Prepare against Merlijn Van Volsem
FM · Belgium · World #3,809 classical · FIDE ID 258806
Our database contains 71 games by Merlijn Van Volsem, covering Nov 2018 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Merlijn Van Volsem's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Merlijn Van Volsem 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 | 2,308 | 2,356 | Jan 2026 |
| Rapid | 2,214 | 2,214 | Aug 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,238 | 2,238 | Aug 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 71 | 31 | 14 | 26 | 43.7% |
| As White | 33 | 16 | 9 | 8 | 48.5% |
| As Black | 38 | 15 | 5 | 18 | 39.5% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Merlijn Van Volsem's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Merlijn Van Volsem's side.
First moves as White (33 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 12 | 36.4% | 75.0% |
| d4 | 8 | 24.2% | 50.0% |
| Nf3 | 7 | 21.2% | 71.4% |
| c4 | 6 | 18.2% | 41.7% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 36% of White games, 75.0% score
- …c5 (50% of these games) — Volsem usually continues Nf3 (66.7% score)
- …e6 (25% of these games) — Volsem usually continues d4 (100.0% score)
- …e5 (17% of these games) — Volsem usually continues Nf3 (100.0% score)
- 1.d4 — 24% of White games, 50.0% score
- …d5 (50% of these games) — Volsem usually continues c4 (12.5% score)
- …Nf6 (38% of these games) — Volsem usually continues c4 (75.0% score)
- …e6 (13% of these games) — Volsem usually continues c4 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (17 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 16 | 94.1% | 40.6% |
| c6 | 1 | 5.9% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (13 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 7 | 53.8% | 71.4% |
| d5 | 3 | 23.1% | 66.7% |
| e6 | 3 | 23.1% | 33.3% |
Merlijn Van Volsem's chess games
All 71 games by Merlijn Van Volsem in the Chess.ceo database (Nov 2018 - Aug 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: 31 wins, 14 draws, 26 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D31 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| A04 | Réti Opening | 3 | 2/1/0 | 66.7% |
| B73 | Sicilian: Dragon | 3 | 3/0/0 | 100.0% |
| E05 | Catalan | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| E32 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| B41 | Sicilian | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| C11 | French: Classical Variation | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A13 | English Opening | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| A11 | English Opening: Slav Setup | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| A20 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B47 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 6 | 2/0/4 | 33.3% |
| B27 | Sicilian: Hyperaccelerated Dragon | 4 | 0/3/1 | 0.0% |
| E04 | Catalan | 4 | 3/0/1 | 75.0% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| A15 | English Opening | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| E11 | Bogo-Indian Defense | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B35 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| A22 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| E65 | Indian Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| A00 | Hungarian Opening | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2025 | Gellert Karacsonyi | 2,407 | La Plagne Soleil Open | A13 |
| Jul 2025 | Mees Van Osch | 2,347 | TP Chess Masters | E36 |
| Apr 2026 | Arne Nemegeer | 2,328 | chT-BEL 2025-26 | B36 |
| Jul 2025 | Julian Victor | 2,316 | TP Chess Masters | A14 |
| Aug 2024 | Georg Legde | 2,301 | Bruges Open | A05 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2025 | 22 | 13 | 2,300 |
| chT-BEL 2024-25 | 2025 | 9 | 3 | 2,121 |
| TP Chess Masters | 2025 | 9 | 3.5 | 2,306 |
| chT-BEL 2025-26 | 2026 | 9 | 6 | 2,358 |
| Bruges Open | 2024 | 8 | 6 | 2,431 |
| chT-BEL 2223 | 2023 | 6 | 3.5 | 2,308 |
| La Plagne Soleil Open | 2025 | 3 | 1 | 2,337 |
| La Plagne Soleil Masters | 2026 | 2 | 0.5 | 2,299 |
Interactive opening tree from all 71 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Merlijn Van Volsem's chess games?
71 games by Merlijn Van Volsem, from Nov 2018 to Aug 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 Merlijn Van Volsem has played.
What does Merlijn Van Volsem play on the first move as White?
Across 33 games with White in our database, Merlijn Van Volsem opens with 1.e4 (36% of games), 1.d4 (24% of games), 1.Nf3 (21% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Merlijn Van Volsem answers 1...c5 (94% of games), 1...c6 (6% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (54% of games), 1...d5 (23% of games), 1...e6 (23% of games).
What openings does Merlijn Van Volsem play as White?
As White, Merlijn Van Volsem's most-played openings in our database are: Queen's Gambit Declined (3 games, 0.0% win rate); Réti Opening (3 games, 66.7% win rate); Sicilian: Dragon (3 games, 100.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 33 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Merlijn Van Volsem play as Black?
As Black, Merlijn Van Volsem most often plays: Sicilian: Taimanov (6 games, 33.3% win rate); Sicilian: Hyperaccelerated Dragon (4 games, 0.0% win rate); Catalan (4 games, 75.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 38 games.
What is Merlijn Van Volsem's FIDE rating?
Merlijn Van Volsem is currently rated 2,308 in classical chess, 2,214 in rapid and 2,238 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,356 (Jan 2026).
How many games has Merlijn Van Volsem played?
Our database contains 71 games by Merlijn Van Volsem, covering Nov 2018 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 31 wins, 14 draws, 26 losses (43.7% win rate).
How do I prepare against Merlijn Van Volsem?
71 games by Merlijn Van Volsem 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.