Prepare against Neil Irving
United Kingdom · World #52,196 classical · FIDE ID 2402238
Our database contains 138 games by Neil Irving, covering Jul 2009 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Neil Irving's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Neil Irving 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 | 1,884 | 1,941 | Nov 2019 |
| Rapid | 1,804 | 1,873 | May 2017 |
| Blitz | 1,873 | 1,873 | Aug 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 138 | 46 | 43 | 49 | 33.3% |
| As White | 71 | 23 | 22 | 26 | 32.4% |
| As Black | 67 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 34.3% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Neil Irving's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Neil Irving's side.
First moves as White (71 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf3 | 51 | 71.8% | 55.9% |
| c4 | 10 | 14.1% | 20.0% |
| d4 | 10 | 14.1% | 35.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.Nf3 — 72% of White games, 55.9% score
- …d5 (35% of these games) — Irving usually continues c4 (46.4% score)
- …Nf6 (31% of these games) — Irving usually continues c4 (56.3% score)
- …c5 (10% of these games) — Irving usually continues c4 (60.0% score)
- 1.c4 — 14% of White games, 20.0% score
- …c5 (30% of these games) — Irving usually continues Nf3 (33.3% score)
- …e6 (30% of these games) — Irving usually continues Nf3 (0.0% score)
- …Nf6 (20% of these games) — Irving usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (32 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 13 | 40.6% | 53.8% |
| c6 | 8 | 25.0% | 50.0% |
| d5 | 7 | 21.9% | 35.7% |
| e5 | 4 | 12.5% | 12.5% |
As Black against 1.d4 (23 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 18 | 78.3% | 55.6% |
| e6 | 5 | 21.7% | 50.0% |
Neil Irving's chess games
All 138 games by Neil Irving in the Chess.ceo database (Jul 2009 - 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: 46 wins, 43 draws, 49 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A30 | English Opening | 14 | 5/5/4 | 35.7% |
| A09 | Réti Opening | 8 | 3/2/3 | 37.5% |
| E09 | Catalan | 7 | 4/2/1 | 57.1% |
| A30 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 7 | 3/1/3 | 42.9% |
| A13 | English Opening: Neo-Catalan | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
| A90 | Dutch Defense | 5 | 0/3/2 | 0.0% |
| E93 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| A11 | English Opening: Slav Setup | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| A41 | Modern Defense | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 7 | 1/3/3 | 14.3% |
| C07 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 6 | 3/1/2 | 50.0% |
| D00 | Queen's Pawn Game | 6 | 4/0/2 | 66.7% |
| D27 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
| A80 | Horwitz Defense | 4 | 1/3/0 | 25.0% |
| D07 | Queen's Gambit | 3 | 2/1/0 | 66.7% |
| A10 | English Opening: Dutch Defense | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| C00 | French Defense | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| A36 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 3 | 2/1/0 | 66.7% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2019 | Jonathan I M Grant | 2,183 | 126th ch-SCO | A46 |
| May 2018 | Stuart A White | 2,150 | Ayr Open | D27 |
| Aug 2015 | Karsten Bertram | 2,131 | 2nd Prague Summer Open B | D00 |
| May 2018 | Alan G Grant | 2,056 | Ayr Open | E00 |
| May 2017 | Peter R Smith | 2,029 | Ayr Open | B38 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ayr Open | 2023 | 12 | 7 | 2,099 |
| Oban | 2005 | 9 | 3.5 | 1,898 |
| 126th ch-SCO | 2019 | 9 | 5 | 2,044 |
| Scottish Int Open 2026 | 2026 | 9 | 4 | 1,820 |
| Scottish Open | 2024 | 9 | 4 | 1,859 |
| Scottish Int Open | 2025 | 9 | 4.5 | 2,019 |
| 124th ch-SCO | 2017 | 9 | 5 | 1,937 |
| Dundee & Angus Open Challengers | 2014 | 9 | 4.5 | 1,554 |
Interactive opening tree from all 138 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Neil Irving's chess games?
138 games by Neil Irving, from Jul 2009 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 Neil Irving has played.
What does Neil Irving play on the first move as White?
Across 71 games with White in our database, Neil Irving opens with 1.Nf3 (72% of games), 1.c4 (14% of games), 1.d4 (14% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Neil Irving answers 1...e6 (41% of games), 1...c6 (25% of games), 1...d5 (22% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (78% of games), 1...e6 (22% of games).
What openings does Neil Irving play as White?
As White, Neil Irving's most-played openings in our database are: English Opening (14 games, 35.7% win rate); Réti Opening (8 games, 37.5% win rate); Catalan (7 games, 57.1% win rate). The full breakdown of 71 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Neil Irving play as Black?
As Black, Neil Irving most often plays: Scandinavian Defense: Main Line (7 games, 14.3% win rate); French: Tarrasch Variation (6 games, 50.0% win rate); Queen's Pawn Game (6 games, 66.7% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 67 games.
What is Neil Irving's FIDE rating?
Neil Irving is currently rated 1,884 in classical chess, 1,804 in rapid and 1,873 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 1,941 (Nov 2019).
How many games has Neil Irving played?
Our database contains 138 games by Neil Irving, covering Jul 2009 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 46 wins, 43 draws, 49 losses (33.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Neil Irving?
138 games by Neil Irving 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.