Prepare against Nathanael Paul
England · World #30,607 classical · FIDE ID 424510
When preparing against Nathanael Paul, expect 1.e4 in 52% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c6 (82% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (46%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Dutch Defense as Black, 31.3% over 16 games.
Our database contains 366 games by Nathanael Paul, covering Oct 2012 to Nov 2026. Below you'll find Nathanael Paul's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Nathanael Paul 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 | 1,983 | 2,013 | Oct 2022 |
| Rapid | 1,959 | 2,076 | Feb 2019 |
| Blitz | 1,927 | 1,944 | Jul 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 366 | 140 | 81 | 145 | 38.3% |
| As White | 188 | 79 | 39 | 70 | 42.0% |
| As Black | 178 | 61 | 42 | 75 | 34.3% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Nathanael Paul's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Nathanael Paul's side.
First moves as White (188 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 97 | 51.6% | 55.7% |
| d4 | 82 | 43.6% | 50.6% |
| c4 | 9 | 4.8% | 33.3% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 52% of White games, 55.7% score
- …c5 (44% of these games) — Paul usually continues Nf3 (61.5% score)
- …e6 (16% of these games) — Paul usually continues d4 (59.4% score)
- …e5 (13% of these games) — Paul usually continues Nf3 (84.6% score)
- 1.d4 — 44% of White games, 50.6% score
- …Nf6 (54% of these games) — Paul usually continues Bf4 (54.7% score)
- …d5 (18% of these games) — Paul usually continues Bf4 (58.3% score)
- …e6 (13% of these games) — Paul usually continues Bf4 (61.1% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (85 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c6 | 70 | 82.4% | 47.9% |
| c5 | 13 | 15.3% | 53.8% |
| d5 | 1 | 1.2% | 100.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 1.2% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (61 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 28 | 45.9% | 41.1% |
| Nf6 | 16 | 26.2% | 56.3% |
| f5 | 14 | 23.0% | 28.6% |
| g6 | 2 | 3.3% | 25.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 1.6% | 0.0% |
Nathanael Paul's chess games
All 366 games by Nathanael Paul in the Chess.ceo database (Oct 2012 - Nov 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: 140 wins, 81 draws, 145 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D00 | London System | 42 | 20/6/16 | 47.6% |
| B26 | Sicilian: Closed | 14 | 4/2/8 | 28.6% |
| B20 | Sicilian | 14 | 6/3/5 | 42.9% |
| D00 | Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation | 11 | 2/2/7 | 18.2% |
| A40 | Horwitz Defense | 10 | 6/1/3 | 60.0% |
| C01 | French: Exchange Variation | 7 | 2/3/2 | 28.6% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 6 | 5/1/0 | 83.3% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 6 | 0/1/5 | 0.0% |
| B95 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 5 | 4/0/1 | 80.0% |
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 22 | 8/5/9 | 36.4% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 18 | 7/3/8 | 38.9% |
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 16 | 5/0/11 | 31.3% |
| B19 | Caro-Kann: Classical | 15 | 6/5/4 | 40.0% |
| D02 | London System | 10 | 4/3/3 | 40.0% |
| B10 | Caro-Kann | 10 | 3/5/2 | 30.0% |
| D05 | Indian Defense | 8 | 4/2/2 | 50.0% |
| D17 | Slav Defense | 7 | 1/1/5 | 14.3% |
| D07 | Queen's Pawn Game | 6 | 1/1/4 | 16.7% |
| D07 | Queen's Gambit | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2021 | Simon K Williams | 2,464 | Checkmate Covid Rematch | A40 |
| May 2020 | Adam Hunt | 2,398 | English Online Blitz Gp1 | A45 |
| May 2020 | Charles H Storey | 2,220 | English Online Blitz Gp1 | B13 |
| Jun 2021 | John Pitcher | 2,210 | Checkmate Covid Rematch | D02 |
| Nov 2018 | Richard L Britton | 2,204 | Telford 4NCL Open | B20 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Checkmate Covid Rematch | 2021 | 101 | 49.5 | 1,987 |
| Shropshire Open | 2020 | 14 | 4 | 2,065 |
| chT-BCF 4S 1819 (4NCL) | 2019 | 11 | 7 | 2,041 |
| chT3N-BCF 1718 (4NCL) | 2018 | 11 | 4.5 | 1,934 |
| Telford 4NCL Open | 2018 | 9 | 4 | 2,076 |
| Hinckley e2e4 Open | 2012 | 7 | 2.5 | 1,851 |
| chT3Sb-BCF 1617 (4NCL) | 2017 | 7 | 2.5 | 1,826 |
| Isle of Man Major Open | 2019 | 7 | 5 | 2,105 |
Interactive opening tree from all 366 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Nathanael Paul's chess games?
366 games by Nathanael Paul, from Oct 2012 to Nov 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 Nathanael Paul has played.
What does Nathanael Paul play on the first move as White?
Across 188 games with White in our database, Nathanael Paul opens with 1.e4 (52% of games), 1.d4 (44% of games), 1.c4 (5% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Nathanael Paul answers 1...c6 (82% of games), 1...c5 (15% of games), 1...d5 (1% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (46% of games), 1...Nf6 (26% of games), 1...f5 (23% of games).
What openings does Nathanael Paul play as White?
As White, Nathanael Paul's most-played openings in our database are: London System (42 games, 47.6% win rate); Sicilian: Closed (14 games, 28.6% win rate); Sicilian (14 games, 42.9% win rate). The full breakdown of 188 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Nathanael Paul play as Black?
As Black, Nathanael Paul most often plays: Caro-Kann: Advance Variation (22 games, 36.4% win rate); Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation (18 games, 38.9% win rate); Dutch Defense (16 games, 31.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 178 games.
What is Nathanael Paul's FIDE rating?
Nathanael Paul is currently rated 1,983 in classical chess, 1,959 in rapid and 1,927 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,013 (Oct 2022).
How many games has Nathanael Paul played?
Our database contains 366 games by Nathanael Paul, covering Oct 2012 to Nov 2026. Overall record: 140 wins, 81 draws, 145 losses (38.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Nathanael Paul?
366 games by Nathanael Paul 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.