Prepare against Milko Popchev
GM · BGR · World #12,807 classical · FIDE ID 2900165
When preparing against Milko Popchev, expect 1.d4 in 37% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (25% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d6 (41%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Petrov's Defense as Black, 0.0% over 71 games.
Our database contains 2,460 games by Milko Popchev, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Milko Popchev's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Milko Popchev 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 | 2,132 | 2,502 | Jul 2010 |
| Rapid | 2,278 | 2,400 | Jan 2020 |
| Blitz | 2,276 | 2,318 | Nov 2017 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 2,460 | 728 | 1,196 | 536 | 29.6% |
| As White | 1,219 | 396 | 596 | 227 | 32.5% |
| As Black | 1,241 | 332 | 600 | 309 | 26.8% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Milko Popchev's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Milko Popchev's side.
First moves as White (1,219 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 454 | 37.2% | 55.0% |
| e4 | 214 | 17.6% | 56.1% |
| Nf3 | 204 | 16.7% | 43.1% |
| g3 | 98 | 8.0% | 71.4% |
| b3 | 88 | 7.2% | 63.1% |
| Nc3 | 78 | 6.4% | 81.4% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 37% of White games, 55.0% score
- …Nf6 (62% of these games) — Popchev usually continues Nf3 (50.3% score)
- …d5 (23% of these games) — Popchev usually continues c4 (52.7% score)
- …e6 (4% of these games) — Popchev usually continues Nf3 (58.3% score)
- 1.e4 — 18% of White games, 56.1% score
- …c5 (45% of these games) — Popchev usually continues Nf3 (58.1% score)
- …e5 (30% of these games) — Popchev usually continues Nf3 (46.4% score)
- …c6 (9% of these games) — Popchev usually continues d3 (75.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (592 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 147 | 24.8% | 46.3% |
| d6 | 120 | 20.3% | 54.6% |
| c5 | 94 | 15.9% | 68.6% |
| g6 | 82 | 13.9% | 50.0% |
| d5 | 48 | 8.1% | 47.9% |
| c6 | 42 | 7.1% | 41.7% |
As Black against 1.d4 (446 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d6 | 183 | 41.0% | 54.4% |
| d5 | 88 | 19.7% | 46.0% |
| Nf6 | 84 | 18.8% | 51.8% |
| e6 | 33 | 7.4% | 40.9% |
| c5 | 14 | 3.1% | 42.9% |
| g6 | 14 | 3.1% | 32.1% |
Milko Popchev's chess games
All 2,460 games by Milko Popchev 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: 728 wins, 1,196 draws, 536 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A47 | Indian Defense | 122 | 27/73/22 | 22.1% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 101 | 8/68/25 | 7.9% |
| A01 | Nimzovich-Larsen attack | 88 | 46/19/23 | 52.3% |
| B07 | Hungarian Opening | 85 | 49/24/12 | 57.6% |
| A00 | Dunst Opening | 56 | 41/10/5 | 73.2% |
| B07 | Indian Defense: Tartakower Attack | 54 | 27/19/8 | 50.0% |
| D14 | Slav Defense | 52 | 12/34/6 | 23.1% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 52 | 20/21/11 | 38.5% |
| A36 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 48 | 9/36/3 | 18.8% |
| B50 | Sicilian | 47 | 19/18/10 | 40.4% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 158 | 57/57/44 | 36.1% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 110 | 34/45/31 | 30.9% |
| A41 | Rat Defense | 108 | 36/37/35 | 33.3% |
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 71 | 0/64/7 | 0.0% |
| C41 | Philidor | 66 | 16/32/18 | 24.2% |
| D14 | Slav Defense | 66 | 9/45/12 | 13.6% |
| A41 | Queen's Pawn Game | 64 | 24/36/4 | 37.5% |
| B32 | Sicilian | 55 | 28/11/16 | 50.9% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 42 | 12/23/7 | 28.6% |
| B00 | Owen Defense | 41 | 10/10/21 | 24.4% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1994 | Bojan Kurajica | 2,565 | Aceimar Open | D02 |
| Jan 1991 | Branko Damljanovic | 2,560 | Cacak | A36 |
| Jun 2012 | Momchil Nikolov | 2,553 | 1st Golden Sands Europe Open | C41 |
| Jan 1988 | Oleg M Romanishin | 2,550 | Stara Pazova | E04 |
| Jun 2002 | Ivan Ivanisevic | 2,547 | Belgrade TS06 GM | D03 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-BUL | 1996 | 50 | 26 | 2,427 |
| Stara Pazova | 2008 | 37 | 22 | 2,484 |
| chT-BUL | 2003 | 36 | 25 | 2,515 |
| Plovdiv Tringov Memorial | 2009 | 27 | 19.5 | 2,419 |
| Belgrade TS06 GM | 2002 | 22 | 11 | 2,426 |
| Belgrade TS12 GM | 2002 | 22 | 12 | 2,447 |
| chT-YUG | 1999 | 17 | 8.5 | 2,470 |
| chT2-SRB East | 2017 | 16 | 9.5 | 2,354 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Sinisa Drazic (31 games) · Ognjan Todorov (13 games) · Miroljub Lazic (12 games) · Dejan Pikula (12 games) · Aleksa Petrovic (12 games) · Miodrag R Savic (11 games) · Ivan Sredojevic (11 games) · Zoran Runic (11 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 2,460 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Milko Popchev's chess games?
2,460 games by Milko Popchev, 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 Milko Popchev has played.
What does Milko Popchev play on the first move as White?
Across 1,219 games with White in our database, Milko Popchev opens with 1.d4 (37% of games), 1.e4 (18% of games), 1.Nf3 (17% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Milko Popchev answers 1...e5 (25% of games), 1...d6 (20% of games), 1...c5 (16% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d6 (41% of games), 1...d5 (20% of games), 1...Nf6 (19% of games).
What openings does Milko Popchev play as White?
As White, Milko Popchev's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (122 games, 22.1% win rate); Réti Opening (101 games, 7.9% win rate); Nimzovich-Larsen attack (88 games, 52.3% win rate). The full breakdown of 1,219 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Milko Popchev play as Black?
As Black, Milko Popchev most often plays: Pirc Defense (158 games, 36.1% win rate); Modern Defense (110 games, 30.9% win rate); Rat Defense (108 games, 33.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 1,241 games.
What is Milko Popchev's FIDE rating?
Milko Popchev is currently rated 2,132 in classical chess, 2,278 in rapid and 2,276 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,502 (Jul 2010).
How many games has Milko Popchev played?
Our database contains 2,460 games by Milko Popchev, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 728 wins, 1,196 draws, 536 losses (29.6% win rate).
How do I prepare against Milko Popchev?
2,460 games by Milko Popchev 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.