Prepare against Mark Van der Werf
IM · NLD · World #2,126 classical · FIDE ID 1000470
When preparing against Mark Van der Werf, expect 1.d4 in 50% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (40% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (63%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Ruy Lopez: Closed as Black, 14.8% over 27 games.
Our database contains 1,103 games by Mark Van der Werf, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Mark Van der Werf's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Mark Van der Werf 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 | 2,376 | 2,452 | Mar 2012 |
| Rapid | 2,387 | 2,416 | Jan 2025 |
| Blitz | 2,337 | 2,401 | Nov 2019 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,103 | 405 | 353 | 345 | 36.7% |
| As White | 530 | 226 | 167 | 137 | 42.6% |
| As Black | 573 | 179 | 186 | 208 | 31.2% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Mark Van der Werf's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Mark Van der Werf's side.
First moves as White (530 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 264 | 49.8% | 60.8% |
| Nf3 | 116 | 21.9% | 56.5% |
| c4 | 80 | 15.1% | 57.5% |
| e4 | 69 | 13.0% | 53.6% |
| g3 | 1 | 0.2% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 50% of White games, 60.8% score
- …Nf6 (56% of these games) — Werf usually continues c4 (65.5% score)
- …d5 (27% of these games) — Werf usually continues c4 (56.4% score)
- …e6 (5% of these games) — Werf usually continues c4 (75.0% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 22% of White games, 56.5% score
- …Nf6 (49% of these games) — Werf usually continues c4 (59.4% score)
- …d5 (28% of these games) — Werf usually continues c4 (47.1% score)
- …c5 (9% of these games) — Werf usually continues c4 (63.6% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (263 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 106 | 40.3% | 42.5% |
| c5 | 64 | 24.3% | 51.6% |
| d6 | 36 | 13.7% | 44.4% |
| d5 | 23 | 8.7% | 58.7% |
| Nf6 | 20 | 7.6% | 40.0% |
| c6 | 10 | 3.8% | 30.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (201 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 127 | 63.2% | 46.5% |
| d5 | 64 | 31.8% | 46.9% |
| d6 | 3 | 1.5% | 50.0% |
| c5 | 3 | 1.5% | 66.7% |
| g6 | 3 | 1.5% | 66.7% |
| f5 | 1 | 0.5% | 50.0% |
Mark Van der Werf's chess games
All 1,103 games by Mark Van der Werf 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: 405 wins, 353 draws, 345 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D35 | Indian Defense | 38 | 18/11/9 | 47.4% |
| E42 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 37 | 18/13/6 | 48.6% |
| D10 | Slav Defense | 34 | 16/7/11 | 47.1% |
| A29 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 33 | 11/7/15 | 33.3% |
| A13 | English Opening | 32 | 13/13/6 | 40.6% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 28 | 10/9/9 | 35.7% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 22 | 14/5/3 | 63.6% |
| E92 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 22 | 11/5/6 | 50.0% |
| A34 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 20 | 12/4/4 | 60.0% |
| E70 | King's Indian Defense | 18 | 10/5/3 | 55.6% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A61 | Benoni Defense | 42 | 11/17/14 | 26.2% |
| D31 | Semi-Slav Defense | 37 | 17/10/10 | 45.9% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 35 | 14/4/17 | 40.0% |
| C92 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 27 | 4/13/10 | 14.8% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 23 | 9/8/6 | 39.1% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 22 | 7/6/9 | 31.8% |
| E06 | Catalan | 22 | 7/10/5 | 31.8% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 21 | 9/8/4 | 42.9% |
| B04 | Alekhine Defense | 19 | 6/3/10 | 31.6% |
| B47 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 19 | 5/8/6 | 26.3% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2020 | Yuriy Kuzubov | 2,644 | 80th Leiden Noteboom Open | E06 |
| Jan 1996 | Alexander Khalifman | 2,640 | Vienna Open | B47 |
| Jan 1994 | Paul Van der Sterren | 2,605 | chT-NED 9495 | A84 |
| Mar 2010 | Erik Van den Doel | 2,592 | chT-NED 0910 | C65 |
| Mar 2020 | Wouter Spoelman | 2,588 | chT-NED 1920 | A34 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2025 | 204 | 90.5 | 2,214 |
| Dieren Open | 2006 | 72 | 43.5 | 2,403 |
| Groningen Open | 1992 | 25 | 13 | 2,449 |
| Hoogovens Open | 1995 | 24 | 7 | 2,338 |
| Lost Boys Open | 2002 | 18 | 10.5 | 2,441 |
| chT-NED | 1998 | 14 | 11 | 2,655 |
| 75th Tata Steel C | 2013 | 13 | 3 | 2,262 |
| ch-NED Qualification 2026 | 2026 | 13 | 9 | 2,435 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Friso Nijboer (11 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 1,103 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Mark Van der Werf's chess games?
1,103 games by Mark Van der Werf, 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 Mark Van der Werf has played.
What does Mark Van der Werf play on the first move as White?
Across 530 games with White in our database, Mark Van der Werf opens with 1.d4 (50% of games), 1.Nf3 (22% of games), 1.c4 (15% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Mark Van der Werf answers 1...e5 (40% of games), 1...c5 (24% of games), 1...d6 (14% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (63% of games), 1...d5 (32% of games), 1...d6 (1% of games).
What openings does Mark Van der Werf play as White?
As White, Mark Van der Werf's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (38 games, 47.4% win rate); Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System (37 games, 48.6% win rate); Slav Defense (34 games, 47.1% win rate). The full breakdown of 530 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Mark Van der Werf play as Black?
As Black, Mark Van der Werf most often plays: Benoni Defense (42 games, 26.2% win rate); Semi-Slav Defense (37 games, 45.9% win rate); Pirc Defense (35 games, 40.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 573 games.
What is Mark Van der Werf's FIDE rating?
Mark Van der Werf is currently rated 2,376 in classical chess, 2,387 in rapid and 2,337 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,452 (Mar 2012).
How many games has Mark Van der Werf played?
Our database contains 1,103 games by Mark Van der Werf, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 405 wins, 353 draws, 345 losses (36.7% win rate).
How do I prepare against Mark Van der Werf?
1,103 games by Mark Van der Werf 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.