Prepare against Maxim Matlakov
GM · Russia · World #167 classical · FIDE ID 4168003
Our database contains 4,179 games by Maxim Matlakov, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Maxim Matlakov's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Maxim Matlakov 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 | 2,596 | 2,738 | Nov 2017 |
| Rapid | 2,604 | 2,726 | Dec 2019 |
| Blitz | 2,614 | 2,760 | Aug 2021 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4,179 | 2,027 | 1,332 | 820 | 48.5% |
| As White | 2,103 | 1,174 | 591 | 338 | 55.8% |
| As Black | 2,076 | 853 | 741 | 482 | 41.1% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Maxim Matlakov's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Maxim Matlakov's side.
First moves as White (2,103 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 1,074 | 51.1% | 69.2% |
| e4 | 408 | 19.4% | 70.0% |
| Nf3 | 385 | 18.3% | 70.8% |
| c4 | 193 | 9.2% | 69.9% |
| b3 | 27 | 1.3% | 79.6% |
| g3 | 9 | 0.4% | 77.8% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 51% of White games, 69.2% score
- …Nf6 (60% of these games) — Matlakov usually continues c4 (66.2% score)
- …d5 (30% of these games) — Matlakov usually continues c4 (66.7% score)
- …e6 (4% of these games) — Matlakov usually continues Nf3 (59.5% score)
- 1.e4 — 19% of White games, 70.0% score
- …c5 (40% of these games) — Matlakov usually continues Nf3 (72.8% score)
- …e5 (30% of these games) — Matlakov usually continues Nf3 (65.6% score)
- …e6 (11% of these games) — Matlakov usually continues d4 (69.1% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (926 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 434 | 46.9% | 59.0% |
| e5 | 378 | 40.8% | 54.9% |
| c6 | 62 | 6.7% | 62.9% |
| d6 | 14 | 1.5% | 64.3% |
| e6 | 14 | 1.5% | 60.7% |
| d5 | 10 | 1.1% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (753 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 440 | 58.4% | 63.2% |
| d5 | 268 | 35.6% | 55.8% |
| d6 | 17 | 2.3% | 64.7% |
| g6 | 13 | 1.7% | 53.8% |
| e6 | 10 | 1.3% | 70.0% |
| c6 | 2 | 0.3% | 100.0% |
Maxim Matlakov's chess games
All 4,179 games by Maxim Matlakov 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: 2,027 wins, 1,332 draws, 820 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E04 | Catalan | 191 | 89/67/35 | 46.6% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 168 | 98/37/33 | 58.3% |
| D45 | Slav Defense | 162 | 71/68/23 | 43.8% |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 141 | 82/27/32 | 58.2% |
| D03 | Torre Attack | 99 | 69/11/19 | 69.7% |
| A13 | English Opening | 91 | 47/36/8 | 51.6% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 64 | 36/20/8 | 56.3% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 53 | 35/12/6 | 66.0% |
| A29 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 52 | 26/18/8 | 50.0% |
| A34 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 44 | 21/17/6 | 47.7% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D12 | Slav Defense | 182 | 78/73/31 | 42.9% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 138 | 70/32/36 | 50.7% |
| D35 | Indian Defense | 128 | 46/50/32 | 35.9% |
| E05 | Catalan | 87 | 36/38/13 | 41.4% |
| B48 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 87 | 38/28/21 | 43.7% |
| C84 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 76 | 22/36/18 | 28.9% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 74 | 31/26/17 | 41.9% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 59 | 27/16/16 | 45.8% |
| D02 | London System | 57 | 23/14/20 | 40.4% |
| C77 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 56 | 21/23/12 | 37.5% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2023 | Magnus Carlsen | 2,852 | Titled Tue Early | C84 |
| Dec 2018 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | 2,817 | Wch Rapid | A50 |
| Dec 2016 | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | 2,804 | Wch Blitz | A33 |
| Sep 2017 | Levon Aronian | 2,799 | FIDE World Cup | D35 |
| Dec 2021 | Fabiano Caruana | 2,792 | Wch Blitz | E08 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2026 | 1,179 | 836.5 | 2,607 |
| Wch Blitz | 2023 | 126 | 75 | 2,705 |
| Wch Rapid | 2023 | 110 | 62.5 | 2,658 |
| FIDE World Cup | 2021 | 43 | 21 | 2,691 |
| ch-RUS blitz | 2018 | 41 | 22 | 2,530 |
| ch-EU blitz | 2016 | 40 | 28.5 | 2,643 |
| ch-RUS rapid | 2018 | 38 | 24.5 | 2,671 |
| FIDE Grand Swiss | 2025 | 33 | 15.5 | 2,603 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Daniil Dubov (41 games) · Vladimir Fedoseev (35 games) · Dmitry Andreikin (35 games) · Vladislav Artemiev (33 games) · Pavel Ponkratov (28 games) · Alexey Sarana (28 games) · Hikaru Nakamura (25 games) · Maksim Chigaev (25 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 4,179 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Maxim Matlakov's chess games?
4,179 games by Maxim Matlakov, 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 Maxim Matlakov has played.
What does Maxim Matlakov play on the first move as White?
Across 2,103 games with White in our database, Maxim Matlakov opens with 1.d4 (51% of games), 1.e4 (19% of games), 1.Nf3 (18% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Maxim Matlakov answers 1...c5 (47% of games), 1...e5 (41% of games), 1...c6 (7% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (58% of games), 1...d5 (36% of games), 1...d6 (2% of games).
What openings does Maxim Matlakov play as White?
As White, Maxim Matlakov's most-played openings in our database are: Catalan (191 games, 46.6% win rate); Indian Defense (168 games, 58.3% win rate); Slav Defense (162 games, 43.8% win rate). The full breakdown of 2,103 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Maxim Matlakov play as Black?
As Black, Maxim Matlakov most often plays: Slav Defense (182 games, 42.9% win rate); Sicilian (138 games, 50.7% win rate); Indian Defense (128 games, 35.9% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 2,076 games.
What is Maxim Matlakov's FIDE rating?
Maxim Matlakov is currently rated 2,596 in classical chess, 2,604 in rapid and 2,614 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,738 (Nov 2017).
How many games has Maxim Matlakov played?
Our database contains 4,179 games by Maxim Matlakov, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 2,027 wins, 1,332 draws, 820 losses (48.5% win rate).
How do I prepare against Maxim Matlakov?
4,179 games by Maxim Matlakov 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.