Prepare against Merab Gagunashvili
GM · Georgia · World #455 classical · FIDE ID 13601652
When preparing against Merab Gagunashvili, expect 1.d4 in 78% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...d6 (39% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (58%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Slav Defense as Black, 23.4% over 158 games.
Our database contains 1,704 games by Merab Gagunashvili, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Merab Gagunashvili's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Merab Gagunashvili 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 | 2,520 | 2,625 | Apr 2007 |
| Rapid | 2,446 | 2,603 | Apr 2015 |
| Blitz | 2,511 | 2,627 | Apr 2015 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,704 | 709 | 737 | 257 | 41.6% |
| As White | 852 | 395 | 347 | 110 | 46.4% |
| As Black | 852 | 314 | 390 | 147 | 36.9% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Merab Gagunashvili's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Merab Gagunashvili's side.
First moves as White (852 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 667 | 78.3% | 66.5% |
| e4 | 105 | 12.3% | 66.2% |
| Nf3 | 56 | 6.6% | 70.5% |
| c4 | 24 | 2.8% | 66.7% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 78% of White games, 66.5% score
- …Nf6 (58% of these games) — Gagunashvili usually continues c4 (66.3% score)
- …d5 (32% of these games) — Gagunashvili usually continues c4 (66.8% score)
- …e6 (4% of these games) — Gagunashvili usually continues c4 (52.4% score)
- 1.e4 — 12% of White games, 66.2% score
- …c5 (48% of these games) — Gagunashvili usually continues Nf3 (67.3% score)
- …e5 (18% of these games) — Gagunashvili usually continues Nf3 (66.7% score)
- …c6 (13% of these games) — Gagunashvili usually continues d4 (54.5% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (405 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d6 | 157 | 38.8% | 66.9% |
| c5 | 128 | 31.6% | 58.2% |
| e5 | 73 | 18.0% | 52.7% |
| c6 | 34 | 8.4% | 39.7% |
| d5 | 8 | 2.0% | 68.8% |
| g6 | 4 | 1.0% | 87.5% |
As Black against 1.d4 (306 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 177 | 57.8% | 55.4% |
| d6 | 68 | 22.2% | 64.7% |
| Nf6 | 49 | 16.0% | 72.4% |
| g6 | 10 | 3.3% | 60.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 0.3% | 50.0% |
| c5 | 1 | 0.3% | 100.0% |
Merab Gagunashvili's chess games
All 1,704 games by Merab Gagunashvili 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: 709 wins, 737 draws, 257 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D37 | Indian Defense | 148 | 63/61/24 | 42.6% |
| D15 | Slav Defense | 117 | 51/49/17 | 43.6% |
| E32 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 105 | 45/46/14 | 42.9% |
| E61 | King's Indian Defense | 48 | 30/15/3 | 62.5% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 28 | 16/8/4 | 57.1% |
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 26 | 13/11/2 | 50.0% |
| D32 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 25 | 16/7/2 | 64.0% |
| B42 | Sicilian | 21 | 11/8/2 | 52.4% |
| A17 | English Opening | 20 | 10/8/2 | 50.0% |
| D20 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 19 | 7/10/2 | 36.8% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D12 | Slav Defense | 158 | 37/98/23 | 23.4% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 103 | 53/35/15 | 51.5% |
| B43 | Sicilian | 61 | 30/22/9 | 49.2% |
| C41 | Philidor | 57 | 19/30/8 | 33.3% |
| A41 | Rat Defense | 50 | 24/18/8 | 48.0% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 28 | 11/10/7 | 39.3% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 27 | 17/7/3 | 63.0% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | 27 | 12/7/8 | 44.4% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 25 | 19/4/2 | 76.0% |
| A42 | Modern Defense | 24 | 12/5/7 | 50.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2003 | Alexander Grischuk | 2,712 | Moscow Aeroflot Open A | D37 |
| Jun 2010 | Rustam Kasimdzhanov | 2,699 | chT-TUR | D46 |
| May 2014 | Anton Korobov | 2,696 | Nakhchivan Open | A80 |
| May 2016 | Vladimir Fedoseev | 2,685 | 17th ch-EU | E63 |
| Nov 2015 | Alexander Areshchenko | 2,682 | 20th chT-EU | B43 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| chT-TUR | 2014 | 60 | 33 | 2,578 |
| chT-SRB Premier | 2024 | 38 | 22 | 2,531 |
| ch-GEO U20 | 2002 | 25 | 17 | 2,467 |
| Wch Blitz | 2021 | 21 | 11 | 2,612 |
| ch-GEO U16 | 2001 | 20 | 14 | 2,369 |
| Groningen Harmonie | 2004 | 17 | 10 | 2,554 |
| Nakhchivan Open | 2014 | 16 | 9 | 2,561 |
| Silkway Cup Online | 2020 | 15 | 8 | 2,474 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Levan Pantsulaia (27 games) · Mikheil Mchedlishvili (24 games) · Giga Quparadze (18 games) · Tornike Sanikidze (17 games) · Luka Paichadze (17 games) · Baadur Jobava (16 games) · Konstantine Shanava (11 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 1,704 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Merab Gagunashvili's chess games?
1,704 games by Merab Gagunashvili, 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 Merab Gagunashvili has played.
What does Merab Gagunashvili play on the first move as White?
Across 852 games with White in our database, Merab Gagunashvili opens with 1.d4 (78% of games), 1.e4 (12% of games), 1.Nf3 (7% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Merab Gagunashvili answers 1...d6 (39% of games), 1...c5 (32% of games), 1...e5 (18% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (58% of games), 1...d6 (22% of games), 1...Nf6 (16% of games).
What openings does Merab Gagunashvili play as White?
As White, Merab Gagunashvili's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (148 games, 42.6% win rate); Slav Defense (117 games, 43.6% win rate); Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation (105 games, 42.9% win rate). The full breakdown of 852 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Merab Gagunashvili play as Black?
As Black, Merab Gagunashvili most often plays: Slav Defense (158 games, 23.4% win rate); Pirc Defense (103 games, 51.5% win rate); Sicilian (61 games, 49.2% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 852 games.
What is Merab Gagunashvili's FIDE rating?
Merab Gagunashvili is currently rated 2,520 in classical chess, 2,446 in rapid and 2,511 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,625 (Apr 2007).
How many games has Merab Gagunashvili played?
Our database contains 1,704 games by Merab Gagunashvili, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 709 wins, 737 draws, 257 losses (41.6% win rate).
How do I prepare against Merab Gagunashvili?
1,704 games by Merab Gagunashvili 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.