Prepare against Nicolas Croad
FM · New Zealand · World #8,794 classical · FIDE ID 4300793
When preparing against Nicolas Croad, expect 1.d4 in 73% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (49% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (96%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Queen's Indian Defense as White, 26.7% over 15 games.
Our database contains 622 games by Nicolas Croad, covering Apr 2003 to Oct 2026. Below you'll find Nicolas Croad's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Nicolas Croad 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 | 2,190 | 2,334 | May 2012 |
| Rapid | 2,196 | 2,254 | Jan 2015 |
| Blitz | 2,126 | 2,257 | Jan 2022 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 622 | 313 | 161 | 148 | 50.3% |
| As White | 317 | 164 | 95 | 58 | 51.7% |
| As Black | 305 | 149 | 66 | 90 | 48.9% |
FIDE rated record
From FIDE's official rated-game ledger (2001-2026): 961 rated games against 420 different opponents, across 95 events in 8 countries. These counts cover FIDE-rated play only, so they differ from the database totals above.
By time control
| Format | Games | W | D | L | Win rate | Avg opp | Perf | Unbeaten |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classical | 825 | 425 | 213 | 187 | 51.5% | 2,140 | 2,246 | 27 |
| Rapid | 72 | 46 | 10 | 16 | 63.9% | 1,908 | 2,076 | 8 |
| Blitz | 36 | 23 | 2 | 11 | 63.9% | 1,783 | 1,892 | 6 |
Against the field
| Opposition | Games | W | D | L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Against higher-rated | 248 | 38 | 98 | 112 | 15.3% |
| Against lower-rated | 644 | 416 | 124 | 104 | 64.6% |
Wins over titled players: 3 vs GM · 45 vs IM · 50 vs FM · 85 vs CM · 19 vs WIM · 9 vs WFM · 1 vs WCM.
Tournament wins
19 tournament wins from 82 events, 10 of them outright.
Year by year
| Year | Games | W | D | L | Avg opp | Perf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1,999 | 2,276 |
| 2025 | 34 | 19 | 3 | 12 | 2,040 | 2,133 |
| 2024 | 54 | 31 | 10 | 13 | 1,941 | 2,076 |
| 2023 | 73 | 44 | 14 | 15 | 1,961 | 2,142 |
| 2022 | 70 | 37 | 17 | 16 | 1,962 | 2,069 |
| 2021 | 33 | 20 | 8 | 5 | 1,989 | 2,157 |
| 2020 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2,029 | 2,079 |
| 2019 | 17 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 2,124 | 2,270 |
| 2018 | 16 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2,005 | 2,271 |
| 2017 | 52 | 34 | 8 | 10 | 2,084 | 2,265 |
| 2016 | 49 | 30 | 7 | 12 | 2,128 | 2,270 |
| 2015 | 64 | 39 | 16 | 9 | 2,122 | 2,294 |
| 2014 | 40 | 22 | 12 | 6 | 2,097 | 2,265 |
| 2013 | 63 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 2,252 | 2,265 |
| 2012 | 48 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 2,218 | 2,244 |
| 2011 | 50 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 2,243 | 2,260 |
| 2010 | 50 | 22 | 19 | 9 | 2,215 | 2,322 |
| 2009 | 65 | 29 | 16 | 20 | 2,161 | 2,200 |
| 2008 | 62 | 29 | 17 | 16 | 2,175 | 2,238 |
| 2007 | 48 | 25 | 13 | 10 | 2,229 | 2,334 |
| 2006 | 13 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 2,117 | 2,333 |
| 2005 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2,167 | 2,078 |
| 2003 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2,265 | 2,265 |
| 2002 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2,204 | 2,124 |
| 2001 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2,296 | 2,296 |
Where Nicolas Croad has played
New Zealand (67) · England (22) · Australia (1) · Hungary (1) · India (1) · Ireland (1) · Russia (1) · Türkiye (1)
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Nicolas Croad's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Nicolas Croad's side.
