Prepare against Musa Zakirov
FM · Russia · World #7,058 classical · FIDE ID 44189222
When preparing against Musa Zakirov, expect 1.e4 in 99% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (100% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (90%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Queen's Gambit Accepted as Black, 29.4% over 17 games.
Our database contains 196 games by Musa Zakirov, covering Apr 2016 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Musa Zakirov's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Musa Zakirov 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 | 2,224 | 2,345 | Feb 2025 |
| Rapid | 2,205 | 2,296 | Oct 2025 |
| Blitz | 2,268 | 2,268 | Aug 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 196 | 87 | 23 | 86 | 44.4% |
| As White | 97 | 48 | 11 | 38 | 49.5% |
| As Black | 99 | 39 | 12 | 48 | 39.4% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Musa Zakirov's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Musa Zakirov's side.
First moves as White (97 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 96 | 99.0% | 55.7% |
| d4 | 1 | 1.0% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 99% of White games, 55.7% score
- …c5 (41% of these games) — Zakirov usually continues Nf3 (61.5% score)
- …e5 (24% of these games) — Zakirov usually continues Nf3 (58.7% score)
- …e6 (13% of these games) — Zakirov usually continues d4 (41.7% score)
- 1.d4 — 1% of White games, 0.0% score
- …Nf6 (100% of these games) — Zakirov usually continues c4 (0.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (43 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 43 | 100.0% | 52.3% |
As Black against 1.d4 (31 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 28 | 90.3% | 42.9% |
| Nf6 | 3 | 9.7% | 83.3% |
Musa Zakirov's chess games
All 196 games by Musa Zakirov in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2016 - 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: 87 wins, 23 draws, 86 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B43 | Sicilian | 13 | 6/1/6 | 46.2% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 12 | 7/3/2 | 58.3% |
| C55 | Italian Game | 10 | 5/1/4 | 50.0% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 8 | 6/0/2 | 75.0% |
| C18 | French: Winawer Variation | 7 | 3/2/2 | 42.9% |
| C50 | Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo | 6 | 3/1/2 | 50.0% |
| B47 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
| C11 | French: Classical Variation | 4 | 1/0/3 | 25.0% |
| C43 | Petrov's Defense | 4 | 3/1/0 | 75.0% |
| B40 | Sicilian: Four Knights | 4 | 3/0/1 | 75.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 25 | 15/0/10 | 60.0% |
| D27 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 17 | 5/3/9 | 29.4% |
| A09 | Réti Opening | 10 | 1/2/7 | 10.0% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 7 | 2/0/5 | 28.6% |
| B50 | Sicilian | 6 | 3/1/2 | 50.0% |
| A22 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 5 | 0/1/4 | 0.0% |
| A01 | Nimzovich-Larsen attack | 5 | 2/2/1 | 40.0% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
| D02 | London System | 4 | 4/0/0 | 100.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2025 | M. Amin Tabatabaei | 2,661 | Titled Tue Early | B13 |
| Jun 2024 | Vugar Rasulov | 2,557 | Titled Tue Early | B50 |
| Apr 2024 | Nazar Firman | 2,479 | Titled Tue Early | B13 |
| Apr 2024 | Roman Yanchenko | 2,466 | Titled Tue Early | D20 |
| Apr 2024 | Aksel Bu Kvaloy | 2,450 | Titled Tue Early | D02 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2025 | 126 | 67.5 | 2,300 |
| Russian Chess Crown A | 2026 | 10 | 5 | 2,225 |
| 17th Khanty-Mansiysk Governor Cup | 2021 | 9 | 4.5 | 1,993 |
| 8th Baskent University Open | 2025 | 9 | 5 | 2,218 |
| Pamukkale Int. Open | 2025 | 9 | 5 | 2,219 |
| 11th Cesme Open A | 2025 | 9 | 5 | 2,262 |
| 10th Cesme Open A | 2024 | 7 | 3 | 2,337 |
| Ufa Startsev Memorial | 2024 | 5 | 1.5 | 2,298 |
Interactive opening tree from all 196 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Musa Zakirov's chess games?
196 games by Musa Zakirov, from Apr 2016 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 Musa Zakirov has played.
What does Musa Zakirov play on the first move as White?
Across 97 games with White in our database, Musa Zakirov opens with 1.e4 (99% of games), 1.d4 (1% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Musa Zakirov answers 1...c5 (100% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (90% of games), 1...Nf6 (10% of games).
What openings does Musa Zakirov play as White?
As White, Musa Zakirov's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (13 games, 46.2% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (12 games, 58.3% win rate); Italian Game (10 games, 50.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 97 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Musa Zakirov play as Black?
As Black, Musa Zakirov most often plays: Sicilian: Najdorf (25 games, 60.0% win rate); Queen's Gambit Accepted (17 games, 29.4% win rate); Réti Opening (10 games, 10.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 99 games.
What is Musa Zakirov's FIDE rating?
Musa Zakirov is currently rated 2,224 in classical chess, 2,205 in rapid and 2,268 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,345 (Feb 2025).
How many games has Musa Zakirov played?
Our database contains 196 games by Musa Zakirov, covering Apr 2016 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 87 wins, 23 draws, 86 losses (44.4% win rate).
How do I prepare against Musa Zakirov?
196 games by Musa Zakirov 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.