Prepare against Martin Petrov
GM · BGR · World #416 classical · FIDE ID 2911086
When preparing against Martin Petrov, expect 1.e4 in 82% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (92% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (98%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: English Opening: Symmetrical as Black, 15.4% over 26 games.
Our database contains 1,312 games by Martin Petrov, covering Mar 2010 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Martin Petrov's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Martin Petrov 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 | 2,528 | 2,556 | Apr 2022 |
| Rapid | 2,512 | 2,530 | May 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,422 | 2,449 | Aug 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,312 | 579 | 471 | 262 | 44.1% |
| As White | 648 | 312 | 239 | 97 | 48.1% |
| As Black | 664 | 267 | 232 | 165 | 40.2% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Martin Petrov's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Martin Petrov's side.
First moves as White (648 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 532 | 82.1% | 66.2% |
| c4 | 57 | 8.8% | 59.6% |
| Nf3 | 34 | 5.2% | 82.4% |
| d4 | 23 | 3.5% | 69.6% |
| g3 | 1 | 0.2% | 50.0% |
| b3 | 1 | 0.2% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 82% of White games, 66.2% score
- …c5 (40% of these games) — Petrov usually continues Nf3 (69.2% score)
- …e5 (25% of these games) — Petrov usually continues Nf3 (64.2% score)
- …c6 (12% of these games) — Petrov usually continues d4 (69.8% score)
- 1.c4 — 9% of White games, 59.6% score
- …e5 (32% of these games) — Petrov usually continues d3 (18.8% score)
- …Nf6 (21% of these games) — Petrov usually continues Nf3 (40.0% score)
- …e6 (18% of these games) — Petrov usually continues Nf3 (78.6% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (305 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 280 | 91.8% | 60.7% |
| c6 | 15 | 4.9% | 90.0% |
| e6 | 5 | 1.6% | 30.0% |
| e5 | 4 | 1.3% | 50.0% |
| g6 | 1 | 0.3% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (240 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 236 | 98.3% | 56.8% |
| e6 | 3 | 1.3% | 83.3% |
| d5 | 1 | 0.4% | 100.0% |
Martin Petrov's chess games
All 1,312 games by Martin Petrov in the Chess.ceo database (Mar 2010 - 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: 579 wins, 471 draws, 262 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B41 | Sicilian | 79 | 42/26/11 | 53.2% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 53 | 29/18/6 | 54.7% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 50 | 28/15/7 | 56.0% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 38 | 8/18/12 | 21.1% |
| C55 | Italian Game | 33 | 11/17/5 | 33.3% |
| C54 | Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo | 30 | 15/12/3 | 50.0% |
| A15 | English Opening | 26 | 14/6/6 | 53.8% |
| C54 | Italian Game: Classical Variation | 25 | 15/7/3 | 60.0% |
| B85 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 21 | 7/11/3 | 33.3% |
| A20 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 19 | 7/5/7 | 36.8% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 118 | 49/37/32 | 41.5% |
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 77 | 26/33/18 | 33.8% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 56 | 25/18/13 | 44.6% |
| B53 | Sicilian | 54 | 29/15/10 | 53.7% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 40 | 14/19/7 | 35.0% |
| E05 | Catalan | 34 | 12/15/7 | 35.3% |
| E46 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 26 | 8/12/6 | 30.8% |
| A34 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 26 | 4/7/15 | 15.4% |
| A33 | English Opening | 25 | 10/4/11 | 40.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 22 | 9/11/2 | 40.9% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2020 | Gabriel Sargissian | 2,682 | ch-EU Online 2300+ Final | E15 |
| Oct 2024 | Alexei Shirov | 2,666 | Bundesliga 2024-25 | C11 |
| Mar 2026 | Ruslan Ponomariov | 2,622 | Bundesliga 2025-26 | B90 |
| May 2020 | Viktor Erdos | 2,618 | ch-EU Online 2300+ Final | C54 |
| Apr 2020 | Igor Lysyj | 2,594 | Titled Tue | C54 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2023 | 113 | 68.5 | 2,418 |
| Primorsko Open | 2021 | 32 | 22.5 | 2,432 |
| Shumen Stojan Ivanov Memorial | 2023 | 19 | 14.5 | 2,352 |
| Skopje Karposh Open | 2018 | 18 | 11.5 | 2,368 |
| ch-BUL | 2025 | 18 | 12.5 | 2,454 |
| ch-EU U12 | 2012 | 17 | 10 | 1,921 |
| Bundesliga 2025-26 | 2026 | 15 | 6.5 | 2,511 |
| Bundesliga 2024-25 | 2025 | 12 | 5 | 2,504 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Radoslav Dimitrov (17 games) · Vasil Spasov (15 games) · Ivajlo Enchev (11 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 1,312 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Martin Petrov's chess games?
1,312 games by Martin Petrov, from Mar 2010 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 Martin Petrov has played.
What does Martin Petrov play on the first move as White?
Across 648 games with White in our database, Martin Petrov opens with 1.e4 (82% of games), 1.c4 (9% of games), 1.Nf3 (5% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Martin Petrov answers 1...c5 (92% of games), 1...c6 (5% of games), 1...e6 (2% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (98% of games), 1...e6 (1% of games), 1...d5 (0% of games).
What openings does Martin Petrov play as White?
As White, Martin Petrov's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (79 games, 53.2% win rate); Caro-Kann: Advance Variation (53 games, 54.7% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (50 games, 56.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 648 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Martin Petrov play as Black?
As Black, Martin Petrov most often plays: Sicilian: Najdorf (118 games, 41.5% win rate); Queen's Indian Defense (77 games, 33.8% win rate); Indian Defense (56 games, 44.6% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 664 games.
What is Martin Petrov's FIDE rating?
Martin Petrov is currently rated 2,528 in classical chess, 2,512 in rapid and 2,422 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,556 (Apr 2022).
How many games has Martin Petrov played?
Our database contains 1,312 games by Martin Petrov, covering Mar 2010 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 579 wins, 471 draws, 262 losses (44.1% win rate).
How do I prepare against Martin Petrov?
1,312 games by Martin Petrov 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.