First moves as White (317 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 231 | 72.9% | 66.2% |
| e4 | 57 | 18.0% | 59.6% |
| Nf3 | 24 | 7.6% | 79.2% |
| c4 | 4 | 1.3% | 50.0% |
| a3 | 1 | 0.3% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 73% of White games, 66.2% score
- …Nf6 (53% of these games) — Croad usually continues c4 (61.4% score)
- …d5 (27% of these games) — Croad usually continues c4 (71.4% score)
- …e6 (6% of these games) — Croad usually continues c4 (72.7% score)
- 1.e4 — 18% of White games, 59.6% score
- …c5 (54% of these games) — Croad usually continues Nf3 (59.6% score)
- …c6 (12% of these games) — Croad usually continues d4 (70.0% score)
- …e5 (11% of these games) — Croad usually continues Nf3 (58.3% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (128 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 63 | 49.2% | 61.9% |
| e5 | 36 | 28.1% | 52.8% |
| c6 | 16 | 12.5% | 53.1% |
| e6 | 12 | 9.4% | 62.5% |
| d5 | 1 | 0.8% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (120 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 115 | 95.8% | 62.2% |
| d5 | 3 | 2.5% | 66.7% |
| g6 | 1 | 0.8% | 0.0% |
Nicolas Croad's chess games
All 622 games by Nicolas Croad in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - Oct 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: 313 wins, 161 draws, 148 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D11 | Slav Defense | 36 | 18/13/5 | 50.0% |
| D36 | Indian Defense | 22 | 12/5/5 | 54.5% |
| E32 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 21 | 11/8/2 | 52.4% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 21 | 12/6/3 | 57.1% |
| E90 | King's Indian Defense | 17 | 13/1/3 | 76.5% |
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 15 | 4/9/2 | 26.7% |
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 11 | 6/5/0 | 54.5% |
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 11 | 6/1/4 | 54.5% |
| D35 | Semi-Slav Defense | 10 | 8/2/0 | 80.0% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 9 | 6/1/2 | 66.7% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B53 | Sicilian | 25 | 10/4/11 | 40.0% |
| E04 | Catalan | 18 | 7/3/8 | 38.9% |
| A30 | English Opening | 17 | 6/7/4 | 35.3% |
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 15 | 8/1/6 | 53.3% |
| A47 | Indian Defense | 15 | 8/3/4 | 53.3% |
| A14 | English Opening: Neo-Catalan | 12 | 5/3/4 | 41.7% |
| E32 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 12 | 8/4/0 | 66.7% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 12 | 9/1/2 | 75.0% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 11 | 5/2/4 | 45.5% |
| E46 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 10 | 6/1/3 | 60.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | Raymond Song | 2,505 | Bob Wade Masters 2025 | D31 |
| Jan 2015 | Ben Hague | 2,462 | 122nd ch-NZL Open | C18 |
| May 2016 | Russell John Dive | 2,452 | Wellington CC Autumn Cup A | A30 |
| May 2016 | Scott Wastney | 2,448 | Wellington CC Autumn Cup A | E05 |
| Mar 2014 | Keith C Arkell | 2,437 | chT-BCF 1314 (4NCL) Promotion pool | E12 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellington CC-chA | 2022 | 32 | 23.5 | 2,225 |
| Wellington Open | 2023 | 30 | 25 | 2,274 |
| George Trundle Masters | 2017 | 27 | 14 | 2,297 |
| Wellington CC Summer Cup | 2023 | 23 | 18.5 | 2,304 |
| Wellington CC Autumn Cup A | 2023 | 20 | 14.5 | 2,450 |
| Queenstown Open | 2009 | 20 | 11.5 | 2,243 |
| Wellington Mazur Memorial | 2022 | 19 | 15.5 | 2,135 |
| Brighton e2e4 Masters | 2013 | 18 | 12 | 2,403 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Anthony F Ker (25 games) · Russell John Dive (21 games) · Robert W Smith (12 games) · William Forster (10 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 622 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Nicolas Croad's chess games?
622 games by Nicolas Croad, from Apr 2003 to Oct 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 Nicolas Croad has played.
What does Nicolas Croad play on the first move as White?
Across 317 games with White in our database, Nicolas Croad opens with 1.d4 (73% of games), 1.e4 (18% of games), 1.Nf3 (8% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Nicolas Croad answers 1...c5 (49% of games), 1...e5 (28% of games), 1...c6 (13% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (96% of games), 1...d5 (3% of games), 1...g6 (1% of games).
What openings does Nicolas Croad play as White?
As White, Nicolas Croad's most-played openings in our database are: Slav Defense (36 games, 50.0% win rate); Indian Defense (22 games, 54.5% win rate); Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation (21 games, 52.4% win rate). The full breakdown of 317 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Nicolas Croad play as Black?
As Black, Nicolas Croad most often plays: Sicilian (25 games, 40.0% win rate); Catalan (18 games, 38.9% win rate); English Opening (17 games, 35.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 305 games.
What is Nicolas Croad's FIDE rating?
Nicolas Croad is currently rated 2,190 in classical chess, 2,196 in rapid and 2,126 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,334 (May 2012).
How many games has Nicolas Croad played?
Our database contains 622 games by Nicolas Croad, covering Apr 2003 to Oct 2026. Overall record: 313 wins, 161 draws, 148 losses (50.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Nicolas Croad?
622 games by Nicolas Croad 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.