Prepare against Markus Merkel
CM · DEU · World #11,461 classical · FIDE ID 4675657
Our database contains 157 games by Markus Merkel, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Markus Merkel's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Markus Merkel 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 | 2,148 | 2,222 | Apr 2008 |
| Blitz | 2,080 | 2,112 | Mar 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 157 | 43 | 67 | 47 | 27.4% |
| As White | 81 | 23 | 35 | 23 | 28.4% |
| As Black | 76 | 20 | 32 | 24 | 26.3% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Markus Merkel's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Markus Merkel's side.
First moves as White (81 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 29 | 35.8% | 48.3% |
| Nf3 | 19 | 23.5% | 50.0% |
| d4 | 17 | 21.0% | 58.8% |
| c4 | 12 | 14.8% | 58.3% |
| g3 | 4 | 4.9% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 36% of White games, 48.3% score
- …c5 (34% of these games) — Merkel usually continues Nf3 (58.3% score)
- …e6 (17% of these games) — Merkel usually continues d4 (33.3% score)
- …e5 (14% of these games) — Merkel usually continues Nf3 (62.5% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 23% of White games, 50.0% score
- …Nf6 (42% of these games) — Merkel usually continues g3 (60.0% score)
- …c5 (21% of these games) — Merkel usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
- …d5 (21% of these games) — Merkel usually continues e3 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (33 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 11 | 33.3% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 9 | 27.3% | 55.6% |
| e5 | 7 | 21.2% | 64.3% |
| e6 | 4 | 12.1% | 12.5% |
| d5 | 1 | 3.0% | 50.0% |
| c6 | 1 | 3.0% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (27 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 11 | 40.7% | 59.1% |
| d5 | 10 | 37.0% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 5 | 18.5% | 20.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 3.7% | 0.0% |
Markus Merkel's chess games
All 157 games by Markus Merkel 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: 43 wins, 67 draws, 47 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A12 | Réti Opening | 8 | 1/3/4 | 12.5% |
| A30 | English Opening | 7 | 3/3/1 | 42.9% |
| D03 | Torre Attack | 5 | 1/4/0 | 20.0% |
| A29 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 5 | 2/2/1 | 40.0% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 4 | 0/3/1 | 0.0% |
| A37 | Modern Defense | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| A05 | Hungarian Opening | 3 | 0/0/3 | 0.0% |
| A36 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| B06 | Pirc Defense | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| A13 | English Opening: Neo-Catalan | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D37 | Indian Defense | 9 | 2/5/2 | 22.2% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 8 | 2/5/1 | 25.0% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 8 | 2/3/3 | 25.0% |
| D11 | Slav Defense | 5 | 1/2/2 | 20.0% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 5 | 3/0/2 | 60.0% |
| B07 | Philidor | 4 | 0/3/1 | 0.0% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 3 | 2/1/0 | 66.7% |
| C50 | Italian Game | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| E46 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| C15 | French: Winawer Variation | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2012 | Gediminas Sarakauskas | 2,403 | Verbandsliga Sued Baden 1112 | A09 |
| Jan 2011 | Alfred Weindl | 2,369 | Verbandsliga Sued Baden 1011 | A26 |
| Oct 2010 | Johann Haker | 2,351 | Verbandsliga Sued Baden 1011 | B07 |
| Dec 2010 | Charles Partos | 2,343 | Verbandsliga Sued Baden 1011 | A53 |
| Dec 2003 | Hansjuerg Kaenel | 2,338 | Baden VLS 0304 | B47 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-GER U15 | 1995 | 9 | 2 | – |
| Baden VLS 0304 | 2004 | 9 | 4 | 2,176 |
| Verbandsliga Sued Baden 1213 | 2013 | 9 | 3.5 | 2,177 |
| Dortmund Sparkassen Open A | 2011 | 9 | 3.5 | 1,812 |
| Verbandsliga Sued Baden 1011 | 2011 | 9 | 5 | 2,362 |
| Verbandsliga Suedbaden 1516 | 2016 | 9 | 6 | 2,332 |
| Verbandsliga Sued Baden 0607 | 2007 | 8 | 3.5 | 2,148 |
| Verbandsliga Suedbaden 1819 | 2019 | 8 | 2.5 | 2,170 |
Interactive opening tree from all 157 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Markus Merkel's chess games?
157 games by Markus Merkel, 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 Markus Merkel has played.
What does Markus Merkel play on the first move as White?
Across 81 games with White in our database, Markus Merkel opens with 1.e4 (36% of games), 1.Nf3 (23% of games), 1.d4 (21% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Markus Merkel answers 1...c5 (33% of games), 1...d6 (27% of games), 1...e5 (21% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (41% of games), 1...d5 (37% of games), 1...d6 (19% of games).
What openings does Markus Merkel play as White?
As White, Markus Merkel's most-played openings in our database are: Réti Opening (8 games, 12.5% win rate); English Opening (7 games, 42.9% win rate); Torre Attack (5 games, 20.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 81 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Markus Merkel play as Black?
As Black, Markus Merkel most often plays: Indian Defense (9 games, 22.2% win rate); Sicilian (8 games, 25.0% win rate); Pirc Defense (8 games, 25.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 76 games.
What is Markus Merkel's FIDE rating?
Markus Merkel is currently rated 2,148 in classical chess and 2,080 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,222 (Apr 2008).
How many games has Markus Merkel played?
Our database contains 157 games by Markus Merkel, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 43 wins, 67 draws, 47 losses (27.4% win rate).
How do I prepare against Markus Merkel?
157 games by Markus Merkel 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.