Prepare against Petko Nikolov
BGR · World #42,953 classical · FIDE ID 2911051
Our database contains 53 games by Petko Nikolov, covering May 2012 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Petko Nikolov's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Petko Nikolov 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 | 1,922 | 1,953 | Aug 2022 |
| Rapid | 1,884 | 1,884 | Jul 2026 |
| Blitz | 1,903 | 1,903 | Jul 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 53 | 24 | 8 | 21 | 45.3% |
| As White | 25 | 14 | 4 | 7 | 56.0% |
| As Black | 28 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 35.7% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Petko Nikolov's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Petko Nikolov's side.
First moves as White (25 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 20 | 80.0% | 62.5% |
| Nf3 | 3 | 12.0% | 100.0% |
| e4 | 2 | 8.0% | 25.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 80% of White games, 62.5% score
- …Nf6 (45% of these games) — Nikolov usually continues Nf3 (62.5% score)
- …e6 (25% of these games) — Nikolov usually continues Bf4 (75.0% score)
- …d5 (25% of these games) — Nikolov usually continues Bf4 (100.0% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 12% of White games, 100.0% score
- …d5 (67% of these games) — Nikolov usually continues d4 (100.0% score)
- …Nf6 (33% of these games) — Nikolov usually continues g3 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (13 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 9 | 69.2% | 33.3% |
| d6 | 2 | 15.4% | 50.0% |
| g6 | 1 | 7.7% | 0.0% |
| d5 | 1 | 7.7% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (11 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 10 | 90.9% | 40.0% |
| d5 | 1 | 9.1% | 50.0% |
Petko Nikolov's chess games
All 53 games by Petko Nikolov in the Chess.ceo database (May 2012 - 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: 24 wins, 8 draws, 21 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D02 | London System | 7 | 6/0/1 | 85.7% |
| A53 | Indian Defense | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
| C01 | French: Exchange Variation | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| A45 | Trompowsky Attack | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| D00 | Horwitz Defense | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| E12 | Nimzo-Indian Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B44 | Sicilian | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| E62 | Rat Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A07 | King's Indian Attack | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A80 | Horwitz Defense | 6 | 2/0/4 | 33.3% |
| A04 | King's Indian Attack | 3 | 0/0/3 | 0.0% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| C00 | French Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| E48 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| E27 | Nimzo-Indian: Sämisch Variation | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| C41 | Pirc Defense: Lion System | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2017 | Nikola Kolev | 1,913 | 188th Sofia MGU Open | C01 |
| Oct 2015 | Dobrotich Andreev | 1,906 | Sofia MGU 153rd | D03 |
| Jul 2017 | Boyan Ruschukov | 1,825 | 188th Sofia MGU Open | A96 |
| Aug 2018 | Danail Dimov | 1,771 | 32nd Teteven Open | A45 |
| Aug 2018 | Dimitar Al. Dimitrov | 1,769 | 32nd Teteven Open | D00 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-BUL U20 | 2009 | 9 | 3 | 1,810 |
| 32nd Teteven Open | 2018 | 9 | 5 | 1,910 |
| Sofia MGU Open 201st | 2018 | 6 | 5 | 1,967 |
| Sofia MGU Open 193rd | 2017 | 5 | 3.5 | 1,959 |
| 52nd Sofia MGU Open | 2012 | 5 | 2 | 2,109 |
| Sofia MGU Open 171st | 2016 | 4 | 2.5 | 1,936 |
| 188th Sofia MGU Open | 2017 | 4 | 3.5 | 2,119 |
| Sofia MGU Open 53rd | 2012 | 3 | 0.5 | 1,719 |
Interactive opening tree from all 53 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Petko Nikolov's chess games?
53 games by Petko Nikolov, from May 2012 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 Petko Nikolov has played.
What does Petko Nikolov play on the first move as White?
Across 25 games with White in our database, Petko Nikolov opens with 1.d4 (80% of games), 1.Nf3 (12% of games), 1.e4 (8% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Petko Nikolov answers 1...e6 (69% of games), 1...d6 (15% of games), 1...g6 (8% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...e6 (91% of games), 1...d5 (9% of games).
What openings does Petko Nikolov play as White?
As White, Petko Nikolov's most-played openings in our database are: London System (7 games, 85.7% win rate); Indian Defense (4 games, 25.0% win rate); French: Exchange Variation (3 games, 33.3% win rate). The full breakdown of 25 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Petko Nikolov play as Black?
As Black, Petko Nikolov most often plays: Horwitz Defense (6 games, 33.3% win rate); King's Indian Attack (3 games, 0.0% win rate); French: Advance Variation (2 games, 50.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 28 games.
What is Petko Nikolov's FIDE rating?
Petko Nikolov is currently rated 1,922 in classical chess, 1,884 in rapid and 1,903 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 1,953 (Aug 2022).
How many games has Petko Nikolov played?
Our database contains 53 games by Petko Nikolov, covering May 2012 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 24 wins, 8 draws, 21 losses (45.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Petko Nikolov?
53 games by Petko Nikolov 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.