Prepare against Matthias Wahls
GM · DEU · World #480 classical · FIDE ID 4600070
Our database contains 1,087 games by Matthias Wahls, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Matthias Wahls's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Matthias Wahls 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 | 2,516 | 2,551 | Jan 2005 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,087 | 425 | 438 | 224 | 39.1% |
| As White | 538 | 219 | 223 | 96 | 40.7% |
| As Black | 549 | 206 | 215 | 128 | 37.5% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Matthias Wahls's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Matthias Wahls's side.
First moves as White (538 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 482 | 89.6% | 61.5% |
| c4 | 47 | 8.7% | 59.6% |
| Nf3 | 9 | 1.7% | 66.7% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 90% of White games, 61.5% score
- …c5 (48% of these games) — Wahls usually continues Nf3 (60.1% score)
- …e5 (18% of these games) — Wahls usually continues Nf3 (62.9% score)
- …e6 (16% of these games) — Wahls usually continues d4 (61.5% score)
- 1.c4 — 9% of White games, 59.6% score
- …e5 (28% of these games) — Wahls usually continues Nc3 (75.0% score)
- …Nf6 (28% of these games) — Wahls usually continues Nc3 (54.2% score)
- …e6 (13% of these games) — Wahls usually continues Nf3 (75.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (211 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 96 | 45.5% | 59.4% |
| e5 | 52 | 24.6% | 59.6% |
| d5 | 46 | 21.8% | 69.6% |
| d6 | 17 | 8.1% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (249 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 244 | 98.0% | 54.5% |
| d6 | 3 | 1.2% | 66.7% |
| e6 | 2 | 0.8% | 0.0% |
Matthias Wahls's chess games
All 1,087 games by Matthias Wahls 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: 425 wins, 438 draws, 224 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B42 | Sicilian | 79 | 39/30/10 | 49.4% |
| C08 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 67 | 29/26/12 | 43.3% |
| B93 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 40 | 5/23/12 | 12.5% |
| C92 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 32 | 13/16/3 | 40.6% |
| B14 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 27 | 9/15/3 | 33.3% |
| B52 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 23 | 7/9/7 | 30.4% |
| B81 | Sicilian: Scheveningen | 21 | 10/8/3 | 47.6% |
| B09 | Modern Defense | 19 | 7/9/3 | 36.8% |
| B78 | Sicilian: Dragon | 19 | 12/6/1 | 63.2% |
| A28 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 19 | 11/5/3 | 57.9% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E11 | Bogo-Indian Defense | 48 | 15/24/9 | 31.3% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 45 | 22/18/5 | 48.9% |
| B43 | Sicilian | 41 | 15/11/15 | 36.6% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 40 | 20/12/8 | 50.0% |
| A30 | English Opening | 36 | 13/19/4 | 36.1% |
| A61 | Benoni Defense | 29 | 6/11/12 | 20.7% |
| C88 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 26 | 11/9/6 | 42.3% |
| E97 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 26 | 6/12/8 | 23.1% |
| E45 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 24 | 8/10/6 | 33.3% |
| B87 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 23 | 10/10/3 | 43.5% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1985 | Garry Kasparov | 2,715 | HSK-Kasparov Simul | B52 |
| Mar 2004 | Alexander Graf | 2,646 | Bundesliga 2003-04 | E43 |
| May 1991 | Alexander G Beliavsky | 2,640 | Munich SKA | C06 |
| Jan 1992 | Mikhail Gurevich | 2,635 | Taastrup | E97 |
| Feb 2001 | Matthew D Sadler | 2,628 | Bundesliga 2000-01 | A25 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biel MTO Open | 1996 | 44 | 27.5 | 2,532 |
| Wch U20 | 1988 | 39 | 24 | 2,504 |
| Biel | 1994 | 25 | 13.5 | 2,581 |
| Munich SKA | 1992 | 24 | 7.5 | 2,445 |
| Bundesliga 1999-00 | 2000 | 15 | 7 | 2,530 |
| Bundesliga 1996-97 | 1997 | 15 | 6 | 2,510 |
| Bern Open | 1995 | 15 | 9.5 | 2,534 |
| Bundesliga 1986-87 | 1987 | 15 | 9 | 2,438 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Christopher Lutz (15 games) · Klaus Bischoff (14 games) · Stefan Kindermann (11 games) · Gerald Hertneck (11 games) · Eric Lobron (10 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 1,087 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Matthias Wahls's chess games?
1,087 games by Matthias Wahls, 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 Wahls has played.
What does Matthias Wahls play on the first move as White?
Across 538 games with White in our database, Matthias Wahls opens with 1.e4 (90% of games), 1.c4 (9% of games), 1.Nf3 (2% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Matthias Wahls answers 1...c5 (45% of games), 1...e5 (25% of games), 1...d5 (22% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (98% of games), 1...d6 (1% of games), 1...e6 (1% of games).
What openings does Matthias Wahls play as White?
As White, Matthias Wahls's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (79 games, 49.4% win rate); French: Tarrasch Variation (67 games, 43.3% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (40 games, 12.5% win rate). The full breakdown of 538 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Matthias Wahls play as Black?
As Black, Matthias Wahls most often plays: Bogo-Indian Defense (48 games, 31.3% win rate); Scandinavian Defense: Main Line (45 games, 48.9% win rate); Sicilian (41 games, 36.6% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 549 games.
What is Matthias Wahls's FIDE rating?
Matthias Wahls is currently rated 2,516 in classical chess. Peak classical rating: 2,551 (Jan 2005).
How many games has Matthias Wahls played?
Our database contains 1,087 games by Matthias Wahls, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 425 wins, 438 draws, 224 losses (39.1% win rate).
How do I prepare against Matthias Wahls?
1,087 games by Matthias Wahls 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.