Prepare against Marc Mertens
Luxembourg · World #14,001 classical · FIDE ID 4000501
Our database contains 196 games by Marc Mertens, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Marc Mertens's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Marc Mertens 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 | 2,116 | 2,270 | Jul 2004 |
| Rapid | 2,088 | 2,127 | May 2023 |
| Blitz | 2,099 | 2,127 | Dec 2021 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 196 | 74 | 55 | 67 | 37.8% |
| As White | 94 | 39 | 28 | 27 | 41.5% |
| As Black | 102 | 35 | 27 | 40 | 34.3% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Marc Mertens's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Marc Mertens's side.
First moves as White (94 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 89 | 94.7% | 56.2% |
| Nf3 | 4 | 4.3% | 62.5% |
| d4 | 1 | 1.1% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 95% of White games, 56.2% score
- …c5 (42% of these games) — Mertens usually continues Nf3 (52.9% score)
- …e5 (17% of these games) — Mertens usually continues Nf3 (58.3% score)
- …e6 (13% of these games) — Mertens usually continues d4 (62.5% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 4% of White games, 62.5% score
- …Nf6 (50% of these games) — Mertens usually continues d4 (25.0% score)
- …g6 (25% of these games) — Mertens usually continues d4 (100.0% score)
- …c5 (25% of these games) — Mertens usually continues c4 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (47 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 46 | 97.9% | 45.7% |
| c6 | 1 | 2.1% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (29 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 28 | 96.6% | 46.4% |
| d5 | 1 | 3.4% | 50.0% |
Marc Mertens's chess games
All 196 games by Marc Mertens 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: 74 wins, 55 draws, 67 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B70 | Sicilian | 12 | 4/6/2 | 33.3% |
| C07 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 8 | 2/4/2 | 25.0% |
| C70 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 6 | 1/2/3 | 16.7% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 6 | 1/2/3 | 16.7% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 6 | 1/1/4 | 16.7% |
| B70 | Sicilian: Dragon | 5 | 4/0/1 | 80.0% |
| B47 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 4 | 1/2/1 | 25.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation | 3 | 2/1/0 | 66.7% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B92 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 16 | 6/3/7 | 37.5% |
| A16 | English Opening | 14 | 4/5/5 | 28.6% |
| B50 | Sicilian | 12 | 4/2/6 | 33.3% |
| A45 | Trompowsky Attack | 7 | 3/1/3 | 42.9% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 6 | 3/2/1 | 50.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
| D91 | Grünfeld Defense | 4 | 0/2/2 | 0.0% |
| E61 | King's Indian Defense | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| D72 | Indian Defense | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1999 | Vereslav S Eingorn | 2,592 | 17th Metz Open | C01 |
| Jan 1993 | Jean-Paul Goerens | 2,440 | chT-Luxembourg | B86 |
| Apr 1998 | Elvira Berend | 2,370 | ch-LUX ABC | B01 |
| Jan 1997 | Norbert Heck | 2,320 | Hermannen Open | E16 |
| Oct 2025 | Bazar Khatanbaatar | 2,311 | 33rd World Senior 50+ | B90 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-LUX ABC | 1998 | 18 | 13.5 | 2,221 |
| chT-Luxembourg | 1994 | 14 | 5.5 | 2,254 |
| 33rd World Senior 50+ | 2025 | 11 | 5.5 | 2,078 |
| chT-Luxembourg 1112 | 2012 | 11 | 5 | 2,092 |
| Olympiad-33 | 1998 | 10 | 4.5 | 2,245 |
| chT-Luxembourg 9900 | 2000 | 9 | 6 | 2,297 |
| WchT Seniors 50 | 2024 | 9 | 4.5 | 2,035 |
| Badenweiler Open | 1994 | 9 | 4.5 | 2,296 |
Interactive opening tree from all 196 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Marc Mertens's chess games?
196 games by Marc Mertens, 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 Marc Mertens has played.
What does Marc Mertens play on the first move as White?
Across 94 games with White in our database, Marc Mertens opens with 1.e4 (95% of games), 1.Nf3 (4% of games), 1.d4 (1% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Marc Mertens answers 1...c5 (98% of games), 1...c6 (2% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (97% of games), 1...d5 (3% of games).
What openings does Marc Mertens play as White?
As White, Marc Mertens's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (12 games, 33.3% win rate); French: Tarrasch Variation (8 games, 25.0% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense (6 games, 16.7% win rate). The full breakdown of 94 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Marc Mertens play as Black?
As Black, Marc Mertens most often plays: Sicilian: Najdorf (16 games, 37.5% win rate); English Opening (14 games, 28.6% win rate); Sicilian (12 games, 33.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 102 games.
What is Marc Mertens's FIDE rating?
Marc Mertens is currently rated 2,116 in classical chess, 2,088 in rapid and 2,099 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,270 (Jul 2004).
How many games has Marc Mertens played?
Our database contains 196 games by Marc Mertens, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 74 wins, 55 draws, 67 losses (37.8% win rate).
How do I prepare against Marc Mertens?
196 games by Marc Mertens 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.