Prepare against Paul Zapfel
Austria · World #119,050 classical · FIDE ID 1618075
When preparing against Paul Zapfel, expect 1.e4 in 94% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...d5 (93% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (100%).
Our database contains 40 games by Paul Zapfel, covering Jan 2006 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Paul Zapfel's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Paul Zapfel 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 | 1,676 | 1,885 | Jul 2006 |
| Rapid | 1,778 | 1,805 | Oct 2025 |
| Blitz | 1,857 | 1,857 | Jul 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 40 | 14 | 8 | 18 | 35.0% |
| As White | 17 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 41.2% |
| As Black | 23 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 30.4% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Paul Zapfel's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Paul Zapfel's side.
First moves as White (17 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 16 | 94.1% | 59.4% |
| d4 | 1 | 5.9% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 94% of White games, 59.4% score
- …d5 (19% of these games) — Zapfel usually continues exd5 (50.0% score)
- …e5 (19% of these games) — Zapfel usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …c5 (19% of these games) — Zapfel usually continues d4 (83.3% score)
- 1.d4 — 6% of White games, 0.0% score
- …d5 (100% of these games) — Zapfel usually continues Bf4 (0.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (14 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 13 | 92.9% | 50.0% |
| e5 | 1 | 7.1% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (6 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 6 | 100.0% | 25.0% |
Paul Zapfel's chess games
All 40 games by Paul Zapfel in the Chess.ceo database (Jan 2006 - 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: 14 wins, 8 draws, 18 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B21 | Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit | 3 | 2/1/0 | 66.7% |
| C50 | Italian Game | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| C00 | French Defense | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| C44 | Scotch Game | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| B07 | Philidor | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| D02 | London System | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| A43 | Modern Defense | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| D20 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation | 11 | 6/1/4 | 54.5% |
| A51 | Budapest Defense | 4 | 0/1/3 | 0.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| D25 | Queen's Pawn Game | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| D00 | Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A00 | Orangutan opening | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| C13 | Richter-Veresov Attack | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| C55 | Italian Game: Two Knights Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| D02 | Réti Opening: Symmetrical Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2006 | Christian Stockhammer | 1,608 | Stockerau Open B | B21 |
| May 2006 | Siegfried Metzger | 1,600 | Stockerau Open B | B01 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schwarzach Open C | 2002 | 12 | 5.5 | – |
| 9th Leonding Open | 2006 | 7 | 3 | – |
| Schwarzach Open B | 2009 | 6 | 2.5 | 1,975 |
| Stockerau Open B | 2006 | 5 | 4 | 1,825 |
| Oberwart Open B | 2005 | 4 | 3 | 2,394 |
| 23rd Zadar Open B | 2016 | 1 | 0 | 1,685 |
| 17th Lienz Open | 2013 | 1 | 0 | 1,661 |
| 38th St Veit Open B | 2019 | 1 | 0 | 1,621 |
Interactive opening tree from all 40 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Paul Zapfel's chess games?
40 games by Paul Zapfel, from Jan 2006 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 Zapfel has played.
What does Paul Zapfel play on the first move as White?
Across 17 games with White in our database, Paul Zapfel opens with 1.e4 (94% of games), 1.d4 (6% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Paul Zapfel answers 1...d5 (93% of games), 1...e5 (7% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (100% of games).
What openings does Paul Zapfel play as White?
As White, Paul Zapfel's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit (3 games, 66.7% win rate); Italian Game (2 games, 0.0% win rate); French Defense (2 games, 100.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 17 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Paul Zapfel play as Black?
As Black, Paul Zapfel most often plays: Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation (11 games, 54.5% win rate); Budapest Defense (4 games, 0.0% win rate); Scandinavian Defense: Main Line (2 games, 0.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 23 games.
What is Paul Zapfel's FIDE rating?
Paul Zapfel is currently rated 1,676 in classical chess, 1,778 in rapid and 1,857 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 1,885 (Jul 2006).
How many games has Paul Zapfel played?
Our database contains 40 games by Paul Zapfel, covering Jan 2006 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 14 wins, 8 draws, 18 losses (35.0% win rate).
How do I prepare against Paul Zapfel?
40 games by Paul Zapfel 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.