Prepare against Nigel Birtwistle
United Kingdom · World #20,839 classical · FIDE ID 406945
When preparing against Nigel Birtwistle, expect 1.e4 in 53% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (89% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (91%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Sicilian: Hyperaccelerated Dragon as Black, 19.4% over 31 games.
Our database contains 309 games by Nigel Birtwistle, covering Jul 2008 to Sep 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 | 309 | 102 | 100 | 107 | 33.0% |
| As White | 148 | 54 | 45 | 49 | 36.5% |
| As Black | 161 | 48 | 55 | 58 | 29.8% |
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 (148 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 78 | 52.7% | 59.0% |
| Nf3 | 35 | 23.6% | 42.9% |
| d4 | 31 | 20.9% | 41.9% |
| c4 | 3 | 2.0% | 66.7% |
| Nc3 | 1 | 0.7% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 53% of White games, 59.0% score
- …c5 (41% 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 (55 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 50 | 90.9% | 45.0% |
| g6 | 3 | 5.5% | 16.7% |
| c5 | 2 | 3.6% | 25.0% |
Nigel Birtwistle's chess games
All 309 games by Nigel Birtwistle in the Chess.ceo database (Jul 2008 - Sep 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: 102 wins, 100 draws, 107 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% |
| A42 | Modern Defense | 8 | 3/2/3 | 37.5% |
| E70 | King's Indian Defense | 7 | 3/2/2 | 42.9% |
| E09 | Catalan | 7 | 2/2/3 | 28.6% |
| 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 | 31 | 8/10/13 | 25.8% |
| 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% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 5 | 0/3/2 | 0.0% |
| A31 | English Opening | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| A30 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
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 |
| Sep 2026 | Maksym Larchikov | 2,247 | Hull 4NCL Congress 2026 - Open | A57 |
| 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 |
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 |
| 96th ch-GBR | 2009 | 11 | 5 | 2,177 |
| chT2-BCF 2223 (4NCL) | 2023 | 11 | 5 | 2,059 |
| 98th ch-GBR | 2011 | 11 | 4 | 2,023 |
| 4NCL 2024-25 | 2025 | 11 | 4 | 2,146 |
Interactive opening tree from all 309 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Nigel Birtwistle's chess games?
309 games by Nigel Birtwistle, from Jul 2008 to Sep 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 148 games with White in our database, Nigel Birtwistle opens with 1.e4 (53% 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 (5% 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 148 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 (31 games, 25.8% win rate); Modern Defense (12 games, 25.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 161 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 309 games by Nigel Birtwistle, covering Jul 2008 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 102 wins, 100 draws, 107 losses (33.0% win rate).
How do I prepare against Nigel Birtwistle?
309 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.