Prepare against Maxim Matlakov
GM · Russia · World #161 classical · FIDE ID 4168003
When preparing against Maxim Matlakov, expect 1.d4 in 51% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (47% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (58%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Ruy Lopez: Closed as Black, 28.9% over 76 games.
Our database contains 4,210 games by Maxim Matlakov, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 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 | 4,210 | 2,047 | 1,338 | 825 | 48.6% |
| As White | 2,118 | 1,183 | 593 | 342 | 55.9% |
| As Black | 2,092 | 864 | 745 | 483 | 41.3% |
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 (2,117 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 1,074 | 50.7% | 69.2% |
| e4 | 408 | 19.3% | 70.0% |
| Nf3 | 399 | 18.8% | 70.8% |
| c4 | 193 | 9.1% | 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 (934 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 441 | 47.2% | 59.4% |
| e5 | 378 | 40.5% | 54.9% |
| c6 | 63 | 6.7% | 63.5% |
| d6 | 14 | 1.5% | 64.3% |
| e6 | 14 | 1.5% | 60.7% |
| d5 | 10 | 1.1% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (758 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 440 | 58.0% | 63.2% |
| d5 | 273 | 36.0% | 56.0% |
| d6 | 17 | 2.2% | 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 4,210 games by Maxim Matlakov in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - 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: 2,047 wins, 1,338 draws, 825 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 | 148 | 87/29/32 | 58.8% |
| 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 | 54 | 36/12/6 | 66.7% |
| 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 | 183 | 79/73/31 | 43.2% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 144 | 74/34/36 | 51.4% |
| 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 | 75 | 32/26/17 | 42.7% |
| D02 | London System | 60 | 25/15/20 | 41.7% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 59 | 27/16/16 | 45.8% |
| 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 | 1,199 | 851.5 | 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) · Dmitry Andreikin (38 games) · Vladimir Fedoseev (35 games) · Vladislav Artemiev (33 games) · Alexey Sarana (29 games) · Pavel Ponkratov (28 games) · Hikaru Nakamura (26 games) · Maksim Chigaev (25 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 4,210 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Maxim Matlakov's chess games?
4,210 games by Maxim Matlakov, from Apr 2003 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 Maxim Matlakov has played.
What does Maxim Matlakov play on the first move as White?
Across 2,117 games with White in our database, Maxim Matlakov opens with 1.d4 (51% of games), 1.e4 (19% of games), 1.Nf3 (19% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Maxim Matlakov answers 1...c5 (47% of games), 1...e5 (40% 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 2,118 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 (183 games, 43.2% win rate); Sicilian (144 games, 51.4% win rate); Indian Defense (128 games, 35.9% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 2,092 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 4,210 games by Maxim Matlakov, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 2,047 wins, 1,338 draws, 825 losses (48.6% win rate).
How do I prepare against Maxim Matlakov?
4,210 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.