Prepare against Paul Roberts
CM · United Kingdom · World #16,653 classical · FIDE ID 2400600
When preparing against Paul Roberts, expect 1.e4 in 43% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (38% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (34%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Sicilian: Alapin as White, 31.6% over 19 games.
Our database contains 525 games by Paul Roberts, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Paul Roberts's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Paul Roberts 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 | 2,088 | 2,242 | Jan 2004 |
| Rapid | 2,132 | 2,211 | Mar 2019 |
| Blitz | 2,087 | 2,211 | Jun 2014 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 525 | 172 | 186 | 167 | 32.8% |
| As White | 261 | 111 | 85 | 65 | 42.5% |
| As Black | 264 | 61 | 101 | 102 | 23.1% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Paul Roberts's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Paul Roberts's side.
First moves as White (261 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 113 | 43.3% | 53.5% |
| Nf3 | 53 | 20.3% | 64.2% |
| d4 | 41 | 15.7% | 52.4% |
| c4 | 12 | 4.6% | 70.8% |
| e3 | 12 | 4.6% | 50.0% |
| f4 | 12 | 4.6% | 79.2% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 43% of White games, 53.5% score
- …c5 (44% of these games) — Roberts usually continues c3 (39.5% score)
- …e6 (16% of these games) — Roberts usually continues d4 (50.0% score)
- …e5 (15% of these games) — Roberts usually continues Nf3 (43.8% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 20% of White games, 64.2% score
- …Nf6 (49% of these games) — Roberts usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
- …d5 (25% of these games) — Roberts usually continues d4 (66.7% score)
- …c5 (9% of these games) — Roberts usually continues c4 (60.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (128 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 49 | 38.3% | 44.9% |
| d6 | 22 | 17.2% | 50.0% |
| e6 | 13 | 10.2% | 34.6% |
| Nc6 | 10 | 7.8% | 50.0% |
| d5 | 10 | 7.8% | 65.0% |
| e5 | 9 | 7.0% | 33.3% |
As Black against 1.d4 (91 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 31 | 34.1% | 43.5% |
| e6 | 16 | 17.6% | 53.1% |
| f5 | 13 | 14.3% | 26.9% |
| d5 | 12 | 13.2% | 45.8% |
| d6 | 8 | 8.8% | 56.3% |
| g6 | 5 | 5.5% | 40.0% |
Paul Roberts's chess games
All 525 games by Paul Roberts in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - 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: 172 wins, 186 draws, 167 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 19 | 6/3/10 | 31.6% |
| A47 | Indian Defense | 16 | 7/8/1 | 43.8% |
| A39 | English Opening | 15 | 7/3/5 | 46.7% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 12 | 4/5/3 | 33.3% |
| C05 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 12 | 3/4/5 | 25.0% |
| A03 | Bird's opening | 11 | 7/3/1 | 63.6% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 9 | 5/3/1 | 55.6% |
| A26 | Modern Defense | 8 | 2/4/2 | 25.0% |
| A01 | Réti Opening | 8 | 5/2/1 | 62.5% |
| B20 | Sicilian | 8 | 5/0/3 | 62.5% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B27 | Sicilian | 23 | 10/6/7 | 43.5% |
| C41 | Philidor | 18 | 8/3/7 | 44.4% |
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 13 | 1/5/7 | 7.7% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 11 | 2/5/4 | 18.2% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 10 | 4/3/3 | 40.0% |
| A90 | Horwitz Defense | 10 | 4/5/1 | 40.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 10 | 5/4/1 | 50.0% |
| A41 | Rat Defense | 8 | 2/3/3 | 25.0% |
| A04 | English Opening | 7 | 5/0/2 | 71.4% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 6 | 1/3/2 | 16.7% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2009 | Csaba Berczes | 2,368 | Budapest FS10 IM-A | E17 |
| Apr 2015 | Richard A Bates | 2,346 | 59th Southend Open | B52 |
| Jan 1993 | Conor O'Shaughnessy | 2,340 | ch-BCF | B22 |
| Jan 1991 | Niclas Hjelm | 2,325 | Hallsberg Open U18 | B22 |
| Jan 1993 | Jonathan Rowson | 2,325 | ch-BCF | C41 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-SCO | 2009 | 35 | 13.5 | 2,166 |
| Titled Tuesday | 2024 | 34 | 15.5 | 2,137 |
| Edinburgh Open | 2012 | 23 | 14 | 2,250 |
| Budapest FS05 FM-A | 2008 | 20 | 12 | 2,188 |
| Perth Open | 2016 | 14 | 9.5 | 2,193 |
| Wch U18 | 1992 | 11 | 4.5 | 2,240 |
| Budapest FS05 IM-B | 2003 | 11 | 4 | 2,162 |
| ch-EU U18 | 1993 | 11 | 3 | 1,989 |
Interactive opening tree from all 525 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Paul Roberts's chess games?
525 games by Paul Roberts, from Apr 2003 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 Roberts has played.
What does Paul Roberts play on the first move as White?
Across 261 games with White in our database, Paul Roberts opens with 1.e4 (43% of games), 1.Nf3 (20% of games), 1.d4 (16% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Paul Roberts answers 1...c5 (38% of games), 1...d6 (17% of games), 1...e6 (10% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (34% of games), 1...e6 (18% of games), 1...f5 (14% of games).
What openings does Paul Roberts play as White?
As White, Paul Roberts's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian: Alapin (19 games, 31.6% win rate); Indian Defense (16 games, 43.8% win rate); English Opening (15 games, 46.7% win rate). The full breakdown of 261 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Paul Roberts play as Black?
As Black, Paul Roberts most often plays: Sicilian (23 games, 43.5% win rate); Philidor (18 games, 44.4% win rate); Dutch Defense (13 games, 7.7% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 264 games.
What is Paul Roberts's FIDE rating?
Paul Roberts is currently rated 2,088 in classical chess, 2,132 in rapid and 2,087 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,242 (Jan 2004).
How many games has Paul Roberts played?
Our database contains 525 games by Paul Roberts, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 172 wins, 186 draws, 167 losses (32.8% win rate).
How do I prepare against Paul Roberts?
525 games by Paul Roberts 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.