Prepare against Matthew Helsby
United Kingdom · World #68,042 classical · FIDE ID 343410936
When preparing against Matthew Helsby, expect 1.d4 in 59% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c6 (35% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (75%).
Our database contains 53 games by Matthew Helsby, covering Jan 2023 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Matthew Helsby's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Matthew Helsby 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 | 1,828 | 1,842 | Dec 2025 |
| Rapid | 1,666 | 1,713 | Jul 2026 |
| Blitz | 1,797 | 1,798 | Dec 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 53 | 23 | 11 | 19 | 43.4% |
| As White | 28 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 39.3% |
| As Black | 25 | 12 | 5 | 8 | 48.0% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Matthew Helsby's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Matthew Helsby's side.
First moves as White (27 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 16 | 59.3% | 40.6% |
| e4 | 9 | 33.3% | 61.1% |
| Nf3 | 1 | 3.7% | 50.0% |
| b3 | 1 | 3.7% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 59% of White games, 40.6% score
- …Nf6 (56% of these games) — Helsby usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …d5 (38% of these games) — Helsby usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …e6 (6% of these games) — Helsby usually continues e4 (0.0% score)
- 1.e4 — 33% of White games, 61.1% score
- …c5 (67% of these games) — Helsby usually continues Nf3 (30.0% score)
- …c6 (22% of these games) — Helsby usually continues Nf3 (100.0% score)
- …e5 (11% of these games) — Helsby usually continues Nf3 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (17 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c6 | 6 | 35.3% | 75.0% |
| e5 | 3 | 17.6% | 50.0% |
| Nf6 | 2 | 11.8% | 25.0% |
| c5 | 2 | 11.8% | 50.0% |
| e6 | 2 | 11.8% | 100.0% |
| d5 | 1 | 5.9% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (4 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 3 | 75.0% | 66.7% |
| d5 | 1 | 25.0% | 0.0% |
Matthew Helsby's chess games
All 53 games by Matthew Helsby in the Chess.ceo database (Jan 2023 - 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: 23 wins, 11 draws, 19 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A46 | Indian Defense | 5 | 1/2/2 | 20.0% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| A45 | Trompowsky Attack | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| B29 | Sicilian | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| B72 | Sicilian: Dragon | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| E81 | King's Indian: Sämisch | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| D02 | London System | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| D30 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| A04 | Réti Opening | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A46 | Indian Defense | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| B11 | Caro-Kann: Two Knights Variation | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| B03 | Alekhine Defense | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| C00 | French Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A00 | Hungarian Opening | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| C54 | Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| C58 | Italian Game: Two Knights Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2026 | Martin J Faulkner | 1,913 | Silvertown (London City Airport Docklands) FIDE Congress - Under 2400 | B92 |
| Jul 2024 | Anay Misra | 1,908 | ch-BCF U12 blitz | B13 |
| Aug 2026 | Florence Spirling | 1,685 | 2026 British Chess Championships: | A00 |
| Jul 2024 | Mahin Rughani | 1,684 | ch-BCF U12 blitz | B13 |
| Jul 2024 | Dylan Flanagan | 1,655 | ch-BCF U12 Rapid | C00 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-BCF U12 Rapid | 2024 | 9 | 5 | 1,527 |
| ch-BCF U12 blitz | 2024 | 9 | 5 | 1,656 |
| 2026 British Chess Championships: Under 14 | 2026 | 7 | 3.5 | 1,736 |
| ch-BCF U12 | 2024 | 6 | 2.5 | 1,434 |
| ch-BCF PM U1750 Open | 2024 | 6 | 4 | 1,533 |
| Stokes Cup | 2025 | 5 | 2.5 | 1,716 |
| 2026 British Chess Championships: Major Open | 2026 | 5 | 2 | 1,858 |
| 2026 British Chess Championships: | 2026 | 3 | 2.5 | 1,899 |
Interactive opening tree from all 53 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Matthew Helsby's chess games?
53 games by Matthew Helsby, from Jan 2023 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 Matthew Helsby has played.
What does Matthew Helsby play on the first move as White?
Across 27 games with White in our database, Matthew Helsby opens with 1.d4 (59% of games), 1.e4 (33% of games), 1.Nf3 (4% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Matthew Helsby answers 1...c6 (35% of games), 1...e5 (18% of games), 1...Nf6 (12% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (75% of games), 1...d5 (25% of games).
What openings does Matthew Helsby play as White?
As White, Matthew Helsby's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (5 games, 20.0% win rate); Queen's Pawn Game (3 games, 66.7% win rate); Trompowsky Attack (3 games, 66.7% win rate). The full breakdown of 28 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Matthew Helsby play as Black?
As Black, Matthew Helsby most often plays: Indian Defense (3 games, 33.3% win rate); Caro-Kann: Two Knights Variation (2 games, 100.0% win rate); Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation (2 games, 50.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 25 games.
What is Matthew Helsby's FIDE rating?
Matthew Helsby is currently rated 1,828 in classical chess, 1,666 in rapid and 1,797 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 1,842 (Dec 2025).
How many games has Matthew Helsby played?
Our database contains 53 games by Matthew Helsby, covering Jan 2023 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 23 wins, 11 draws, 19 losses (43.4% win rate).
How do I prepare against Matthew Helsby?
53 games by Matthew Helsby 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.