full breakdown of 128 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Leonid Nikolaev play as Black?
As Black, Leonid Nikolaev most often plays: Sicilian (13 games, 46.2% win rate); Modern Defense (12 games, 66.7% win rate); King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation (9 games, 33.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 124 games.
What is Leonid Nikolaev's FIDE rating?
Leonid Nikolaev is currently rated 2,172 in classical chess, 2,211 in rapid and 2,182 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,342 (Jul 2011).
How many games has Leonid Nikolaev played?
Our database contains 252 games by Leonid Nikolaev, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 104 wins, 97 draws, 51 losses (41.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Leonid Nikolaev?
252 games by Leonid Nikolaev 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.