Prepare against Nigel Birtwistle
United Kingdom · World #20,820 classical · FIDE ID 406945
Our database contains 304 games by Nigel Birtwistle, covering Jul 2008 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Nigel Birtwistle's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Nigel Birtwistle 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 | 2,050 | 2,229 | May 2011 |
| Rapid | 2,028 | 2,117 | Jan 2024 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 304 | 101 | 98 | 105 | 33.2% |
| As White | 146 | 54 | 44 | 48 | 37.0% |
| As Black | 158 | 47 | 54 | 57 | 29.7% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Nigel Birtwistle's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Nigel Birtwistle's side.
First moves as White (146 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 76 | 52.1% | 59.9% |
| Nf3 | 35 | 24.0% | 42.9% |
| d4 | 31 | 21.2% | 41.9% |
| c4 | 3 | 2.1% | 66.7% |
| Nc3 | 1 | 0.7% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 52% of White games, 59.9% score
- …c5 (42% of these games) — Birtwistle usually continues c3 (66.7% score)
- …e6 (18% of these games) — Birtwistle usually continues d4 (60.7% score)
- …e5 (14% of these games) — Birtwistle usually continues Nc3 (33.3% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 24% of White games, 42.9% score
- …Nf6 (54% of these games) — Birtwistle usually continues g3 (45.5% score)
- …d5 (23% of these games) — Birtwistle usually continues c4 (40.0% score)
- …g6 (11% of these games) — Birtwistle usually continues g3 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (76 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 68 | 89.5% | 45.6% |
| g6 | 5 | 6.6% | 70.0% |
| d5 | 3 | 3.9% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (54 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 49 | 90.7% | 43.9% |
| g6 | 3 | 5.6% | 16.7% |
| c5 | 2 | 3.7% | 25.0% |
Nigel Birtwistle's chess games
All 304 games by Nigel Birtwistle in the Chess.ceo database (Jul 2008 - 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: 101 wins, 98 draws, 105 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 27 | 14/8/5 | 51.9% |
| D35 | Indian Defense | 11 | 3/5/3 | 27.3% |
| A09 | Réti Opening | 9 | 0/4/5 | 0.0% |
| E70 | King's Indian Defense | 7 | 3/2/2 | 42.9% |
| E09 | Catalan | 7 | 2/2/3 | 28.6% |
| A42 | Modern Defense | 7 | 3/1/3 | 42.9% |
| C10 | French Defense | 5 | 2/0/3 | 40.0% |
| B11 | Caro-Kann: Two Knights Variation | 4 | 1/2/1 | 25.0% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 4 | 1/0/3 | 25.0% |
| C56 | Italian Game | 4 | 3/1/0 | 75.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B27 | Sicilian: Hyperaccelerated Dragon | 31 | 6/9/16 | 19.4% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 30 | 7/10/13 | 23.3% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 12 | 3/4/5 | 25.0% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 11 | 2/6/3 | 18.2% |
| B36 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 11 | 6/1/4 | 54.5% |
| A20 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 10 | 4/5/1 | 40.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 10 | 5/3/2 | 50.0% |
| D03 | Indian Defense | 4 | 0/2/2 | 0.0% |
| A30 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| E60 | King's Indian Defense | 4 | 3/0/1 | 75.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2025 | Roland Bezuidenhout | 2,295 | 4NCL 2024-25 | B32 |
| Mar 2017 | Martin Jogstad | 2,294 | chT2a-BCF 1617 (4NCL) | A43 |
| Aug 2022 | Viktor Stoyanov | 2,246 | 108th ch-GBR | C34 |
| Mar 2010 | Michael J R White | 2,239 | BCF-chT1d 0910 (4NCL) Demotion pool | E70 |
| Aug 2021 | Klauss Mosnegutu | 2,235 | Newcastle Northumbria Masters | A31 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Rapidplay | 2025 | 21 | 11.5 | 2,043 |
| Newcastle Northumbria Masters | 2021 | 16 | 7.5 | 2,068 |
| Hull 4NCL Open | 2024 | 13 | 8 | 2,020 |
| British Rapidplay 2026 | 2026 | 11 | 6.5 | 1,985 |
| 4NCL 2024-25 | 2025 | 11 | 4 | 2,146 |
| 96th ch-GBR | 2009 | 11 | 5 | 2,177 |
| 98th ch-GBR | 2011 | 11 | 4 | 2,023 |
| chT2-BCF 2223 (4NCL) | 2023 | 11 | 5 | 2,059 |
Interactive opening tree from all 304 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Nigel Birtwistle's chess games?
304 games by Nigel Birtwistle, from Jul 2008 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 Nigel Birtwistle has played.
What does Nigel Birtwistle play on the first move as White?
Across 146 games with White in our database, Nigel Birtwistle opens with 1.e4 (52% of games), 1.Nf3 (24% of games), 1.d4 (21% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Nigel Birtwistle answers 1...c5 (89% of games), 1...g6 (7% of games), 1...d5 (4% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (91% of games), 1...g6 (6% of games), 1...c5 (4% of games).
What openings does Nigel Birtwistle play as White?
As White, Nigel Birtwistle's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian: Alapin (27 games, 51.9% win rate); Indian Defense (11 games, 27.3% win rate); Réti Opening (9 games, 0.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 146 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Nigel Birtwistle play as Black?
As Black, Nigel Birtwistle most often plays: Sicilian: Hyperaccelerated Dragon (31 games, 19.4% win rate); Benoni Defense (30 games, 23.3% win rate); Modern Defense (12 games, 25.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 158 games.
What is Nigel Birtwistle's FIDE rating?
Nigel Birtwistle is currently rated 2,050 in classical chess, 2,028 in rapid. Peak classical rating: 2,229 (May 2011).
How many games has Nigel Birtwistle played?
Our database contains 304 games by Nigel Birtwistle, covering Jul 2008 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 101 wins, 98 draws, 105 losses (33.2% win rate).
How do I prepare against Nigel Birtwistle?
304 games by Nigel Birtwistle 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.