Prepare against Lester Van Meter
FM · United States · World #46,446 classical · FIDE ID 2001691
Our database contains 225 games by Lester Van Meter, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Lester Van Meter's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Lester Van Meter 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 | 1,907 | 2,262 | Jul 2003 |
| Rapid | 1,878 | 1,886 | Jan 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 225 | 57 | 72 | 96 | 25.3% |
| As White | 104 | 26 | 37 | 41 | 25.0% |
| As Black | 121 | 31 | 35 | 55 | 25.6% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Lester Van Meter's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Lester Van Meter's side.
First moves as White (104 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 50 | 48.1% | 45.0% |
| c4 | 29 | 27.9% | 48.3% |
| Nc3 | 15 | 14.4% | 36.7% |
| Nf3 | 7 | 6.7% | 35.7% |
| e4 | 3 | 2.9% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 48% of White games, 45.0% score
- …Nf6 (58% of these games) — Meter usually continues Nf3 (35.7% score)
- …d5 (26% of these games) — Meter usually continues Nf3 (45.8% score)
- …g6 (6% of these games) — Meter usually continues Nf3 (25.0% score)
- 1.c4 — 28% of White games, 48.3% score
- …Nf6 (38% of these games) — Meter usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …e6 (17% of these games) — Meter usually continues Nf3 (30.0% score)
- …e5 (17% of these games) — Meter usually continues Nc3 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (53 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 35 | 66.0% | 40.0% |
| d5 | 11 | 20.8% | 36.4% |
| c6 | 7 | 13.2% | 42.9% |
As Black against 1.d4 (46 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 22 | 47.8% | 43.2% |
| d5 | 14 | 30.4% | 35.7% |
| Nf6 | 10 | 21.7% | 50.0% |
Lester Van Meter's chess games
All 225 games by Lester Van Meter in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - 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, 72 draws, 96 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A00 | Dunst Opening | 12 | 2/3/7 | 16.7% |
| A14 | Catalan | 11 | 4/3/4 | 36.4% |
| E60 | Indian Defense | 9 | 2/2/5 | 22.2% |
| E91 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 8 | 2/2/4 | 25.0% |
| A15 | English Opening | 7 | 1/3/3 | 14.3% |
| D11 | Queen's Pawn Game | 7 | 1/3/3 | 14.3% |
| A21 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 6 | 2/1/3 | 33.3% |
| A41 | Modern Defense | 4 | 1/2/1 | 25.0% |
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| A10 | English Opening: Dutch Defense | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A43 | Benoni Defense | 22 | 6/8/8 | 27.3% |
| B27 | Sicilian: Hyperaccelerated Dragon | 11 | 4/3/4 | 36.4% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 10 | 2/2/6 | 20.0% |
| B42 | Sicilian | 8 | 1/2/5 | 12.5% |
| D16 | Slav Defense | 8 | 2/1/5 | 25.0% |
| B31 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 7 | 3/1/3 | 42.9% |
| D20 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 6 | 1/2/3 | 16.7% |
| A13 | English Opening | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
| A37 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 5 | 0/1/4 | 0.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 5 | 0/4/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1984 | John Watson | 2,420 | US Open-85 | E61 |
| Jul 1986 | Robert Morrison | 2,397 | Canadian Open | D35 |
| Jun 2004 | Dmitry Zilberstein | 2,392 | Dake Memorial | B43 |
| Jan 1986 | Calvin Blocker | 2,380 | Midwest Masters Open | D28 |
| Jan 1984 | James Thinnsen | 2,305 | US Open-85 | D16 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reykjavik Open | 2025 | 27 | 12.5 | 1,804 |
| Chesterfield SPICE Cup Open | 2023 | 16 | 3.5 | 1,951 |
| ch-Texas | 2000 | 11 | 5.5 | 2,292 |
| Bob Wade 2026 | Hilton Bennett Masters | 2026 | 11 | 6 | 1,884 |
| 33rd World Senior 65+ | 2025 | 10 | 5.5 | 2,059 |
| Midwest Masters | 1985 | 10 | 4 | 2,135 |
| 133rd ch-NZL Rapid | 2026 | 9 | 6 | 2,032 |
| Reykjavik Open 2026 | 2026 | 9 | 4 | 1,846 |
Interactive opening tree from all 225 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Lester Van Meter's chess games?
225 games by Lester Van Meter, from Apr 2003 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 Lester Van Meter has played.
What does Lester Van Meter play on the first move as White?
Across 104 games with White in our database, Lester Van Meter opens with 1.d4 (48% of games), 1.c4 (28% of games), 1.Nc3 (14% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Lester Van Meter answers 1...c5 (66% of games), 1...d5 (21% of games), 1...c6 (13% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...c5 (48% of games), 1...d5 (30% of games), 1...Nf6 (22% of games).
What openings does Lester Van Meter play as White?
As White, Lester Van Meter's most-played openings in our database are: Dunst Opening (12 games, 16.7% win rate); Catalan (11 games, 36.4% win rate); Indian Defense (9 games, 22.2% win rate). The full breakdown of 104 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Lester Van Meter play as Black?
As Black, Lester Van Meter most often plays: Benoni Defense (22 games, 27.3% win rate); Sicilian: Hyperaccelerated Dragon (11 games, 36.4% win rate); Scandinavian Defense: Main Line (10 games, 20.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 121 games.
What is Lester Van Meter's FIDE rating?
Lester Van Meter is currently rated 1,907 in classical chess, 1,878 in rapid. Peak classical rating: 2,262 (Jul 2003).
How many games has Lester Van Meter played?
Our database contains 225 games by Lester Van Meter, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 57 wins, 72 draws, 96 losses (25.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Lester Van Meter?
225 games by Lester Van Meter 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.