Prepare against Paul May
United Kingdom · World #78,792 classical · FIDE ID 450219
When preparing against Paul May, expect 1.d4 in 100% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (100% of games); against 1.d4, 1...g6 (95%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Modern Defense as Black, 29.2% over 24 games.
Our database contains 109 games by Paul May, covering Dec 2016 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Paul May's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Paul May 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 | 1,793 | 1,836 | May 2026 |
| Rapid | 1,790 | 1,790 | Sep 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 109 | 40 | 30 | 39 | 36.7% |
| As White | 51 | 21 | 14 | 16 | 41.2% |
| As Black | 58 | 19 | 16 | 23 | 32.8% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Paul May's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Paul May's side.
First moves as White (51 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 51 | 100.0% | 54.9% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 100% of White games, 54.9% score
- …Nf6 (63% of these games) — May usually continues c4 (53.1% score)
- …d5 (27% of these games) — May usually continues c4 (53.8% score)
- …e6 (8% of these games) — May usually continues c4 (66.7% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (27 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 27 | 100.0% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (22 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| g6 | 21 | 95.5% | 40.5% |
| Nf6 | 1 | 4.5% | 0.0% |
Paul May's chess games
All 109 games by Paul May in the Chess.ceo database (Dec 2016 - 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: 40 wins, 30 draws, 39 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E27 | Nimzo-Indian: Kmoch Variation | 13 | 6/2/5 | 46.2% |
| D50 | Indian Defense | 6 | 3/1/2 | 50.0% |
| D12 | Slav Defense | 6 | 2/1/3 | 33.3% |
| E71 | King's Indian Defense | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
| E74 | King's Indian Defense: Averbakh System | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| D80 | Grünfeld Defense | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| A85 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 3 | 2/1/0 | 66.7% |
| D26 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| A51 | Budapest Defense | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B06 | Modern Defense | 24 | 7/7/10 | 29.2% |
| B28 | Sicilian | 15 | 5/4/6 | 33.3% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 8 | 3/2/3 | 37.5% |
| A40 | Queen's Pawn Game | 4 | 3/0/1 | 75.0% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| B21 | Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| D78 | Indian Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| A00 | King's Indian Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B21 | Sicilian: Grand Prix Attack | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| D93 | Grünfeld Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2022 | Mate Ther | 2,031 | Harrogate 4NCL Open 27th | D50 |
| Jan 2019 | Mark Daley | 1,982 | 21st Harrogate 4NCL Open B | B23 |
| Jul 2024 | Pengxiao Zhu | 1,969 | ch-BCF Major | A40 |
| Sep 2023 | Paul S N Kendall | 1,941 | Hull 4NCL Open B | B40 |
| Jan 2019 | Ismael Molano Lafuente | 1,935 | 21st Harrogate 4NCL Open B | A85 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 106th ch-GBR Major | 2019 | 9 | 2.5 | 1,695 |
| ch-BCF Major | 2024 | 9 | 4 | 1,832 |
| ch-BCF AM U1900 Open | 2024 | 6 | 4 | 1,864 |
| 13th Wakefield 4NCL Open B | 2017 | 5 | 2 | 1,497 |
| Harrogate 4NCL Open B 12th | 2017 | 5 | 2 | 1,806 |
| 21st Harrogate 4NCL Open B | 2019 | 5 | 3.5 | 2,050 |
| 24th Harrogate 4NCL Open | 2020 | 5 | 3 | 1,830 |
| 6th Wetherby 4NCL Open B | 2016 | 5 | 3 | 1,858 |
Interactive opening tree from all 109 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Paul May's chess games?
109 games by Paul May, from Dec 2016 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 Paul May has played.
What does Paul May play on the first move as White?
Across 51 games with White in our database, Paul May opens with 1.d4 (100% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Paul May answers 1...c5 (100% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...g6 (95% of games), 1...Nf6 (5% of games).
What openings does Paul May play as White?
As White, Paul May's most-played openings in our database are: Nimzo-Indian: Kmoch Variation (13 games, 46.2% win rate); Indian Defense (6 games, 50.0% win rate); Slav Defense (6 games, 33.3% win rate). The full breakdown of 51 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Paul May play as Black?
As Black, Paul May most often plays: Modern Defense (24 games, 29.2% win rate); Sicilian (15 games, 33.3% win rate); Sicilian: Closed (8 games, 37.5% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 58 games.
What is Paul May's FIDE rating?
Paul May is currently rated 1,793 in classical chess, 1,790 in rapid. Peak classical rating: 1,836 (May 2026).
How many games has Paul May played?
Our database contains 109 games by Paul May, covering Dec 2016 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 40 wins, 30 draws, 39 losses (36.7% win rate).
How do I prepare against Paul May?
109 games by Paul May 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.