Prepare against Maksim Chigaev
GM · Spain · World #97 classical · FIDE ID 4108116
When preparing against Maksim Chigaev, expect 1.e4 in 57% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (47% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (88%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Ruy Lopez: Closed as Black, 31.5% over 92 games.
Our database contains 5,903 games by Maksim Chigaev, covering Oct 2007 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Maksim Chigaev's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Maksim Chigaev 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 | 2,629 | 2,648 | Jul 2026 |
| Rapid | 2,587 | 2,726 | Aug 2018 |
| Blitz | 2,507 | 2,659 | Mar 2020 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 5,903 | 3,158 | 1,407 | 1,338 | 53.5% |
| As White | 3,009 | 1,741 | 691 | 577 | 57.9% |
| As Black | 2,894 | 1,417 | 716 | 761 | 49.0% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Maksim Chigaev's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Maksim Chigaev's side.
First moves as White (3,004 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 1,713 | 57.0% | 68.3% |
| d4 | 538 | 17.9% | 72.3% |
| Nf3 | 402 | 13.4% | 70.6% |
| c4 | 261 | 8.7% | 67.8% |
| g3 | 34 | 1.1% | 79.4% |
| f4 | 28 | 0.9% | 58.9% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 57% of White games, 68.3% score
- …c5 (39% of these games) — Chigaev usually continues Nf3 (68.2% score)
- …e5 (28% of these games) — Chigaev usually continues Nf3 (63.6% score)
- …e6 (12% of these games) — Chigaev usually continues d4 (71.7% score)
- 1.d4 — 18% of White games, 72.3% score
- …Nf6 (61% of these games) — Chigaev usually continues c4 (73.9% score)
- …d5 (25% of these games) — Chigaev usually continues c4 (71.0% score)
- …e6 (6% of these games) — Chigaev usually continues Nf3 (54.2% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (1,286 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 598 | 46.5% | 67.5% |
| e5 | 349 | 27.1% | 55.2% |
| e6 | 119 | 9.3% | 59.2% |
| c6 | 108 | 8.4% | 58.8% |
| g6 | 90 | 7.0% | 55.6% |
| d5 | 15 | 1.2% | 60.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (1,088 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 961 | 88.3% | 62.7% |
| g6 | 46 | 4.2% | 47.8% |
| d5 | 44 | 4.0% | 48.9% |
| d6 | 24 | 2.2% | 58.3% |
| e6 | 7 | 0.6% | 57.1% |
| c5 | 3 | 0.3% | 66.7% |
Maksim Chigaev's chess games
All 5,903 games by Maksim Chigaev in the Chess.ceo database (Oct 2007 - 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: 3,158 wins, 1,407 draws, 1,338 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B40 | Sicilian | 268 | 151/62/55 | 56.3% |
| A13 | English Opening | 143 | 80/45/18 | 55.9% |
| A09 | Réti Opening | 137 | 85/17/35 | 62.0% |
| C54 | Italian Game | 132 | 68/37/27 | 51.5% |
| E04 | Catalan | 117 | 73/22/22 | 62.4% |
| B31 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 115 | 74/34/7 | 64.3% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 110 | 51/31/28 | 46.4% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 79 | 37/23/19 | 46.8% |
| A14 | English Opening: Neo-Catalan | 74 | 40/15/19 | 54.1% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 74 | 52/8/14 | 70.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E71 | King's Indian Defense | 187 | 90/45/52 | 48.1% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 183 | 83/36/64 | 45.4% |
| D77 | Indian Defense | 176 | 85/49/42 | 48.3% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 158 | 84/39/35 | 53.2% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 146 | 71/36/39 | 48.6% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 92 | 61/9/22 | 66.3% |
| C84 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 92 | 29/37/26 | 31.5% |
| A05 | Réti Opening: Symmetrical Defense | 79 | 45/18/16 | 57.0% |
| B48 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 69 | 43/9/17 | 62.3% |
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 68 | 22/28/18 | 32.4% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2023 | Magnus Carlsen | 2,859 | Titled Tue Early | A01 |
| Jan 2025 | Hikaru Nakamura | 2,802 | Titled Tue Early | B15 |
| Dec 2023 | Fabiano Caruana | 2,794 | Wch Rapid | C55 |
| Sep 2023 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 2,771 | Titled Tue Late | E94 |
| Feb 2021 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | 2,770 | Titled Tue | B90 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2026 | 2,705 | 1,879 | 2,575 |
| Wch Blitz | 2023 | 84 | 44.5 | 2,593 |
| ch-EU blitz | 2017 | 65 | 41.5 | 2,574 |
| Wch Rapid | 2023 | 54 | 31.5 | 2,635 |
| Chess24 Banter Blitz Cup | 2020 | 53 | 27.5 | 2,613 |
| Titled Arena Mar 6th | 2021 | 46 | 21.5 | 2,524 |
| Titled Arena Apr 3rd | 2021 | 45 | 18 | 2,418 |
| Kemerovo Open | 2011 | 44 | 26.5 | 2,262 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Alexey Sarana (45 games) · Vladimir Fedoseev (37 games) · Dmitry Andreikin (34 games) · David Paravyan (34 games) · Olexandr Bortnyk (33 games) · Hikaru Nakamura (32 games) · Pavel Ponkratov (27 games) · Aleksandr Lenderman (25 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 5,903 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Maksim Chigaev's chess games?
5,903 games by Maksim Chigaev, from Oct 2007 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 Maksim Chigaev has played.
What does Maksim Chigaev play on the first move as White?
Across 3,004 games with White in our database, Maksim Chigaev opens with 1.e4 (57% of games), 1.d4 (18% of games), 1.Nf3 (13% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Maksim Chigaev answers 1...c5 (47% of games), 1...e5 (27% of games), 1...e6 (9% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (88% of games), 1...g6 (4% of games), 1...d5 (4% of games).
What openings does Maksim Chigaev play as White?
As White, Maksim Chigaev's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (268 games, 56.3% win rate); English Opening (143 games, 55.9% win rate); Réti Opening (137 games, 62.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 3,009 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Maksim Chigaev play as Black?
As Black, Maksim Chigaev most often plays: King's Indian Defense (187 games, 48.1% win rate); Modern Defense (183 games, 45.4% win rate); Indian Defense (176 games, 48.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 2,894 games.
What is Maksim Chigaev's FIDE rating?
Maksim Chigaev is currently rated 2,629 in classical chess, 2,587 in rapid and 2,507 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,648 (Jul 2026).
How many games has Maksim Chigaev played?
Our database contains 5,903 games by Maksim Chigaev, covering Oct 2007 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 3,158 wins, 1,407 draws, 1,338 losses (53.5% win rate).
How do I prepare against Maksim Chigaev?
5,903 games by Maksim Chigaev 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.