Prepare against Merijn Van Delft
IM · NLD · World #3,172 classical · FIDE ID 1004670
When preparing against Merijn Van Delft, expect 1.e4 in 91% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (75% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (53%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Sicilian: Moscow Variation as Black, 0.0% over 18 games.
Our database contains 1,260 games by Merijn Van Delft, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Merijn Van Delft's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Merijn Van Delft 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 | 2,332 | 2,430 | Jan 2014 |
| Rapid | 2,372 | 2,372 | Sep 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,381 | 2,458 | Jun 2017 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,260 | 448 | 533 | 279 | 35.6% |
| As White | 619 | 237 | 259 | 123 | 38.3% |
| As Black | 641 | 211 | 274 | 156 | 32.9% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Merijn Van Delft's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Merijn Van Delft's side.
First moves as White (619 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 563 | 91.0% | 59.0% |
| Nf3 | 28 | 4.5% | 53.6% |
| d4 | 17 | 2.7% | 67.6% |
| b3 | 7 | 1.1% | 57.1% |
| c4 | 4 | 0.6% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 91% of White games, 59.0% score
- …c5 (37% of these games) — Delft usually continues Nf3 (58.2% score)
- …e5 (25% of these games) — Delft usually continues Nf3 (57.6% score)
- …e6 (15% of these games) — Delft usually continues d4 (57.8% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 5% of White games, 53.6% score
- …Nf6 (32% of these games) — Delft usually continues g3 (57.1% score)
- …d5 (32% of these games) — Delft usually continues g3 (50.0% score)
- …c5 (18% of these games) — Delft usually continues g3 (60.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (323 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 241 | 74.6% | 58.5% |
| c6 | 60 | 18.6% | 45.8% |
| g6 | 11 | 3.4% | 77.3% |
| e5 | 11 | 3.4% | 45.5% |
As Black against 1.d4 (199 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 105 | 52.8% | 57.6% |
| d5 | 92 | 46.2% | 44.6% |
| c6 | 1 | 0.5% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 1 | 0.5% | 50.0% |
Merijn Van Delft's chess games
All 1,260 games by Merijn Van Delft 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: 448 wins, 533 draws, 279 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B42 | Sicilian | 82 | 23/34/25 | 28.0% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 54 | 26/20/8 | 48.1% |
| C88 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 48 | 16/25/7 | 33.3% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 28 | 12/9/7 | 42.9% |
| C78 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 25 | 8/10/7 | 32.0% |
| C18 | French: Winawer Variation | 22 | 9/5/8 | 40.9% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 21 | 6/10/5 | 28.6% |
| C11 | French: Classical Variation | 19 | 7/8/4 | 36.8% |
| B19 | Caro-Kann: Classical | 18 | 5/9/4 | 27.8% |
| B76 | Sicilian: Dragon | 18 | 9/6/3 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B57 | Sicilian | 101 | 46/37/18 | 45.5% |
| D11 | Slav Defense | 86 | 21/39/26 | 24.4% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 64 | 24/29/11 | 37.5% |
| E97 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 46 | 13/18/15 | 28.3% |
| A26 | English Opening | 29 | 13/9/7 | 44.8% |
| B19 | Caro-Kann: Classical | 28 | 5/17/6 | 17.9% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 23 | 11/5/7 | 47.8% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 18 | 0/12/6 | 0.0% |
| E81 | King's Indian: Sämisch | 16 | 7/5/4 | 43.8% |
| A11 | English Opening: Slav Setup | 16 | 7/6/3 | 43.8% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2017 | Andrey Zhigalko | 2,577 | 5th Hofheim Spring Open A | A38 |
| Jul 2010 | Valeriy Neverov | 2,544 | Dieren Open | B33 |
| Dec 2023 | Vitaly Kunin | 2,541 | chT-NED 2324 | E73 |
| Oct 2016 | Jose Fernando Cuenca Jimenez | 2,529 | Hamburg HSK GM | C07 |
| Oct 2007 | Thal Abergel | 2,528 | Hoogeveen Essent Open | C60 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dieren Open | 2023 | 81 | 50 | 2,424 |
| Lost Boys Open | 2002 | 27 | 13.5 | 2,314 |
| Hoogeveen Essent Open | 2008 | 27 | 15 | 2,398 |
| Naujac Open | 2013 | 26 | 18 | 2,392 |
| ch-NED U20 | 1999 | 18 | 12 | 2,362 |
| Wijk Cultural Village | 2013 | 18 | 10.5 | 2,400 |
| Hengelo U20 Open | 1998 | 18 | 13 | 2,403 |
| Amsterdam Science Park Open A | 2023 | 15 | 10.5 | 2,327 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Sipke Ernst (13 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 1,260 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Merijn Van Delft's chess games?
1,260 games by Merijn Van Delft, 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 Merijn Van Delft has played.
What does Merijn Van Delft play on the first move as White?
Across 619 games with White in our database, Merijn Van Delft opens with 1.e4 (91% of games), 1.Nf3 (5% of games), 1.d4 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Merijn Van Delft answers 1...c5 (75% of games), 1...c6 (19% of games), 1...g6 (3% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (53% of games), 1...d5 (46% of games), 1...c6 (1% of games).
What openings does Merijn Van Delft play as White?
As White, Merijn Van Delft's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (82 games, 28.0% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (54 games, 48.1% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Closed (48 games, 33.3% win rate). The full breakdown of 619 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Merijn Van Delft play as Black?
As Black, Merijn Van Delft most often plays: Sicilian (101 games, 45.5% win rate); Slav Defense (86 games, 24.4% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (64 games, 37.5% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 641 games.
What is Merijn Van Delft's FIDE rating?
Merijn Van Delft is currently rated 2,332 in classical chess, 2,372 in rapid and 2,381 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,430 (Jan 2014).
How many games has Merijn Van Delft played?
Our database contains 1,260 games by Merijn Van Delft, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 448 wins, 533 draws, 279 losses (35.6% win rate).
How do I prepare against Merijn Van Delft?
1,260 games by Merijn Van Delft 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.