Prepare against Michael Birken
DEU · World #33,884 classical · FIDE ID 34600892
When preparing against Michael Birken, expect 1.e4 in 100% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (100% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (86%).
Our database contains 35 games by Michael Birken, covering Sep 2022 to Nov 2026. Below you'll find Michael Birken's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Michael Birken 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 | 1,966 | 1,973 | Apr 2026 |
| Rapid | 1,922 | 1,994 | Sep 2024 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 35 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 25.7% |
| As White | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 41.2% |
| As Black | 18 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 11.1% |
FIDE rated record
From FIDE's official rated-game ledger (2022-2026): 134 rated games against 125 different opponents, across 18 events in 1 countries. These counts cover FIDE-rated play only, so they differ from the database totals above.
By time control
| Format | Games | W | D | L | Win rate | Avg opp | Perf | Unbeaten |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classical | 94 | 34 | 36 | 24 | 36.2% | 1,886 | 1,934 | 9 |
| Rapid | 40 | 23 | 7 | 10 | 57.5% | 1,799 | 1,910 | 7 |
Against the field
| Opposition | Games | W | D | L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Against higher-rated | 29 | 6 | 9 | 14 | 20.7% |
| Against lower-rated | 84 | 42 | 29 | 13 | 50.0% |
Wins over titled players: 1 vs FM.
Year by year
| Year | Games | W | D | L | Avg opp | Perf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 1,818 | 1,924 |
| 2025 | 30 | 12 | 13 | 5 | 1,863 | 1,946 |
| 2024 | 33 | 16 | 8 | 9 | 1,904 | 1,965 |
| 2023 | 39 | 17 | 12 | 10 | 1,811 | 1,882 |
| 2022 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 1,963 | 1,938 |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Michael Birken's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Michael Birken's side.
First moves as White (17 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 17 | 100.0% | 52.9% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 100% of White games, 52.9% score
- …c5 (35% of these games) — Birken usually continues Nf3 (33.3% score)
- …e6 (24% of these games) — Birken usually continues d4 (62.5% score)
- …e5 (18% of these games) — Birken usually continues Nf3 (66.7% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (8 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 8 | 100.0% | 43.8% |
As Black against 1.d4 (7 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 6 | 85.7% | 33.3% |
| d6 | 1 | 14.3% | 0.0% |
Michael Birken's chess games
All 35 games by Michael Birken in the Chess.ceo database (Sep 2022 - Nov 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: 9 wins, 13 draws, 13 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C01 | French: Exchange Variation | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| B00 | King's Pawn Game | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| B73 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| B18 | Caro-Kann: Classical | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| C90 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B70 | Sicilian: Dragon | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B45 | Sicilian: Four Knights | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B76 | Sicilian: Hyperaccelerated Dragon | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B92 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| C49 | Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| B50 | Sicilian | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| E81 | King's Indian: Sämisch | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| A31 | English Opening | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B25 | Sicilian: Closed | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| B52 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| D03 | Torre Attack | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2020 | Markus Pauly | 1,923 | DSOL 04 Liga Gr-C 1st | B76 |
| Dec 2025 | Linus Apel | 1,908 | 22. Bad Königshofen 2025 | C90 |
| Jan 1998 | Karl Heinz Herrmann | 1,860 | Regionalliga NW 9798 | C10 |
| Dec 2025 | Thomas Scheller | 1,823 | 22. Bad Königshofen 2025 | C01 |
| Dec 2025 | Georg Lehmann | 1,783 | 22. Bad Königshofen 2025 | B22 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22. Bad Königshofen 2025 | 2025 | 7 | 4.5 | 1,987 |
| Regionalliga NW 9899 | 1999 | 6 | 2 | 1,780 |
| DSOL 04 Liga Gr-C 1st | 2020 | 6 | 1.5 | 1,597 |
| 10th Arber Seniors Open | 2023 | 3 | 3 | 2,142 |
| Regionalliga NW 9798 | 1998 | 3 | 1.5 | 1,841 |
| Regionalliga NW 9697 | 1997 | 2 | 1 | 1,837 |
| Deutsche Schnellschach Amateurmeisterschaft 2026 | C | 2026 | 2 | 0 | 1,452 |
| Regionalliga NW 9596 | 1996 | 1 | 0.5 | 1,880 |
Interactive opening tree from all 35 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Michael Birken's chess games?
35 games by Michael Birken, from Sep 2022 to Nov 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 Michael Birken has played.
What does Michael Birken play on the first move as White?
Across 17 games with White in our database, Michael Birken opens with 1.e4 (100% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Michael Birken answers 1...c5 (100% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (86% of games), 1...d6 (14% of games).
What openings does Michael Birken play as White?
As White, Michael Birken's most-played openings in our database are: French: Exchange Variation (3 games, 33.3% win rate); King's Pawn Game (2 games, 0.0% win rate); Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon (2 games, 0.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 17 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Michael Birken play as Black?
As Black, Michael Birken most often plays: Sicilian: Alapin (3 games, 33.3% win rate); Sicilian (3 games, 0.0% win rate); King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation (2 games, 50.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 18 games.
What is Michael Birken's FIDE rating?
Michael Birken is currently rated 1,966 in classical chess, 1,922 in rapid. Peak classical rating: 1,973 (Apr 2026).
How many games has Michael Birken played?
Our database contains 35 games by Michael Birken, covering Sep 2022 to Nov 2026. Overall record: 9 wins, 13 draws, 13 losses (25.7% win rate).
How do I prepare against Michael Birken?
35 games by Michael Birken 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.