Prepare against Neil Clifford
Spain · World #108,938 classical · FIDE ID 2288133
When preparing against Neil Clifford, expect 1.e4 in 79% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (74% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (73%).
Our database contains 84 games by Neil Clifford, covering Oct 2005 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Neil Clifford's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Neil Clifford 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 | 1,704 | 1,882 | May 2011 |
| Rapid | 1,846 | 1,846 | Jul 2026 |
| Blitz | 1,829 | 1,867 | Jul 2024 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 84 | 25 | 22 | 37 | 29.8% |
| As White | 47 | 15 | 12 | 20 | 31.9% |
| As Black | 37 | 10 | 10 | 17 | 27.0% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Neil Clifford's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Neil Clifford's side.
First moves as White (47 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 37 | 78.7% | 47.3% |
| d4 | 5 | 10.6% | 50.0% |
| Nf3 | 4 | 8.5% | 25.0% |
| c4 | 1 | 2.1% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 79% of White games, 47.3% score
- …c5 (27% of these games) — Clifford usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …e5 (24% of these games) — Clifford usually continues Nc3 (70.0% score)
- …e6 (16% of these games) — Clifford usually continues d4 (41.7% score)
- 1.d4 — 11% of White games, 50.0% score
- …Nf6 (80% of these games) — Clifford usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
- …e6 (20% of these games) — Clifford usually continues c4 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (19 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 14 | 73.7% | 42.9% |
| Nc6 | 2 | 10.5% | 50.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 5.3% | 0.0% |
| d5 | 1 | 5.3% | 50.0% |
| c5 | 1 | 5.3% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (11 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 8 | 72.7% | 43.8% |
| c5 | 1 | 9.1% | 100.0% |
| Nf6 | 1 | 9.1% | 0.0% |
| f5 | 1 | 9.1% | 100.0% |
Neil Clifford's chess games
All 84 games by Neil Clifford in the Chess.ceo database (Oct 2005 - Jul 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: 25 wins, 22 draws, 37 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C29 | Vienna Game | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| B21 | Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| C15 | French: Winawer Variation | 3 | 0/0/3 | 0.0% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| B00 | Owen Defense | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| C01 | French: Exchange Variation | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| C41 | Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B11 | Caro-Kann: Two Knights Variation | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| A53 | Indian Defense | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| C23 | Bishop's Opening | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D08 | Albin Countergambit | 5 | 3/1/1 | 60.0% |
| C63 | Ruy Lopez: Schliemann | 3 | 0/3/0 | 0.0% |
| C56 | Italian Game | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| A22 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| A01 | Nimzovich-Larsen attack | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| A36 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| E16 | Catalan | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| D32 | Indian Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1995 | Frederic Baudin | 2,240 | ch-NATO | B54 |
| Jan 1999 | Alfonso Ruiz Bravo | 2,155 | Barcelona Tres Peons Open | C56 |
| Nov 1997 | Enzo Tommasini | 2,085 | ch-NATO 08th | D35 |
| Jul 2014 | Novelles Carle Pascual Gonzalez | 2,010 | 16th Barcelona Sant Marti Open B | C40 |
| Jul 2014 | Lluis Mas Sayos | 1,823 | 16th Barcelona Sant Marti Open B | B21 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-NATO | 1996 | 13 | 5.5 | 2,164 |
| Barcelona Tres Peons-F 45th | 2016 | 9 | 6 | 1,830 |
| 16th Barcelona Sant Marti Open B | 2014 | 9 | 5 | 1,920 |
| 22nd Barcelona Sant Marti Open B | 2022 | 9 | 5 | 1,590 |
| 46th Barcelona Tres Peons-E | 2017 | 8 | 5 | 1,827 |
| Barcelona Tres Peons Open | 1999 | 8 | 3 | 2,008 |
| Catalunya Open B | 2000 | 7 | 3.5 | 2,070 |
| 16th Barcelona Tres Peons Open | 2015 | 5 | 0.5 | 1,837 |
Interactive opening tree from all 84 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Neil Clifford's chess games?
84 games by Neil Clifford, from Oct 2005 to Jul 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 Neil Clifford has played.
What does Neil Clifford play on the first move as White?
Across 47 games with White in our database, Neil Clifford opens with 1.e4 (79% of games), 1.d4 (11% of games), 1.Nf3 (9% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Neil Clifford answers 1...e5 (74% of games), 1...Nc6 (11% of games), 1...e6 (5% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (73% of games), 1...c5 (9% of games), 1...Nf6 (9% of games).
What openings does Neil Clifford play as White?
As White, Neil Clifford's most-played openings in our database are: Vienna Game (4 games, 50.0% win rate); Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit (3 games, 33.3% win rate); French: Winawer Variation (3 games, 0.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 47 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Neil Clifford play as Black?
As Black, Neil Clifford most often plays: Albin Countergambit (5 games, 60.0% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Schliemann (3 games, 0.0% win rate); Italian Game (3 games, 33.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 37 games.
What is Neil Clifford's FIDE rating?
Neil Clifford is currently rated 1,704 in classical chess, 1,846 in rapid and 1,829 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 1,882 (May 2011).
How many games has Neil Clifford played?
Our database contains 84 games by Neil Clifford, covering Oct 2005 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 25 wins, 22 draws, 37 losses (29.8% win rate).
How do I prepare against Neil Clifford?
84 games by Neil Clifford 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.