Prepare against Sauat Nurgaliyev
IM · Kazakhstan · World #638 classical · FIDE ID 13726285
Our database contains 686 games by Sauat Nurgaliyev, covering Jan 2017 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Sauat Nurgaliyev's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Sauat Nurgaliyev 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 | 2,493 | 2,493 | Aug 2026 |
| Rapid | 2,381 | 2,381 | Aug 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,436 | 2,457 | Jul 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 686 | 280 | 174 | 232 | 40.8% |
| As White | 348 | 155 | 94 | 99 | 44.5% |
| As Black | 338 | 125 | 80 | 133 | 37.0% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Sauat Nurgaliyev's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Sauat Nurgaliyev's side.
First moves as White (348 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 296 | 85.1% | 57.9% |
| Nf3 | 22 | 6.3% | 68.2% |
| d4 | 21 | 6.0% | 38.1% |
| a3 | 6 | 1.7% | 83.3% |
| c4 | 1 | 0.3% | 100.0% |
| b4 | 1 | 0.3% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 85% of White games, 57.9% score
- …c5 (46% of these games) — Nurgaliyev usually continues Nf3 (55.7% score)
- …e5 (25% of these games) — Nurgaliyev usually continues Nf3 (63.9% score)
- …c6 (12% of these games) — Nurgaliyev usually continues Nf3 (56.8% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 6% of White games, 68.2% score
- …Nf6 (64% of these games) — Nurgaliyev usually continues g3 (57.7% score)
- …d5 (14% of these games) — Nurgaliyev usually continues g3 (100.0% score)
- …c5 (14% of these games) — Nurgaliyev usually continues g3 (83.3% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (159 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 134 | 84.3% | 51.9% |
| d6 | 11 | 6.9% | 72.7% |
| c6 | 10 | 6.3% | 60.0% |
| e5 | 3 | 1.9% | 0.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 0.6% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (117 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 68 | 58.1% | 43.4% |
| d6 | 33 | 28.2% | 56.1% |
| d5 | 14 | 12.0% | 21.4% |
| f5 | 1 | 0.9% | 0.0% |
Sauat Nurgaliyev's chess games
All 686 games by Sauat Nurgaliyev in the Chess.ceo database (Jan 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: 280 wins, 174 draws, 232 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 42 | 18/9/15 | 42.9% |
| B67 | Sicilian | 36 | 12/13/11 | 33.3% |
| B11 | Caro-Kann: Two Knights Variation | 24 | 10/8/6 | 41.7% |
| B30 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 20 | 9/5/6 | 45.0% |
| C84 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 19 | 9/8/2 | 47.4% |
| C47 | Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation | 15 | 4/9/2 | 26.7% |
| C78 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 10 | 4/3/3 | 40.0% |
| C18 | French: Winawer Variation | 10 | 7/1/2 | 70.0% |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 10 | 7/2/1 | 70.0% |
| C11 | French: Classical Variation | 9 | 2/4/3 | 22.2% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 69 | 25/18/26 | 36.2% |
| A41 | Indian Defense | 35 | 12/9/14 | 34.3% |
| B50 | Sicilian | 29 | 13/6/10 | 44.8% |
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 25 | 4/9/12 | 16.0% |
| C41 | Philidor | 17 | 9/1/7 | 52.9% |
| A33 | English Opening | 16 | 3/7/6 | 18.8% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 14 | 5/4/5 | 35.7% |
| A37 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 13 | 7/2/4 | 53.8% |
| A04 | Réti Opening | 10 | 5/1/4 | 50.0% |
| E05 | Catalan | 10 | 0/3/7 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2024 | Jorden Van Foreest | 2,668 | Sardinia World Open A | B47 |
| Apr 2025 | Johan-Sebastian Christiansen | 2,657 | Titled Tue Early | B50 |
| Apr 2025 | R Svane | 2,625 | Titled Tue Early | B10 |
| Dec 2025 | Aditya Mittal | 2,624 | World Blitz 2025 | C41 |
| Mar 2025 | Anton Demchenko | 2,619 | Titled Tue Early | B67 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2026 | 130 | 74.5 | 2,359 |
| 1st 3-0 Thursday | 2026 | 32 | 17.5 | 2,391 |
| World Blitz 2025 | 2025 | 19 | 8.5 | 2,458 |
| World ol U16 | 2023 | 14 | 10 | 2,233 |
| ch-KAZ 2026 | 2026 | 13 | 9 | 2,571 |
| World Rapid 2025 | 2025 | 13 | 4.5 | 2,313 |
| World Youth Open U16 2025 | 2025 | 11 | 8 | 2,530 |
| World Youth Open U14 2024 | 2024 | 11 | 8.5 | 2,237 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Pau Marin Ferragut (11 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 686 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Sauat Nurgaliyev's chess games?
686 games by Sauat Nurgaliyev, from Jan 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 Sauat Nurgaliyev has played.
What does Sauat Nurgaliyev play on the first move as White?
Across 348 games with White in our database, Sauat Nurgaliyev opens with 1.e4 (85% of games), 1.Nf3 (6% of games), 1.d4 (6% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Sauat Nurgaliyev answers 1...c5 (84% of games), 1...d6 (7% of games), 1...c6 (6% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (58% of games), 1...d6 (28% of games), 1...d5 (12% of games).
What openings does Sauat Nurgaliyev play as White?
As White, Sauat Nurgaliyev's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian: Najdorf (42 games, 42.9% win rate); Sicilian (36 games, 33.3% win rate); Caro-Kann: Two Knights Variation (24 games, 41.7% win rate). The full breakdown of 348 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Sauat Nurgaliyev play as Black?
As Black, Sauat Nurgaliyev most often plays: Sicilian: Najdorf (69 games, 36.2% win rate); Indian Defense (35 games, 34.3% win rate); Sicilian (29 games, 44.8% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 338 games.
What is Sauat Nurgaliyev's FIDE rating?
Sauat Nurgaliyev is currently rated 2,493 in classical chess, 2,381 in rapid and 2,436 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,493 (Aug 2026).
How many games has Sauat Nurgaliyev played?
Our database contains 686 games by Sauat Nurgaliyev, covering Jan 2017 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 280 wins, 174 draws, 232 losses (40.8% win rate).
How do I prepare against Sauat Nurgaliyev?
686 games by Sauat Nurgaliyev 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.