Prepare against Nigel E Povah
IM · United Kingdom · World #6,606 classical · FIDE ID 400467
When preparing against Nigel E Povah, expect 1.d4 in 81% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (65% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (89%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Sicilian: Four Knights as Black, 27.8% over 18 games.
Our database contains 628 games by Nigel E Povah, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Nigel E Povah's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Nigel E Povah 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 | 2,233 | 2,377 | Apr 2005 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 628 | 278 | 164 | 186 | 44.3% |
| As White | 318 | 147 | 77 | 94 | 46.2% |
| As Black | 310 | 131 | 87 | 92 | 42.3% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Nigel E Povah's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Nigel E Povah's side.
First moves as White (318 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 256 | 80.5% | 59.6% |
| e4 | 52 | 16.4% | 50.0% |
| c4 | 10 | 3.1% | 70.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 81% of White games, 59.6% score
- …Nf6 (47% of these games) — Povah usually continues Bg5 (54.9% score)
- …d5 (28% of these games) — Povah usually continues Bg5 (60.3% score)
- …e6 (9% of these games) — Povah usually continues Nf3 (55.6% score)
- 1.e4 — 16% of White games, 50.0% score
- …c5 (40% of these games) — Povah usually continues Nf3 (47.6% score)
- …e5 (31% of these games) — Povah usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …e6 (10% of these games) — Povah usually continues d4 (90.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (136 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 89 | 65.4% | 53.9% |
| d5 | 37 | 27.2% | 70.3% |
| c6 | 9 | 6.6% | 55.6% |
| Nc6 | 1 | 0.7% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (96 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 85 | 88.5% | 57.6% |
| d5 | 11 | 11.5% | 22.7% |
Nigel E Povah's chess games
All 628 games by Nigel E Povah in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - 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: 278 wins, 164 draws, 186 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A45 | Trompowsky Attack | 73 | 28/25/20 | 38.4% |
| D00 | London System | 49 | 27/7/15 | 55.1% |
| D00 | Queen's Pawn Game | 34 | 16/9/9 | 47.1% |
| A47 | Indian Defense | 22 | 10/3/9 | 45.5% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 14 | 4/6/4 | 28.6% |
| A44 | Benoni Defense | 12 | 6/3/3 | 50.0% |
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 11 | 8/1/2 | 72.7% |
| A80 | Horwitz Defense | 10 | 3/4/3 | 30.0% |
| D15 | Slav Defense | 9 | 6/1/2 | 66.7% |
| B42 | Sicilian | 8 | 3/2/3 | 37.5% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A70 | Benoni Defense | 54 | 25/6/23 | 46.3% |
| A20 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 30 | 11/12/7 | 36.7% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation | 26 | 15/4/7 | 57.7% |
| B32 | Sicilian | 18 | 6/8/4 | 33.3% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Four Knights | 18 | 5/6/7 | 27.8% |
| B30 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 17 | 5/6/6 | 29.4% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 11 | 7/2/2 | 63.6% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 11 | 8/1/2 | 72.7% |
| A30 | English Opening | 10 | 3/2/5 | 30.0% |
| B47 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 10 | 4/4/2 | 40.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2018 | Oleg Korneev | 2,560 | 44th Guernsey Open | D00 |
| Jul 2018 | Vladimir V Zhelnin | 2,453 | WchT Seniors 65 | B47 |
| Jan 1978 | Heikki M.J. Westerinen | 2,450 | 2nd Lloyds Bank Open | C73 |
| Jan 1981 | Paul Van der Sterren | 2,440 | Hoogovens-B | A19 |
| Jan 1984 | Paul E Littlewood | 2,435 | 6th Ramsgate Regency Masters | A75 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WchT Seniors 65 | 2024 | 34 | 24 | 2,348 |
| Portsmouth Open | 2003 | 18 | 11 | 2,412 |
| Reykjavik Open | 2024 | 17 | 10 | 2,132 |
| chT-EU Seniors 65 | 2024 | 14 | 8.5 | 2,182 |
| British CF-65 Championship | 1978 | 11 | 5 | 2,253 |
| British CF-63 Championship | 1976 | 11 | 6.5 | 2,458 |
| chT2-BCF 9899 (4NCL) | 1999 | 11 | 8.5 | 2,460 |
| 33rd World Senior 65+ | 2025 | 11 | 6.5 | 2,281 |
Interactive opening tree from all 628 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Nigel E Povah's chess games?
628 games by Nigel E Povah, from Apr 2003 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 E Povah has played.
What does Nigel E Povah play on the first move as White?
Across 318 games with White in our database, Nigel E Povah opens with 1.d4 (81% of games), 1.e4 (16% of games), 1.c4 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Nigel E Povah answers 1...c5 (65% of games), 1...d5 (27% of games), 1...c6 (7% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (89% of games), 1...d5 (11% of games).
What openings does Nigel E Povah play as White?
As White, Nigel E Povah's most-played openings in our database are: Trompowsky Attack (73 games, 38.4% win rate); London System (49 games, 55.1% win rate); Queen's Pawn Game (34 games, 47.1% win rate). The full breakdown of 318 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Nigel E Povah play as Black?
As Black, Nigel E Povah most often plays: Benoni Defense (54 games, 46.3% win rate); English Opening: Reverse Sicilian (30 games, 36.7% win rate); Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation (26 games, 57.7% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 310 games.
What is Nigel E Povah's FIDE rating?
Nigel E Povah is currently rated 2,233 in classical chess. Peak classical rating: 2,377 (Apr 2005).
How many games has Nigel E Povah played?
Our database contains 628 games by Nigel E Povah, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 278 wins, 164 draws, 186 losses (44.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Nigel E Povah?
628 games by Nigel E Povah 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.