Prepare against M Paul Townsend
United Kingdom · World #15,316 classical · FIDE ID 402320
When preparing against M Paul Townsend, expect 1.d4 in 67% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e6 (64% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (45%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: French: Tarrasch Variation as Black, 17.9% over 28 games.
Our database contains 558 games by M Paul Townsend, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find M Paul Townsend's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout M Paul Townsend 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 | 2,102 | 2,280 | Jul 2011 |
| Rapid | 2,243 | 2,243 | Aug 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,151 | 2,175 | Jul 2022 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 558 | 203 | 177 | 178 | 36.4% |
| As White | 269 | 112 | 85 | 72 | 41.6% |
| As Black | 289 | 91 | 92 | 106 | 31.5% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of M Paul Townsend's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from M Paul Townsend's side.
First moves as White (269 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 181 | 67.3% | 58.0% |
| Nf3 | 37 | 13.8% | 59.5% |
| c4 | 31 | 11.5% | 54.8% |
| e4 | 14 | 5.2% | 57.1% |
| f4 | 4 | 1.5% | 50.0% |
| b4 | 1 | 0.4% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 67% of White games, 58.0% score
- …Nf6 (52% of these games) — Townsend usually continues c4 (57.6% score)
- …d5 (29% of these games) — Townsend usually continues c4 (65.9% score)
- …f5 (6% of these games) — Townsend usually continues g3 (75.0% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 14% of White games, 59.5% score
- …Nf6 (54% of these games) — Townsend usually continues c4 (62.5% score)
- …d5 (38% of these games) — Townsend usually continues g3 (25.0% score)
- …g6 (5% of these games) — Townsend usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (134 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 86 | 64.2% | 45.9% |
| g6 | 36 | 26.9% | 54.2% |
| e5 | 7 | 5.2% | 57.1% |
| c5 | 5 | 3.7% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (88 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 40 | 45.5% | 41.3% |
| e6 | 30 | 34.1% | 40.0% |
| d5 | 11 | 12.5% | 63.6% |
| g6 | 3 | 3.4% | 50.0% |
| c5 | 3 | 3.4% | 16.7% |
| f5 | 1 | 1.1% | 50.0% |
M Paul Townsend's chess games
All 558 games by M Paul Townsend 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: 203 wins, 177 draws, 178 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E04 | Catalan | 49 | 20/17/12 | 40.8% |
| A13 | English Opening | 21 | 6/8/7 | 28.6% |
| D30 | Slav Defense | 17 | 9/4/4 | 52.9% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 15 | 5/7/3 | 33.3% |
| E61 | Indian Defense | 13 | 7/3/3 | 53.8% |
| A85 | Dutch Defense | 11 | 4/4/3 | 36.4% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 10 | 4/5/1 | 40.0% |
| D97 | Grünfeld Defense | 8 | 7/0/1 | 87.5% |
| A42 | Modern Defense | 8 | 4/2/2 | 50.0% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 8 | 3/2/3 | 37.5% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B06 | Modern Defense | 40 | 18/8/14 | 45.0% |
| D36 | Indian Defense | 32 | 8/11/13 | 25.0% |
| C09 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 28 | 5/11/12 | 17.9% |
| E06 | Catalan | 27 | 6/11/10 | 22.2% |
| C18 | French: Winawer Variation | 20 | 4/6/10 | 20.0% |
| A14 | English Opening: Neo-Catalan | 18 | 6/7/5 | 33.3% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 14 | 5/5/4 | 35.7% |
| A56 | Benoni Defense | 12 | 1/5/6 | 8.3% |
| C00 | French Defense | 9 | 2/4/3 | 22.2% |
| D38 | Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense | 9 | 4/1/4 | 44.4% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2018 | Borya Ider | 2,510 | 4th Heraklion Capablanca Memorial | C02 |
| Jan 2017 | Mark L Hebden | 2,491 | chT-BCF1b 1617 (4NCL) | E61 |
| Oct 2011 | Eduard-Andrei Valeanu | 2,477 | 27th EU-Cup | A84 |
| Aug 2018 | Vitali Koziak | 2,476 | Bruges Masters Open | A87 |
| Apr 2012 | Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant | 2,434 | BCF-chTc 1112 (4NCL) | C10 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-BCF Seniors 50 | 2024 | 14 | 9.5 | 2,201 |
| ch-BCF | 1986 | 11 | 4 | 2,203 |
| British CF-69 Championship | 1982 | 11 | 5 | 2,288 |
| chT-BCF 2122 (4NCL) | 2022 | 11 | 5.5 | 2,223 |
| ch-GBR 95th | 2008 | 11 | 5 | 2,171 |
| 99th ch-GBR | 2012 | 11 | 6 | 2,184 |
| 4NCL 2022-23 | 2023 | 10 | 5.5 | 2,358 |
| 4th Anogia Open | 2015 | 9 | 6.5 | 2,281 |
Interactive opening tree from all 558 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find M Paul Townsend's chess games?
558 games by M Paul Townsend, 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 M Paul Townsend has played.
What does M Paul Townsend play on the first move as White?
Across 269 games with White in our database, M Paul Townsend opens with 1.d4 (67% of games), 1.Nf3 (14% of games), 1.c4 (12% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, M Paul Townsend answers 1...e6 (64% of games), 1...g6 (27% of games), 1...e5 (5% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (45% of games), 1...e6 (34% of games), 1...d5 (13% of games).
What openings does M Paul Townsend play as White?
As White, M Paul Townsend's most-played openings in our database are: Catalan (49 games, 40.8% win rate); English Opening (21 games, 28.6% win rate); Slav Defense (17 games, 52.9% win rate). The full breakdown of 269 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does M Paul Townsend play as Black?
As Black, M Paul Townsend most often plays: Modern Defense (40 games, 45.0% win rate); Indian Defense (32 games, 25.0% win rate); French: Tarrasch Variation (28 games, 17.9% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 289 games.
What is M Paul Townsend's FIDE rating?
M Paul Townsend is currently rated 2,102 in classical chess, 2,243 in rapid and 2,151 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,280 (Jul 2011).
How many games has M Paul Townsend played?
Our database contains 558 games by M Paul Townsend, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 203 wins, 177 draws, 178 losses (36.4% win rate).
How do I prepare against M Paul Townsend?
558 games by M Paul Townsend 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.