Prepare against Nikita Matinian
GM · FIDE · World #1,905 classical · FIDE ID 24129100
When preparing against Nikita Matinian, expect 1.e4 in 91% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (58% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (79%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: King's Indian Defense as Black, 36.4% over 110 games.
Our database contains 4,852 games by Nikita Matinian, covering Apr 2006 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Nikita Matinian's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Nikita Matinian 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 | 2,389 | 2,514 | Mar 2018 |
| Rapid | 2,367 | 2,527 | Aug 2017 |
| Blitz | 2,425 | 2,539 | Oct 2016 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 4,852 | 2,393 | 694 | 1,765 | 49.3% |
| As White | 2,431 | 1,277 | 352 | 802 | 52.5% |
| As Black | 2,421 | 1,116 | 342 | 963 | 46.1% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Nikita Matinian's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Nikita Matinian's side.
First moves as White (2,430 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 2,211 | 91.0% | 59.8% |
| Nf3 | 105 | 4.3% | 66.2% |
| d4 | 74 | 3.0% | 55.4% |
| c4 | 12 | 0.5% | 70.8% |
| g3 | 9 | 0.4% | 33.3% |
| b3 | 9 | 0.4% | 38.9% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 91% of White games, 59.8% score
- …c5 (40% of these games) — Matinian usually continues Nf3 (58.7% score)
- …e5 (22% of these games) — Matinian usually continues Nf3 (59.8% score)
- …e6 (13% of these games) — Matinian usually continues d4 (64.9% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 4% of White games, 66.2% score
- …Nf6 (41% of these games) — Matinian usually continues g3 (65.8% score)
- …d5 (29% of these games) — Matinian usually continues g3 (53.1% score)
- …c5 (9% of these games) — Matinian usually continues e4 (75.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (1,126 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 658 | 58.4% | 57.5% |
| e5 | 247 | 21.9% | 43.1% |
| d6 | 183 | 16.3% | 53.0% |
| g6 | 25 | 2.2% | 44.0% |
| c6 | 5 | 0.4% | 60.0% |
| Nf6 | 3 | 0.3% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (846 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 666 | 78.7% | 54.7% |
| d6 | 118 | 13.9% | 53.0% |
| g6 | 42 | 5.0% | 42.9% |
| d5 | 11 | 1.3% | 59.1% |
| f5 | 4 | 0.5% | 50.0% |
| c5 | 3 | 0.4% | 33.3% |
Nikita Matinian's chess games
All 4,852 games by Nikita Matinian in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2006 - 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: 2,393 wins, 694 draws, 1,765 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 261 | 134/30/97 | 51.3% |
| B43 | Sicilian | 156 | 78/22/56 | 50.0% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 154 | 70/21/63 | 45.5% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 144 | 68/25/51 | 47.2% |
| C77 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 141 | 73/23/45 | 51.8% |
| C11 | French: Classical Variation | 120 | 66/20/34 | 55.0% |
| B30 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 120 | 61/20/39 | 50.8% |
| C15 | French: Winawer Variation | 115 | 68/17/30 | 59.1% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 84 | 45/10/29 | 53.6% |
| B11 | Caro-Kann: Two Knights Variation | 78 | 47/7/24 | 60.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B50 | Sicilian | 221 | 107/28/86 | 48.4% |
| B06 | Pirc Defense | 212 | 99/19/94 | 46.7% |
| B72 | Sicilian: Dragon | 138 | 69/17/52 | 50.0% |
| A42 | Modern Defense | 115 | 52/11/52 | 45.2% |
| E62 | King's Indian Defense | 110 | 40/20/50 | 36.4% |
| E62 | Indian Defense | 103 | 45/17/41 | 43.7% |
| A25 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 100 | 51/13/36 | 51.0% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 100 | 40/16/44 | 40.0% |
| B48 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 65 | 29/8/28 | 44.6% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 62 | 31/8/23 | 50.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2021 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | 2,770 | Titled Arena Mar 6th | A05 |
| Jun 2025 | Praggnanandhaa R | 2,767 | Titled Tue Early | B12 |
| Jun 2025 | Vladimir Kramnik | 2,753 | Titled Tue Late | A05 |
| Apr 2024 | Leinier Dominguez Perez | 2,748 | Titled Tue Late | B51 |
| Oct 2020 | Hikaru Nakamura | 2,736 | Titled Tue | B06 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2026 | 3,076 | 1,811 | 2,421 |
| 2nd 3-0 Thursday | 2026 | 69 | 37 | 2,339 |
| Titled Arena Apr 3rd | 2021 | 37 | 13 | 2,243 |
| Moscow Open A | 2016 | 36 | 18.5 | 2,422 |
| Titled Arena May 8th | 2021 | 33 | 18.5 | 2,368 |
| Titled Arena Mar 6th | 2021 | 33 | 18.5 | 2,562 |
| Cheliabinsk Panchenko Memorial Open A | 2022 | 29 | 17 | 2,440 |
| Titled Arena 2nd Jan | 2021 | 27 | 8 | 2,304 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Pavel Ponkratov (24 games) · Alexey Sarana (24 games) · Sanan Sjugirov (23 games) · David Paravyan (21 games) · Aleksandr Shimanov (21 games) · Anton Demchenko (20 games) · Rasmus Svane (20 games) · Gata Kamsky (17 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 4,852 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Nikita Matinian's chess games?
4,852 games by Nikita Matinian, from Apr 2006 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 Nikita Matinian has played.
What does Nikita Matinian play on the first move as White?
Across 2,430 games with White in our database, Nikita Matinian opens with 1.e4 (91% of games), 1.Nf3 (4% of games), 1.d4 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Nikita Matinian answers 1...c5 (58% of games), 1...e5 (22% of games), 1...d6 (16% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (79% of games), 1...d6 (14% of games), 1...g6 (5% of games).
What openings does Nikita Matinian play as White?
As White, Nikita Matinian's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian: Closed (261 games, 51.3% win rate); Sicilian (156 games, 50.0% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (154 games, 45.5% win rate). The full breakdown of 2,431 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Nikita Matinian play as Black?
As Black, Nikita Matinian most often plays: Sicilian (221 games, 48.4% win rate); Pirc Defense (212 games, 46.7% win rate); Sicilian: Dragon (138 games, 50.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 2,421 games.
What is Nikita Matinian's FIDE rating?
Nikita Matinian is currently rated 2,389 in classical chess, 2,367 in rapid and 2,425 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,514 (Mar 2018).
How many games has Nikita Matinian played?
Our database contains 4,852 games by Nikita Matinian, covering Apr 2006 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 2,393 wins, 694 draws, 1,765 losses (49.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Nikita Matinian?
4,852 games by Nikita Matinian 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.