Prepare against Paul Butterworth
United Kingdom · World #102,450 classical · FIDE ID 343419917
When preparing against Paul Butterworth, expect 1.d4 in 91% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (64% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (67%).
Our database contains 90 games by Paul Butterworth, covering May 2023 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Paul Butterworth's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Paul Butterworth 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 | 1,723 | 1,760 | Aug 2024 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 90 | 21 | 24 | 45 | 23.3% |
| As White | 45 | 12 | 11 | 22 | 26.7% |
| As Black | 45 | 9 | 13 | 23 | 20.0% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Paul Butterworth's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Paul Butterworth's side.
First moves as White (45 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 41 | 91.1% | 40.2% |
| c4 | 3 | 6.7% | 0.0% |
| e4 | 1 | 2.2% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 91% of White games, 40.2% score
- …Nf6 (59% of these games) — Butterworth usually continues c4 (60.0% score)
- …d5 (24% of these games) — Butterworth usually continues c4 (16.7% score)
- …f5 (7% of these games) — Butterworth usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- 1.c4 — 7% of White games, 0.0% score
- …a6 (33% of these games) — Butterworth usually continues g3 (0.0% score)
- …Nf6 (33% of these games) — Butterworth usually continues Nf3 (0.0% score)
- …e5 (33% of these games) — Butterworth usually continues Nc3 (0.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (25 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 16 | 64.0% | 34.4% |
| e6 | 7 | 28.0% | 50.0% |
| g6 | 2 | 8.0% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (15 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 10 | 66.7% | 35.0% |
| e6 | 2 | 13.3% | 25.0% |
| g6 | 2 | 13.3% | 50.0% |
| d5 | 1 | 6.7% | 50.0% |
Paul Butterworth's chess games
All 90 games by Paul Butterworth in the Chess.ceo database (May 2023 - Jul 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: 21 wins, 24 draws, 45 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D87 | Grünfeld Defense | 6 | 3/1/2 | 50.0% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 5 | 2/2/1 | 40.0% |
| D44 | Slav Defense | 4 | 0/2/2 | 0.0% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 3 | 0/3/0 | 0.0% |
| D35 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| E04 | Catalan | 3 | 0/0/3 | 0.0% |
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| A90 | Indian Defense | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B42 | Sicilian | 7 | 0/2/5 | 0.0% |
| B15 | Modern Defense | 5 | 1/0/4 | 20.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| A48 | London System | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| B34 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| B21 | Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| C01 | French: Exchange Variation | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| D03 | Indian Defense | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| A40 | Horwitz Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1999 | David O Collier | 2,245 | Bristol Open | E48 |
| Mar 2004 | Dai James | 2,024 | chT4-BCF 0304 (4NCL) | B23 |
| Feb 2006 | David J Cork | 1,955 | chT-BCF 4 0506 (4NCL) | E98 |
| May 2004 | Lloyd Retallick | 1,952 | chT4-BCF 0304 (4NCL) | D60 |
| Nov 2005 | Peter L Davies | 1,929 | chT-BCF 4 0506 (4NCL) | A56 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol Open | 2000 | 10 | 2 | 1,950 |
| Reykjavik Open 2026 | 2026 | 9 | 4 | 1,900 |
| chT4-BCF 0304 (4NCL) | 2004 | 8 | 5 | 1,782 |
| chT-BCF 4 0506 (4NCL) | 2006 | 8 | 4.5 | 1,940 |
| Wroclaw Open B | 2025 | 8 | 1.5 | 1,562 |
| Daventry 4NCL Easter Open B 3rd | 2023 | 7 | 2.5 | 1,467 |
| chT4b-BCF 0405 (4NCL) | 2005 | 7 | 2 | 1,780 |
| ch-BCF AM U1900 Open | 2024 | 6 | 2 | 1,595 |
Interactive opening tree from all 90 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Paul Butterworth's chess games?
90 games by Paul Butterworth, from May 2023 to Jul 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 Paul Butterworth has played.
What does Paul Butterworth play on the first move as White?
Across 45 games with White in our database, Paul Butterworth opens with 1.d4 (91% of games), 1.c4 (7% of games), 1.e4 (2% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Paul Butterworth answers 1...c5 (64% of games), 1...e6 (28% of games), 1...g6 (8% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (67% of games), 1...e6 (13% of games), 1...g6 (13% of games).
What openings does Paul Butterworth play as White?
As White, Paul Butterworth's most-played openings in our database are: Grünfeld Defense (6 games, 50.0% win rate); Benoni Defense (5 games, 20.0% win rate); King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation (5 games, 40.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 45 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Paul Butterworth play as Black?
As Black, Paul Butterworth most often plays: Sicilian (7 games, 0.0% win rate); Modern Defense (5 games, 20.0% win rate); Sicilian: Closed (4 games, 50.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 45 games.
What is Paul Butterworth's FIDE rating?
Paul Butterworth is currently rated 1,723 in classical chess. Peak classical rating: 1,760 (Aug 2024).
How many games has Paul Butterworth played?
Our database contains 90 games by Paul Butterworth, covering May 2023 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 21 wins, 24 draws, 45 losses (23.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Paul Butterworth?
90 games by Paul Butterworth 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.