Prepare against Pavel Smirnov
GM · Russia · World #918 classical · FIDE ID 4123425
When preparing against Pavel Smirnov, expect 1.d4 in 70% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (52% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (68%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: English Opening as Black, 29.2% over 48 games.
Our database contains 2,433 games by Pavel Smirnov, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Pavel Smirnov's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Pavel Smirnov 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 | 2,460 | 2,645 | Jan 2005 |
| Rapid | 2,433 | 2,689 | Nov 2014 |
| Blitz | 2,449 | 2,592 | Jul 2012 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 2,433 | 1,142 | 792 | 499 | 46.9% |
| As White | 1,235 | 647 | 373 | 215 | 52.4% |
| As Black | 1,198 | 495 | 419 | 284 | 41.3% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Pavel Smirnov's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Pavel Smirnov's side.
First moves as White (1,235 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 863 | 69.9% | 66.9% |
| e4 | 339 | 27.4% | 68.4% |
| Nf3 | 21 | 1.7% | 76.2% |
| c4 | 11 | 0.9% | 63.6% |
| Nc3 | 1 | 0.1% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 70% of White games, 66.9% score
- …Nf6 (57% of these games) — Smirnov usually continues c4 (64.3% score)
- …d5 (30% of these games) — Smirnov usually continues c4 (71.6% score)
- …g6 (4% of these games) — Smirnov usually continues e4 (60.0% score)
- 1.e4 — 27% of White games, 68.4% score
- …c5 (48% of these games) — Smirnov usually continues Nf3 (66.8% score)
- …e5 (23% of these games) — Smirnov usually continues Nf3 (66.9% score)
- …e6 (10% of these games) — Smirnov usually continues d4 (71.4% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (526 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 276 | 52.5% | 55.6% |
| c5 | 225 | 42.8% | 60.0% |
| g6 | 9 | 1.7% | 66.7% |
| c6 | 9 | 1.7% | 55.6% |
| e6 | 4 | 0.8% | 75.0% |
| d6 | 2 | 0.4% | 25.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (433 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 293 | 67.7% | 60.6% |
| d5 | 128 | 29.6% | 57.0% |
| e6 | 5 | 1.2% | 70.0% |
| d6 | 4 | 0.9% | 50.0% |
| g6 | 2 | 0.5% | 100.0% |
Pavel Smirnov's chess games
All 2,433 games by Pavel Smirnov 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: 1,142 wins, 792 draws, 499 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E04 | Catalan | 208 | 89/73/46 | 42.8% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 161 | 84/43/34 | 52.2% |
| D10 | Slav Defense | 119 | 65/38/16 | 54.6% |
| B42 | Sicilian | 62 | 35/18/9 | 56.5% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 43 | 28/7/8 | 65.1% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 42 | 24/6/12 | 57.1% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 35 | 19/6/10 | 54.3% |
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 34 | 20/8/6 | 58.8% |
| D27 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 33 | 17/13/3 | 51.5% |
| E62 | King's Indian Defense | 30 | 22/5/3 | 73.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D45 | Slav Defense | 102 | 30/44/28 | 29.4% |
| E06 | Catalan | 90 | 44/30/16 | 48.9% |
| C88 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 87 | 29/37/21 | 33.3% |
| B30 | Sicilian | 57 | 29/13/15 | 50.9% |
| C00 | Réti Opening | 50 | 21/18/11 | 42.0% |
| D43 | Semi-Slav Defense | 49 | 27/14/8 | 55.1% |
| A13 | English Opening | 48 | 14/17/17 | 29.2% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 47 | 21/15/11 | 44.7% |
| C54 | Italian Game | 45 | 18/18/9 | 40.0% |
| B85 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 42 | 21/9/12 | 50.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2024 | Fabiano Caruana | 2,804 | Chessable Masters Play In | E59 |
| Oct 2020 | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | 2,784 | Speed Chess Super Swiss | A14 |
| Jun 2023 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 2,779 | Aimchess Play In Open | C36 |
| Nov 2020 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | 2,770 | Titled Tue | D06 |
| Jan 2024 | Leinier Dominguez Perez | 2,752 | Chessable Masters Play In | D27 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2023 | 423 | 275 | 2,527 |
| Moscow Aeroflot Open A | 2024 | 43 | 21 | 2,530 |
| RUS Cup final | 2016 | 29 | 12.5 | 2,571 |
| Speed Chess Super Swiss | 2021 | 29 | 18 | 2,599 |
| Dvorkovich Memorial Open | 2015 | 27 | 19 | 2,658 |
| Tuapse Blitz Open | 2022 | 26 | 19 | 2,527 |
| Cheliabinsk Kurnosov Memorial Rapid | 2024 | 26 | 17.5 | 2,538 |
| ch-RUS Blitz | 2023 | 23 | 15 | 2,543 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Dmitry Bocharov (24 games) · Dmitry Kryakvin (23 games) · Alexander Khripachenko (22 games) · Oleg Vastrukhin (22 games) · Nikita Afanasiev (21 games) · Alexandr Triapishko (17 games) · Denis Khismatullin (16 games) · Pavel Ponkratov (16 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 2,433 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Pavel Smirnov's chess games?
2,433 games by Pavel Smirnov, 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 Pavel Smirnov has played.
What does Pavel Smirnov play on the first move as White?
Across 1,235 games with White in our database, Pavel Smirnov opens with 1.d4 (70% of games), 1.e4 (27% of games), 1.Nf3 (2% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Pavel Smirnov answers 1...e5 (52% of games), 1...c5 (43% of games), 1...g6 (2% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (68% of games), 1...d5 (30% of games), 1...e6 (1% of games).
What openings does Pavel Smirnov play as White?
As White, Pavel Smirnov's most-played openings in our database are: Catalan (208 games, 42.8% win rate); Indian Defense (161 games, 52.2% win rate); Slav Defense (119 games, 54.6% win rate). The full breakdown of 1,235 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Pavel Smirnov play as Black?
As Black, Pavel Smirnov most often plays: Slav Defense (102 games, 29.4% win rate); Catalan (90 games, 48.9% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Closed (87 games, 33.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 1,198 games.
What is Pavel Smirnov's FIDE rating?
Pavel Smirnov is currently rated 2,460 in classical chess, 2,433 in rapid and 2,449 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,645 (Jan 2005).
How many games has Pavel Smirnov played?
Our database contains 2,433 games by Pavel Smirnov, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 1,142 wins, 792 draws, 499 losses (46.9% win rate).
How do I prepare against Pavel Smirnov?
2,433 games by Pavel Smirnov 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.