Prepare against M John Cawston
United Kingdom · World #83,088 classical · FIDE ID 434000
When preparing against M John Cawston, expect 1.Nf3 in 42% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (70% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (72%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Sicilian as Black, 33.3% over 15 games.
Our database contains 207 games by M John Cawston, covering Sep 2013 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find M John Cawston's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout M John Cawston 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 | 1,779 | 1,886 | Apr 2016 |
| Rapid | 1,794 | 1,829 | Feb 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 207 | 88 | 54 | 65 | 42.5% |
| As White | 104 | 50 | 30 | 24 | 48.1% |
| As Black | 103 | 38 | 24 | 41 | 36.9% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of M John Cawston's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from M John Cawston's side.
First moves as White (104 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf3 | 44 | 42.3% | 59.1% |
| d4 | 31 | 29.8% | 61.3% |
| e4 | 18 | 17.3% | 75.0% |
| c4 | 11 | 10.6% | 59.1% |
Main lines as White
- 1.Nf3 — 42% of White games, 59.1% score
- …Nf6 (39% of these games) — Cawston usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
- …d5 (34% of these games) — Cawston usually continues d4 (53.8% score)
- …e6 (7% of these games) — Cawston usually continues d4 (50.0% score)
- 1.d4 — 30% of White games, 61.3% score
- …d5 (42% of these games) — Cawston usually continues c4 (53.8% score)
- …Nf6 (35% of these games) — Cawston usually continues c4 (55.6% score)
- …d6 (6% of these games) — Cawston usually continues c4 (75.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (43 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 30 | 69.8% | 48.3% |
| e6 | 8 | 18.6% | 50.0% |
| Nf6 | 5 | 11.6% | 30.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (36 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 26 | 72.2% | 61.5% |
| d5 | 10 | 27.8% | 50.0% |
M John Cawston's chess games
All 207 games by M John Cawston in the Chess.ceo database (Sep 2013 - Sep 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: 88 wins, 54 draws, 65 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E65 | English Opening | 12 | 6/2/4 | 50.0% |
| D23 | Slav Defense | 10 | 4/3/3 | 40.0% |
| D61 | Indian Defense | 9 | 5/2/2 | 55.6% |
| A21 | Queen's Pawn Game | 8 | 3/4/1 | 37.5% |
| E01 | Catalan | 7 | 3/3/1 | 42.9% |
| D20 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 6 | 4/2/0 | 66.7% |
| A25 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 6 | 2/2/2 | 33.3% |
| A04 | Réti Opening | 4 | 2/2/0 | 50.0% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| A87 | Dutch Defense | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B42 | Sicilian | 15 | 5/1/9 | 33.3% |
| A34 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 11 | 2/5/4 | 18.2% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 10 | 5/2/3 | 50.0% |
| A50 | Indian Defense | 7 | 4/1/2 | 57.1% |
| D08 | Albin Countergambit | 7 | 1/3/3 | 14.3% |
| A45 | London System | 6 | 3/1/2 | 50.0% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 5 | 3/1/1 | 60.0% |
| B02 | Alekhine Defense | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 4 | 0/1/3 | 0.0% |
| A34 | English Opening | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2003 | Juergen Seidel | 2,024 | Guernsey Holiday Open | D35 |
| Oct 2011 | Raymond Wynarczyk | 1,965 | Isle of Man Open | D50 |
| Jan 2018 | Gerald M Cohen | 1,953 | 17th Harrogate 4NCL Open B | E68 |
| Sep 2026 | Michael Christopher Cole | 1,948 | Hull 4NCL Congress 2026 - U2000 | C00 |
| Apr 2017 | Warren B Dennison | 1,923 | 13th Wakefield 4NCL Open B | B22 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-BCF Major | 2024 | 9 | 3.5 | 1,655 |
| 18th Rhein Main Open B | 2015 | 7 | 5 | 1,986 |
| 19th Rhein Main Open B | 2016 | 7 | 5 | 1,728 |
| 105th ch-GBR Major | 2018 | 7 | 3 | 1,869 |
| Coventry e2e4 U1950 Open | 2013 | 7 | 3 | 1,687 |
| Guernsey Holiday Open | 2003 | 7 | 5.5 | 1,910 |
| Stevenage 4NCL Easter Open U2050 | 2019 | 7 | 4 | 1,657 |
| 17th Rhein Main Open B | 2014 | 7 | 5 | 1,754 |
Interactive opening tree from all 207 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find M John Cawston's chess games?
207 games by M John Cawston, from Sep 2013 to Sep 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 M John Cawston has played.
What does M John Cawston play on the first move as White?
Across 104 games with White in our database, M John Cawston opens with 1.Nf3 (42% of games), 1.d4 (30% of games), 1.e4 (17% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, M John Cawston answers 1...c5 (70% of games), 1...e6 (19% of games), 1...Nf6 (12% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (72% of games), 1...d5 (28% of games).
What openings does M John Cawston play as White?
As White, M John Cawston's most-played openings in our database are: English Opening (12 games, 50.0% win rate); Slav Defense (10 games, 40.0% win rate); Indian Defense (9 games, 55.6% win rate). The full breakdown of 104 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does M John Cawston play as Black?
As Black, M John Cawston most often plays: Sicilian (15 games, 33.3% win rate); English Opening: Symmetrical (11 games, 18.2% win rate); Sicilian: Closed (10 games, 50.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 103 games.
What is M John Cawston's FIDE rating?
M John Cawston is currently rated 1,779 in classical chess, 1,794 in rapid. Peak classical rating: 1,886 (Apr 2016).
How many games has M John Cawston played?
Our database contains 207 games by M John Cawston, covering Sep 2013 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 88 wins, 54 draws, 65 losses (42.5% win rate).
How do I prepare against M John Cawston?
207 games by M John Cawston 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.