Prepare against Peter Cafolla
Ireland · World #35,570 classical · FIDE ID 2500884
When preparing against Peter Cafolla, expect 1.d4 in 65% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (79% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (79%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Queen's Gambit Declined as Black, 15.7% over 51 games.
Our database contains 577 games by Peter Cafolla, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Peter Cafolla's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Peter Cafolla 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 | 1,956 | 2,116 | Apr 2005 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 577 | 138 | 174 | 265 | 23.9% |
| As White | 285 | 74 | 93 | 118 | 26.0% |
| As Black | 292 | 64 | 81 | 147 | 21.9% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Peter Cafolla's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Peter Cafolla's side.
First moves as White (285 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 185 | 64.9% | 44.6% |
| e4 | 85 | 29.8% | 36.5% |
| Nf3 | 9 | 3.2% | 50.0% |
| c4 | 6 | 2.1% | 41.7% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 65% of White games, 44.6% score
- …Nf6 (59% of these games) — Cafolla usually continues c4 (43.9% score)
- …d5 (22% of these games) — Cafolla usually continues c4 (43.9% score)
- …e6 (6% of these games) — Cafolla usually continues c4 (55.6% score)
- 1.e4 — 30% of White games, 36.5% score
- …c5 (39% of these games) — Cafolla usually continues Nc3 (48.0% score)
- …e5 (25% of these games) — Cafolla usually continues Nf3 (32.1% score)
- …e6 (13% of these games) — Cafolla usually continues d4 (30.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (154 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 122 | 79.2% | 41.0% |
| e5 | 21 | 13.6% | 33.3% |
| c6 | 9 | 5.8% | 55.6% |
| d6 | 2 | 1.3% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (90 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 71 | 78.9% | 26.8% |
| Nf6 | 18 | 20.0% | 41.7% |
| b5 | 1 | 1.1% | 100.0% |
Peter Cafolla's chess games
All 577 games by Peter Cafolla 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: 138 wins, 174 draws, 265 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E20 | Nimzo-Indian: Kmoch Variation | 29 | 8/7/14 | 27.6% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 25 | 9/6/10 | 36.0% |
| E92 | King's Indian Defense: Petrosian Variation | 19 | 6/8/5 | 31.6% |
| D80 | Grünfeld Defense | 18 | 5/7/6 | 27.8% |
| D35 | Indian Defense | 16 | 4/6/6 | 25.0% |
| D10 | Slav Defense | 16 | 5/6/5 | 31.3% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 14 | 7/1/6 | 50.0% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 11 | 2/2/7 | 18.2% |
| D55 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 9 | 3/3/3 | 33.3% |
| A85 | Dutch Defense | 9 | 2/4/3 | 22.2% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D34 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 51 | 8/17/26 | 15.7% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | 30 | 10/7/13 | 33.3% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 25 | 5/9/11 | 20.0% |
| B22 | Sicilian | 22 | 6/5/11 | 27.3% |
| B30 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 21 | 4/3/14 | 19.0% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 16 | 4/7/5 | 25.0% |
| D00 | Queen's Pawn Game | 9 | 0/5/4 | 0.0% |
| A21 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 9 | 2/3/4 | 22.2% |
| D07 | Queen's Gambit | 8 | 0/2/6 | 0.0% |
| A13 | English Opening | 8 | 1/2/5 | 12.5% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2002 | Fernando Peralta | 2,478 | 11th Monarch Assurance | A09 |
| Jan 1995 | Ray Byrne | 2,435 | ch-IRL | E73 |
| Jan 2022 | Conor E Murphy | 2,431 | Dublin Irish New Year GM | D31 |
| Mar 2013 | Colm Daly | 2,340 | Dublin Easter e2e4 Open | B25 |
| Jan 1996 | Mark Heidenfeld | 2,320 | Kilkenny Masters | B33 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-IRL | 2020 | 133 | 54.5 | 2,064 |
| Kilkenny Masters | 1999 | 20 | 8.5 | 2,169 |
| Dublin Easter e2e4 Open | 2013 | 14 | 5 | 1,937 |
| 26th Wch Seniors 50 | 2016 | 11 | 5 | 1,970 |
| Gibraltar Masters | 2006 | 10 | 4.5 | 2,124 |
| ch-EU Union | 2005 | 10 | 4.5 | 2,419 |
| Gonzaga Masters | 2016 | 10 | 6.5 | 2,024 |
| 4th ch-EU Union | 2008 | 10 | 3.5 | 2,151 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Anthony Fox (14 games) · Stephen Brady (12 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 577 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Peter Cafolla's chess games?
577 games by Peter Cafolla, 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 Peter Cafolla has played.
What does Peter Cafolla play on the first move as White?
Across 285 games with White in our database, Peter Cafolla opens with 1.d4 (65% of games), 1.e4 (30% of games), 1.Nf3 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Peter Cafolla answers 1...c5 (79% of games), 1...e5 (14% of games), 1...c6 (6% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (79% of games), 1...Nf6 (20% of games), 1...b5 (1% of games).
What openings does Peter Cafolla play as White?
As White, Peter Cafolla's most-played openings in our database are: Nimzo-Indian: Kmoch Variation (29 games, 27.6% win rate); Sicilian: Closed (25 games, 36.0% win rate); King's Indian Defense: Petrosian Variation (19 games, 31.6% win rate). The full breakdown of 285 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Peter Cafolla play as Black?
As Black, Peter Cafolla most often plays: Queen's Gambit Declined (51 games, 15.7% win rate); Sicilian: Sveshnikov (30 games, 33.3% win rate); Sicilian: Closed (25 games, 20.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 292 games.
What is Peter Cafolla's FIDE rating?
Peter Cafolla is currently rated 1,956 in classical chess. Peak classical rating: 2,116 (Apr 2005).
How many games has Peter Cafolla played?
Our database contains 577 games by Peter Cafolla, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 138 wins, 174 draws, 265 losses (23.9% win rate).
How do I prepare against Peter Cafolla?
577 games by Peter Cafolla 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.