Prepare against Matthias Ruf
IM · DEU · World #4,688 classical · FIDE ID 4600541
Our database contains 338 games by Matthias Ruf, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Matthias Ruf's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Matthias Ruf 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 | 2,282 | 2,353 | Oct 2017 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 338 | 118 | 118 | 102 | 34.9% |
| As White | 167 | 68 | 57 | 42 | 40.7% |
| As Black | 171 | 50 | 61 | 60 | 29.2% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Matthias Ruf's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Matthias Ruf's side.
First moves as White (167 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 73 | 43.7% | 55.5% |
| Nf3 | 29 | 17.4% | 51.7% |
| c4 | 19 | 11.4% | 76.3% |
| e4 | 16 | 9.6% | 56.3% |
| e3 | 15 | 9.0% | 63.3% |
| g3 | 12 | 7.2% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 44% of White games, 55.5% score
- …Nf6 (56% of these games) — Ruf usually continues Nf3 (61.3% score)
- …d5 (18% of these games) — Ruf usually continues Nf3 (55.6% score)
- …f5 (8% of these games) — Ruf usually continues Nc3 (50.0% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 17% of White games, 51.7% score
- …Nf6 (34% of these games) — Ruf usually continues g3 (50.0% score)
- …d5 (31% of these games) — Ruf usually continues g3 (16.7% score)
- …c5 (24% of these games) — Ruf usually continues g3 (60.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (60 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 33 | 55.0% | 48.5% |
| d6 | 11 | 18.3% | 54.5% |
| e5 | 8 | 13.3% | 56.3% |
| g6 | 4 | 6.7% | 75.0% |
| c5 | 3 | 5.0% | 66.7% |
| c6 | 1 | 1.7% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (61 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 27 | 44.3% | 51.9% |
| d6 | 13 | 21.3% | 34.6% |
| e6 | 11 | 18.0% | 50.0% |
| f5 | 7 | 11.5% | 35.7% |
| d5 | 3 | 4.9% | 16.7% |
Matthias Ruf's chess games
All 338 games by Matthias Ruf 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: 118 wins, 118 draws, 102 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A07 | Réti Opening | 19 | 4/10/5 | 21.1% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 16 | 10/3/3 | 62.5% |
| A02 | Van 't Kruijs Opening | 14 | 8/2/4 | 57.1% |
| A25 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 11 | 5/3/3 | 45.5% |
| A48 | King's Indian Defense | 10 | 4/4/2 | 40.0% |
| A48 | Torre Attack | 9 | 3/5/1 | 33.3% |
| E05 | Catalan | 9 | 7/2/0 | 77.8% |
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 7 | 4/0/3 | 57.1% |
| A44 | Benoni Defense | 6 | 4/1/1 | 66.7% |
| A03 | Hungarian Opening | 6 | 2/3/1 | 33.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 14 | 5/5/4 | 35.7% |
| C17 | French: Winawer Variation | 13 | 4/3/6 | 30.8% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 12 | 4/5/3 | 33.3% |
| A47 | Indian Defense | 9 | 4/3/2 | 44.4% |
| A29 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 9 | 1/4/4 | 11.1% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense: Lion System | 8 | 2/3/3 | 25.0% |
| A15 | English Opening | 8 | 3/2/3 | 37.5% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 8 | 2/3/3 | 25.0% |
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 7 | 1/3/3 | 14.3% |
| A90 | Horwitz Defense | 6 | 3/1/2 | 50.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1990 | Attila Groszpeter | 2,545 | Kecskemet | D03 |
| Jan 1990 | Vlatko Kovacevic | 2,540 | Geneve Open | A07 |
| Jan 1988 | Raj Tischbierek | 2,500 | Balatonbereny Open | C18 |
| Jan 1989 | Srdjan Marangunic | 2,460 | Bern Open | A12 |
| Jan 1992 | Karl-Heinz Podzielny | 2,450 | Bundesliga 1991-92 | B07 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-Wuerttemberg | 1989 | 18 | 14.5 | 2,521 |
| ch-FRG 20 | 1989 | 15 | 6 | 2,315 |
| Bundesliga 1991-92 | 1992 | 15 | 8.5 | 2,426 |
| Zuerich Klee Memorial | 1989 | 13 | 7 | 2,357 |
| Kecskemet | 1990 | 13 | 6.5 | 2,442 |
| Bern Open | 1993 | 13 | 6.5 | 2,365 |
| Val Thorens | 1989 | 11 | 7 | 2,439 |
| Geneve YM | 1989 | 11 | 5 | 2,265 |
Interactive opening tree from all 338 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Matthias Ruf's chess games?
338 games by Matthias Ruf, 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 Matthias Ruf has played.
What does Matthias Ruf play on the first move as White?
Across 167 games with White in our database, Matthias Ruf opens with 1.d4 (44% of games), 1.Nf3 (17% of games), 1.c4 (11% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Matthias Ruf answers 1...e6 (55% of games), 1...d6 (18% of games), 1...e5 (13% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (44% of games), 1...d6 (21% of games), 1...e6 (18% of games).
What openings does Matthias Ruf play as White?
As White, Matthias Ruf's most-played openings in our database are: Réti Opening (19 games, 21.1% win rate); Indian Defense (16 games, 62.5% win rate); Van 't Kruijs Opening (14 games, 57.1% win rate). The full breakdown of 167 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Matthias Ruf play as Black?
As Black, Matthias Ruf most often plays: French: Tarrasch Variation (14 games, 35.7% win rate); French: Winawer Variation (13 games, 30.8% win rate); Réti Opening (12 games, 33.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 171 games.
What is Matthias Ruf's FIDE rating?
Matthias Ruf is currently rated 2,282 in classical chess. Peak classical rating: 2,353 (Oct 2017).
How many games has Matthias Ruf played?
Our database contains 338 games by Matthias Ruf, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 118 wins, 118 draws, 102 losses (34.9% win rate).
How do I prepare against Matthias Ruf?
338 games by Matthias Ruf 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.