Prepare against Momchil Petkov
GM · BGR · World #332 classical · FIDE ID 2921642
When preparing against Momchil Petkov, expect 1.e4 in 52% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (78% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (68%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Sicilian: Rossolimo as Black, 17.4% over 23 games.
Our database contains 1,096 games by Momchil Petkov, covering Jan 2014 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Momchil Petkov's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Momchil Petkov 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 | 2,544 | 2,549 | Nov 2024 |
| Rapid | 2,467 | 2,467 | Sep 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,383 | 2,411 | Dec 2022 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,096 | 483 | 349 | 264 | 44.1% |
| As White | 554 | 269 | 172 | 113 | 48.6% |
| As Black | 542 | 214 | 177 | 151 | 39.5% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Momchil Petkov's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Momchil Petkov's side.
First moves as White (554 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 288 | 52.0% | 65.6% |
| d4 | 245 | 44.2% | 61.4% |
| Nf3 | 20 | 3.6% | 72.5% |
| f4 | 1 | 0.2% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 52% of White games, 65.6% score
- …c5 (47% of these games) — Petkov usually continues Nf3 (71.6% score)
- …e5 (28% of these games) — Petkov usually continues Nf3 (57.6% score)
- …e6 (10% of these games) — Petkov usually continues d4 (62.5% score)
- 1.d4 — 44% of White games, 61.4% score
- …Nf6 (62% of these games) — Petkov usually continues c4 (61.9% score)
- …d5 (30% of these games) — Petkov usually continues c4 (64.4% score)
- …f5 (2% of these games) — Petkov usually continues Bg5 (75.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (250 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 194 | 77.6% | 57.5% |
| c6 | 26 | 10.4% | 57.7% |
| g6 | 17 | 6.8% | 50.0% |
| e5 | 9 | 3.6% | 22.2% |
| e6 | 4 | 1.6% | 62.5% |
As Black against 1.d4 (196 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 134 | 68.4% | 57.8% |
| d5 | 28 | 14.3% | 66.1% |
| g6 | 18 | 9.2% | 58.3% |
| c5 | 8 | 4.1% | 75.0% |
| f5 | 4 | 2.0% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 3 | 1.5% | 66.7% |
Momchil Petkov's chess games
All 1,096 games by Momchil Petkov in the Chess.ceo database (Jan 2014 - 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: 483 wins, 349 draws, 264 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B40 | Sicilian | 54 | 29/17/8 | 53.7% |
| D02 | London System | 54 | 28/13/13 | 51.9% |
| D35 | Indian Defense | 38 | 20/10/8 | 52.6% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 31 | 20/6/5 | 64.5% |
| B30 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 27 | 15/9/3 | 55.6% |
| E04 | Catalan | 21 | 7/12/2 | 33.3% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 18 | 6/5/7 | 33.3% |
| D15 | Slav Defense | 17 | 9/3/5 | 52.9% |
| E20 | Nimzo-Indian Defense | 15 | 6/5/4 | 40.0% |
| C77 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 14 | 5/5/4 | 35.7% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B32 | Sicilian | 54 | 27/13/14 | 50.0% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 52 | 19/18/15 | 36.5% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 37 | 19/3/15 | 51.4% |
| B31 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 23 | 4/15/4 | 17.4% |
| A48 | Indian Defense | 21 | 9/8/4 | 42.9% |
| E11 | Catalan | 21 | 6/9/6 | 28.6% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 19 | 8/6/5 | 42.1% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 18 | 6/8/4 | 33.3% |
| A13 | English Opening | 17 | 5/7/5 | 29.4% |
| E92 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 16 | 3/10/3 | 18.8% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2020 | Santosh Gujrathi Vidit | 2,726 | Titled Tue | E62 |
| Nov 2020 | Sanan Sjugirov | 2,675 | Titled Tue | B06 |
| Apr 2022 | Nils Grandelius | 2,663 | 22nd ch-EU | E08 |
| Dec 2022 | Sergei Zhigalko | 2,662 | Wch Blitz | D02 |
| Jan 2023 | Matthias Bluebaum | 2,661 | Titled Tue Late | D02 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2024 | 236 | 133 | 2,412 |
| Wch Blitz | 2022 | 21 | 8 | 2,285 |
| chT-ROM | 2024 | 18 | 11 | 2,608 |
| Wch U12 | 2017 | 15 | 8.5 | 2,022 |
| chT-TUR | 2024 | 14 | 9.5 | 2,596 |
| TCh-TUR Super League | 2025 | 14 | 6 | 2,535 |
| Wch Rapid | 2022 | 13 | 5 | 2,375 |
| 21st ch-EU | 2021 | 11 | 6 | 2,370 |
Interactive opening tree from all 1,096 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Momchil Petkov's chess games?
1,096 games by Momchil Petkov, from Jan 2014 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 Momchil Petkov has played.
What does Momchil Petkov play on the first move as White?
Across 554 games with White in our database, Momchil Petkov opens with 1.e4 (52% of games), 1.d4 (44% of games), 1.Nf3 (4% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Momchil Petkov answers 1...c5 (78% of games), 1...c6 (10% of games), 1...g6 (7% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (68% of games), 1...d5 (14% of games), 1...g6 (9% of games).
What openings does Momchil Petkov play as White?
As White, Momchil Petkov's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (54 games, 53.7% win rate); London System (54 games, 51.9% win rate); Indian Defense (38 games, 52.6% win rate). The full breakdown of 554 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Momchil Petkov play as Black?
As Black, Momchil Petkov most often plays: Sicilian (54 games, 50.0% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (52 games, 36.5% win rate); Modern Defense (37 games, 51.4% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 542 games.
What is Momchil Petkov's FIDE rating?
Momchil Petkov is currently rated 2,544 in classical chess, 2,467 in rapid and 2,383 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,549 (Nov 2024).
How many games has Momchil Petkov played?
Our database contains 1,096 games by Momchil Petkov, covering Jan 2014 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 483 wins, 349 draws, 264 losses (44.1% win rate).
How do I prepare against Momchil Petkov?
1,096 games by Momchil Petkov 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.