Prepare against Nikolaos Poupalos
FM · GRC · World #8,356 classical · FIDE ID 25875302
When preparing against Nikolaos Poupalos, expect 1.e4 in 96% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (96% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (94%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Sicilian: Najdorf as Black, 33.3% over 42 games.
Our database contains 463 games by Nikolaos Poupalos, covering Nov 2017 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Nikolaos Poupalos's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Nikolaos Poupalos 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 | 2,199 | 2,309 | Jun 2024 |
| Rapid | 2,116 | 2,156 | Mar 2025 |
| Blitz | 2,018 | 2,121 | May 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 463 | 191 | 97 | 175 | 41.3% |
| As White | 230 | 112 | 41 | 77 | 48.7% |
| As Black | 233 | 79 | 56 | 98 | 33.9% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Nikolaos Poupalos's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Nikolaos Poupalos's side.
First moves as White (230 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 221 | 96.1% | 56.6% |
| d4 | 5 | 2.2% | 70.0% |
| Nf3 | 4 | 1.7% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 96% of White games, 56.6% score
- …c5 (40% of these games) — Poupalos usually continues Nf3 (54.5% score)
- …e5 (22% of these games) — Poupalos usually continues Nf3 (65.6% score)
- …e6 (12% of these games) — Poupalos usually continues d4 (63.6% score)
- 1.d4 — 2% of White games, 70.0% score
- …Nf6 (60% of these games) — Poupalos usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …a6 (20% of these games) — Poupalos usually continues e4 (100.0% score)
- …d5 (20% of these games) — Poupalos usually continues c4 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (123 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 118 | 95.9% | 47.9% |
| e5 | 2 | 1.6% | 75.0% |
| d5 | 2 | 1.6% | 50.0% |
| a6 | 1 | 0.8% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (69 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 65 | 94.2% | 44.6% |
| d5 | 4 | 5.8% | 12.5% |
Nikolaos Poupalos's chess games
All 463 games by Nikolaos Poupalos in the Chess.ceo database (Nov 2017 - Aug 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: 191 wins, 97 draws, 175 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B32 | Sicilian | 23 | 10/6/7 | 43.5% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 23 | 9/4/10 | 39.1% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 18 | 9/2/7 | 50.0% |
| C77 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 18 | 11/5/2 | 61.1% |
| C05 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 14 | 9/1/4 | 64.3% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | 9 | 2/4/3 | 22.2% |
| B76 | Sicilian: Dragon | 8 | 3/3/2 | 37.5% |
| C89 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 8 | 4/2/2 | 50.0% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 6 | 3/0/3 | 50.0% |
| B04 | Alekhine Defense | 6 | 3/0/3 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 42 | 14/14/14 | 33.3% |
| B32 | Sicilian | 23 | 10/4/9 | 43.5% |
| E01 | Catalan | 21 | 10/6/5 | 47.6% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 17 | 7/2/8 | 41.2% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 14 | 3/4/7 | 21.4% |
| D02 | Réti Opening | 12 | 3/6/3 | 25.0% |
| D45 | Slav Defense | 10 | 1/4/5 | 10.0% |
| D05 | Indian Defense | 8 | 3/1/4 | 37.5% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 6 | 4/0/2 | 66.7% |
| E11 | Bogo-Indian Defense | 5 | 2/0/3 | 40.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2025 | L Moroni | 2,552 | Titled Tue Early | A04 |
| Aug 2024 | Ivan Ivanisevic | 2,521 | Titled Tue Early | D55 |
| Feb 2025 | Jakub Kosakowski | 2,511 | Titled Tue Early | D02 |
| Feb 2025 | Bojan Maksimovic | 2,505 | Titled Tue Early | D05 |
| Feb 2025 | Mohamed Haddouche | 2,490 | Titled Tue Early | B31 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2025 | 154 | 73.5 | 2,225 |
| Veliko Gradiste Silver Lake Open A | 2022 | 18 | 8 | 2,080 |
| ch-GRE U14 | 2022 | 18 | 13.5 | 1,968 |
| ch-GRE U10 | 2018 | 17 | 7.5 | 1,110 |
| 23rd ch-EU | 2023 | 11 | 5.5 | 2,273 |
| World Cup U14 Prel | 2021 | 10 | 5.5 | 1,553 |
| ch-GRE Schools Gym-B | 2022 | 9 | 7.5 | 1,698 |
| ch-EU Online U12 | 2020 | 9 | 4 | 1,306 |
Interactive opening tree from all 463 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Nikolaos Poupalos's chess games?
463 games by Nikolaos Poupalos, from Nov 2017 to Aug 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 Nikolaos Poupalos has played.
What does Nikolaos Poupalos play on the first move as White?
Across 230 games with White in our database, Nikolaos Poupalos opens with 1.e4 (96% of games), 1.d4 (2% of games), 1.Nf3 (2% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Nikolaos Poupalos answers 1...c5 (96% of games), 1...e5 (2% of games), 1...d5 (2% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (94% of games), 1...d5 (6% of games).
What openings does Nikolaos Poupalos play as White?
As White, Nikolaos Poupalos's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (23 games, 43.5% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (23 games, 39.1% win rate); Caro-Kann: Advance Variation (18 games, 50.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 230 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Nikolaos Poupalos play as Black?
As Black, Nikolaos Poupalos most often plays: Sicilian: Najdorf (42 games, 33.3% win rate); Sicilian (23 games, 43.5% win rate); Catalan (21 games, 47.6% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 233 games.
What is Nikolaos Poupalos's FIDE rating?
Nikolaos Poupalos is currently rated 2,199 in classical chess, 2,116 in rapid and 2,018 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,309 (Jun 2024).
How many games has Nikolaos Poupalos played?
Our database contains 463 games by Nikolaos Poupalos, covering Nov 2017 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 191 wins, 97 draws, 175 losses (41.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Nikolaos Poupalos?
463 games by Nikolaos Poupalos 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.