Prepare against Michael McDonagh
United Kingdom · World #42,410 classical · FIDE ID 434779
Our database contains 80 games by Michael McDonagh, covering Jan 2014 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Michael McDonagh's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Michael McDonagh 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 | 1,924 | 1,947 | Aug 2025 |
| Rapid | 1,939 | 2,068 | Mar 2017 |
| Blitz | 1,890 | 1,912 | Sep 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 80 | 23 | 22 | 35 | 28.8% |
| As White | 40 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 32.5% |
| As Black | 40 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 25.0% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Michael McDonagh's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Michael McDonagh's side.
First moves as White (40 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c4 | 15 | 37.5% | 56.7% |
| e4 | 11 | 27.5% | 40.9% |
| d4 | 5 | 12.5% | 50.0% |
| Nf3 | 5 | 12.5% | 50.0% |
| b3 | 2 | 5.0% | 0.0% |
| b4 | 1 | 2.5% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.c4 — 38% of White games, 56.7% score
- …e5 (40% of these games) — McDonagh usually continues Nc3 (37.5% score)
- …c5 (27% of these games) — McDonagh usually continues Nf3 (100.0% score)
- …Nf6 (13% of these games) — McDonagh usually continues Nc3 (50.0% score)
- 1.e4 — 28% of White games, 40.9% score
- …c5 (36% of these games) — McDonagh usually continues Nf3 (75.0% score)
- …e5 (18% of these games) — McDonagh usually continues Bc4 (50.0% score)
- …c6 (18% of these games) — McDonagh usually continues Nc3 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (22 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 14 | 63.6% | 21.4% |
| e5 | 5 | 22.7% | 50.0% |
| Nh6 | 2 | 9.1% | 0.0% |
| a6 | 1 | 4.5% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (14 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 6 | 42.9% | 58.3% |
| Nf6 | 4 | 28.6% | 62.5% |
| e6 | 4 | 28.6% | 50.0% |
Michael McDonagh's chess games
All 80 games by Michael McDonagh in the Chess.ceo database (Jan 2014 - 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: 23 wins, 22 draws, 35 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A21 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 6 | 2/1/3 | 33.3% |
| A16 | English Opening | 5 | 2/0/3 | 40.0% |
| A35 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 5 | 3/2/0 | 60.0% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| A01 | Nimzovich-Larsen attack | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| A10 | Modern Defense | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| B55 | Sicilian | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| A47 | Lazard Gambit | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| A11 | English Opening: Slav Setup | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| B11 | Caro-Kann: Two Knights Variation | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E05 | Catalan | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| C11 | French: Classical Variation | 4 | 1/0/3 | 25.0% |
| C07 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 4 | 0/1/3 | 0.0% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| D00 | London System | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| B00 | Hippopotamus Defense | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| C00 | French Defense | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| A08 | King's Indian Attack | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2019 | Michael Surtees | 2,108 | Frodsham Open | A46 |
| Aug 2017 | Peter W Hempson | 2,036 | ch-GBR Morning Open 104th | E49 |
| Jan 2017 | Raymond Carpenter | 1,990 | chT3N-BCF 1617 (4NCL) | C42 |
| Sep 2015 | Robert K Taylor | 1,972 | Bolton 4NCL Open B | C11 |
| Jan 2016 | Tim Hilton | 1,960 | chT3Na-BCF 1516 (4NCL) | A47 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frodsham Open | 2019 | 9 | 3.5 | 1,822 |
| 111th ch-GBR Major Open | 2025 | 9 | 5 | 1,850 |
| North Wales Open | 2017 | 6 | 1.5 | 1,687 |
| chT3Na-BCF 1516 (4NCL) | 2016 | 6 | 3 | 2,031 |
| ch-BCF Week1 PM Open | 2015 | 5 | 2.5 | 1,794 |
| chT-BCF S6 (4NCL) Div1A online | 2022 | 5 | 2.5 | 2,114 |
| ch-BCF U180 | 2015 | 5 | 2.5 | 1,886 |
| ch-GBR Morning Open 104th | 2017 | 5 | 3.5 | 2,088 |
Interactive opening tree from all 80 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Michael McDonagh's chess games?
80 games by Michael McDonagh, from Jan 2014 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 Michael McDonagh has played.
What does Michael McDonagh play on the first move as White?
Across 40 games with White in our database, Michael McDonagh opens with 1.c4 (38% of games), 1.e4 (28% of games), 1.d4 (13% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Michael McDonagh answers 1...e6 (64% of games), 1...e5 (23% of games), 1...Nh6 (9% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (43% of games), 1...Nf6 (29% of games), 1...e6 (29% of games).
What openings does Michael McDonagh play as White?
As White, Michael McDonagh's most-played openings in our database are: English Opening: Reverse Sicilian (6 games, 33.3% win rate); English Opening (5 games, 40.0% win rate); English Opening: Symmetrical (5 games, 60.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 40 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Michael McDonagh play as Black?
As Black, Michael McDonagh most often plays: Catalan (5 games, 40.0% win rate); French: Classical Variation (4 games, 25.0% win rate); French: Tarrasch Variation (4 games, 0.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 40 games.
What is Michael McDonagh's FIDE rating?
Michael McDonagh is currently rated 1,924 in classical chess, 1,939 in rapid and 1,890 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 1,947 (Aug 2025).
How many games has Michael McDonagh played?
Our database contains 80 games by Michael McDonagh, covering Jan 2014 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 23 wins, 22 draws, 35 losses (28.8% win rate).
How do I prepare against Michael McDonagh?
80 games by Michael McDonagh 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.