Prepare against Michael Simpson
IM · ZAF · World #7,655 classical · FIDE ID 14338882
Our database contains 199 games by Michael Simpson, covering Mar 2019 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Michael Simpson's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Michael Simpson 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 | 2,212 | 2,229 | Aug 2025 |
| Rapid | 1,969 | 1,969 | Aug 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,078 | 2,078 | Aug 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 199 | 97 | 27 | 75 | 48.7% |
| As White | 93 | 52 | 13 | 28 | 55.9% |
| As Black | 106 | 45 | 14 | 47 | 42.5% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Michael Simpson's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Michael Simpson's side.
First moves as White (93 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 39 | 41.9% | 62.8% |
| Nf3 | 26 | 28.0% | 80.8% |
| d4 | 25 | 26.9% | 44.0% |
| a3 | 1 | 1.1% | 100.0% |
| b3 | 1 | 1.1% | 0.0% |
| g3 | 1 | 1.1% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 42% of White games, 62.8% score
- …c5 (56% of these games) — Simpson usually continues Nf3 (60.0% score)
- …e5 (26% of these games) — Simpson usually continues Nf3 (40.0% score)
- …c6 (8% of these games) — Simpson usually continues d4 (66.7% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 28% of White games, 80.8% score
- …d5 (42% of these games) — Simpson usually continues e3 (81.3% score)
- …Nf6 (38% of these games) — Simpson usually continues c4 (75.0% score)
- …c5 (8% of these games) — Simpson usually continues c4 (0.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (60 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 48 | 80.0% | 49.0% |
| e5 | 12 | 20.0% | 29.2% |
As Black against 1.d4 (34 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 29 | 85.3% | 51.7% |
| Nf6 | 5 | 14.7% | 50.0% |
Michael Simpson's chess games
All 199 games by Michael Simpson in the Chess.ceo database (Mar 2019 - 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: 97 wins, 27 draws, 75 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 10 | 6/1/3 | 60.0% |
| D32 | Réti Opening | 10 | 9/1/0 | 90.0% |
| E44 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 6 | 0/3/3 | 0.0% |
| D35 | Indian Defense | 6 | 2/1/3 | 33.3% |
| A17 | English Opening | 6 | 4/0/2 | 66.7% |
| B20 | Sicilian | 5 | 3/2/0 | 60.0% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 4 | 2/2/0 | 50.0% |
| D12 | Slav Defense | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| C70 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B28 | Sicilian | 14 | 7/2/5 | 50.0% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 10 | 3/1/6 | 30.0% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 7 | 2/1/4 | 28.6% |
| B47 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 7 | 4/1/2 | 57.1% |
| C50 | Italian Game | 6 | 1/0/5 | 16.7% |
| A20 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 5 | 4/0/1 | 80.0% |
| D02 | London System | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 4 | 3/1/0 | 75.0% |
| D31 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2025 | Hamed Wafa | 2,367 | ch-Africa | C80 |
| Oct 2023 | Francisco Fiorito | 2,348 | Titled Tue Early | A50 |
| Sep 2025 | Nayak Rajesh | 2,305 | Fujairah Global Masters | C47 |
| Jun 2025 | Hongtao Jin | 2,305 | China-Africa Friendship | C70 |
| Aug 2025 | Potawad Anirudhha | 2,301 | Fujairah Global Masters | B40 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2025 | 26 | 10 | 2,105 |
| South African Open | 2022 | 11 | 8.5 | 2,147 |
| SA Adult Closed 2026 | Open | 2026 | 11 | 5 | 2,180 |
| World Youth Open U18 2024 | 2024 | 11 | 5.5 | 2,223 |
| ch-RSA | 2024 | 11 | 4 | 2,078 |
| Kimberley Moja Open | 2023 | 10 | 5.5 | 2,215 |
| ch-RSA Open | 2024 | 10 | 7.5 | 2,099 |
| World ol U16 | 2023 | 9 | 5.5 | 1,906 |
Interactive opening tree from all 199 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Michael Simpson's chess games?
199 games by Michael Simpson, from Mar 2019 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 Michael Simpson has played.
What does Michael Simpson play on the first move as White?
Across 93 games with White in our database, Michael Simpson opens with 1.e4 (42% of games), 1.Nf3 (28% of games), 1.d4 (27% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Michael Simpson answers 1...c5 (80% of games), 1...e5 (20% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (85% of games), 1...Nf6 (15% of games).
What openings does Michael Simpson play as White?
As White, Michael Simpson's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian: Closed (10 games, 60.0% win rate); Réti Opening (10 games, 90.0% win rate); Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System (6 games, 0.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 93 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Michael Simpson play as Black?
As Black, Michael Simpson most often plays: Sicilian (14 games, 50.0% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (10 games, 30.0% win rate); Queen's Pawn Game (7 games, 28.6% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 106 games.
What is Michael Simpson's FIDE rating?
Michael Simpson is currently rated 2,212 in classical chess, 1,969 in rapid and 2,078 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,229 (Aug 2025).
How many games has Michael Simpson played?
Our database contains 199 games by Michael Simpson, covering Mar 2019 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 97 wins, 27 draws, 75 losses (48.7% win rate).
How do I prepare against Michael Simpson?
199 games by Michael Simpson 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.