Prepare against Mark Smirnov
IM · Kazakhstan · World #1,001 classical · FIDE ID 13764594
When preparing against Mark Smirnov, expect 1.e4 in 75% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (46% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (91%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Vienna Game as White, 33.3% over 39 games.
Our database contains 1,361 games by Mark Smirnov, covering Feb 2020 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Mark Smirnov's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Mark Smirnov 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 | 2,451 | 2,451 | Sep 2026 |
| Rapid | 2,352 | 2,352 | Sep 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,462 | 2,482 | Jul 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,361 | 670 | 181 | 510 | 49.2% |
| As White | 687 | 349 | 94 | 244 | 50.8% |
| As Black | 674 | 321 | 87 | 266 | 47.6% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Mark Smirnov's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Mark Smirnov's side.
First moves as White (687 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 515 | 75.0% | 56.0% |
| b3 | 57 | 8.3% | 61.4% |
| Nf3 | 47 | 6.8% | 60.6% |
| d4 | 30 | 4.4% | 61.7% |
| Nc3 | 24 | 3.5% | 64.6% |
| a3 | 4 | 0.6% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 75% of White games, 56.0% score
- …c5 (46% of these games) — Smirnov usually continues Nf3 (52.3% score)
- …e5 (19% of these games) — Smirnov usually continues Nf3 (61.4% score)
- …c6 (11% of these games) — Smirnov usually continues d4 (54.5% score)
- 1.b3 — 8% of White games, 61.4% score
- …d5 (37% of these games) — Smirnov usually continues Bb2 (64.3% score)
- …e5 (26% of these games) — Smirnov usually continues Bb2 (60.0% score)
- …Nf6 (18% of these games) — Smirnov usually continues Bb2 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (302 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 139 | 46.0% | 53.6% |
| e5 | 82 | 27.2% | 53.7% |
| d6 | 46 | 15.2% | 54.3% |
| d5 | 14 | 4.6% | 71.4% |
| b6 | 8 | 2.6% | 62.5% |
| Nc6 | 6 | 2.0% | 91.7% |
As Black against 1.d4 (207 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 188 | 90.8% | 49.5% |
| d5 | 8 | 3.9% | 50.0% |
| b6 | 3 | 1.4% | 66.7% |
| e5 | 2 | 1.0% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 2 | 1.0% | 50.0% |
| a6 | 1 | 0.5% | 100.0% |
Mark Smirnov's chess games
All 1,361 games by Mark Smirnov in the Chess.ceo database (Feb 2020 - 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: 670 wins, 181 draws, 510 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B40 | Sicilian | 98 | 47/15/36 | 48.0% |
| A01 | Nimzovich-Larsen attack | 57 | 33/4/20 | 57.9% |
| B94 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 45 | 20/2/23 | 44.4% |
| C26 | Vienna Game | 39 | 13/7/19 | 33.3% |
| C07 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 34 | 20/2/12 | 58.8% |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 27 | 13/6/8 | 48.1% |
| B30 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 25 | 16/3/6 | 64.0% |
| B15 | Caro-Kann: Main Line | 24 | 13/1/10 | 54.2% |
| A00 | Dunst Opening | 18 | 11/1/6 | 61.1% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 18 | 9/1/8 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B57 | Sicilian | 71 | 36/10/25 | 50.7% |
| C41 | Philidor | 35 | 15/5/15 | 42.9% |
| A50 | Indian Defense | 35 | 15/3/17 | 42.9% |
| E05 | Catalan | 34 | 15/6/13 | 44.1% |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 27 | 14/4/9 | 51.9% |
| A05 | Réti Opening: Spassky Variation | 22 | 14/1/7 | 63.6% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 21 | 7/5/9 | 33.3% |
| A13 | English Opening | 20 | 11/2/7 | 55.0% |
| B31 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 19 | 8/3/8 | 42.1% |
| A28 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 16 | 6/3/7 | 37.5% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2025 | Chithambaram VR. Aravindh | 2,731 | Titled Tue Early | A01 |
| Aug 2025 | Vincent Keymer | 2,730 | Titled Tue Early | A00 |
| Nov 2025 | Matthias Bluebaum | 2,680 | Titled Tue | A50 |
| Jul 2025 | Bogdan-Daniel Deac | 2,674 | Titled Tue Early | D52 |
| Dec 2025 | Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara | 2,667 | World Blitz 2025 | A06 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2026 | 894 | 497.5 | 2,339 |
| 1st 3-0 Thursday | 2026 | 48 | 32 | 2,531 |
| World Blitz 2025 | 2025 | 19 | 10 | 2,609 |
| World Blitz 2024 | 2024 | 13 | 4.5 | 2,382 |
| World Rapid 2025 | 2025 | 13 | 5 | 2,346 |
| World Rapid 2024 | 2024 | 13 | 5.5 | 2,500 |
| 1st 3-0 Thu 27th Aug 2026 | 2026 | 11 | 7 | 2,508 |
| Sveshnikov Memorial Open | 2021 | 11 | 7 | 1,994 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Damir Bulgak (10 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 1,361 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Mark Smirnov's chess games?
1,361 games by Mark Smirnov, from Feb 2020 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 Mark Smirnov has played.
What does Mark Smirnov play on the first move as White?
Across 687 games with White in our database, Mark Smirnov opens with 1.e4 (75% of games), 1.b3 (8% of games), 1.Nf3 (7% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Mark Smirnov answers 1...c5 (46% of games), 1...e5 (27% of games), 1...d6 (15% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (91% of games), 1...d5 (4% of games), 1...b6 (1% of games).
What openings does Mark Smirnov play as White?
As White, Mark Smirnov's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (98 games, 48.0% win rate); Nimzovich-Larsen attack (57 games, 57.9% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (45 games, 44.4% win rate). The full breakdown of 687 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Mark Smirnov play as Black?
As Black, Mark Smirnov most often plays: Sicilian (71 games, 50.7% win rate); Philidor (35 games, 42.9% win rate); Indian Defense (35 games, 42.9% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 674 games.
What is Mark Smirnov's FIDE rating?
Mark Smirnov is currently rated 2,451 in classical chess, 2,352 in rapid and 2,462 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,451 (Sep 2026).
How many games has Mark Smirnov played?
Our database contains 1,361 games by Mark Smirnov, covering Feb 2020 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 670 wins, 181 draws, 510 losses (49.2% win rate).
How do I prepare against Mark Smirnov?
1,361 games by Mark Smirnov 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.