Prepare against R.A. Tony Dowden
CM · New Zealand · World #34,550 classical · FIDE ID 4300572
When preparing against R.A. Tony Dowden, expect 1.c4 in 53% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e6 (97% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (52%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Benoni Defense as Black, 33.3% over 15 games.
Our database contains 148 games by R.A. Tony Dowden, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find R.A. Tony Dowden's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout R.A. Tony Dowden 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 | 1,961 | 2,215 | Oct 2004 |
| Rapid | 2,113 | 2,139 | Jan 2016 |
| Blitz | 2,103 | 2,103 | Aug 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 148 | 46 | 58 | 44 | 31.1% |
| As White | 75 | 23 | 33 | 19 | 30.7% |
| As Black | 73 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 31.5% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of R.A. Tony Dowden's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from R.A. Tony Dowden's side.
First moves as White (75 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c4 | 40 | 53.3% | 52.5% |
| e4 | 17 | 22.7% | 47.1% |
| Nf3 | 9 | 12.0% | 66.7% |
| d4 | 4 | 5.3% | 25.0% |
| f4 | 3 | 4.0% | 66.7% |
| g3 | 2 | 2.7% | 75.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.c4 — 53% of White games, 52.5% score
- …Nf6 (30% of these games) — Dowden usually continues g3 (60.0% score)
- …e5 (28% of these games) — Dowden usually continues g3 (56.3% score)
- …e6 (18% of these games) — Dowden usually continues g3 (41.7% score)
- 1.e4 — 23% of White games, 47.1% score
- …c5 (59% of these games) — Dowden usually continues Nf3 (41.7% score)
- …e5 (18% of these games) — Dowden usually continues Nf3 (25.0% score)
- …Nf6 (6% of these games) — Dowden usually continues e5 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (33 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 32 | 97.0% | 48.4% |
| c5 | 1 | 3.0% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (25 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 13 | 52.0% | 53.8% |
| e6 | 7 | 28.0% | 57.1% |
| c5 | 3 | 12.0% | 33.3% |
| f5 | 2 | 8.0% | 25.0% |
R.A. Tony Dowden's chess games
All 148 games by R.A. Tony Dowden in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - Aug 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: 46 wins, 58 draws, 44 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A13 | English Opening | 17 | 6/8/3 | 35.3% |
| A25 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 13 | 5/2/6 | 38.5% |
| A04 | Réti Opening | 6 | 3/3/0 | 50.0% |
| A37 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 4 | 1/2/1 | 25.0% |
| B26 | Sicilian: Closed | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| A14 | English Opening: Neo-Catalan | 3 | 0/3/0 | 0.0% |
| A11 | English Opening: Slav Setup | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| A03 | Bird's opening | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| A10 | English Opening: Dutch Defense | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| D00 | Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A56 | Benoni Defense | 15 | 5/6/4 | 33.3% |
| C18 | French: Winawer Variation | 11 | 4/6/1 | 36.4% |
| C03 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 9 | 2/3/4 | 22.2% |
| C00 | French Defense | 6 | 2/0/4 | 33.3% |
| C01 | French: Exchange Variation | 4 | 1/2/1 | 25.0% |
| A10 | English Opening | 4 | 0/2/2 | 0.0% |
| A04 | Réti Opening | 3 | 3/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| A21 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2015 | Xue Zhao | 2,489 | ch-NZL rapid Open | A61 |
| Dec 2018 | Ari Dale | 2,371 | Australian Open | A70 |
| Jan 2008 | Bruce R Watson | 2,293 | ch-NZL 115th | A25 |
| Dec 2018 | William Jordan | 2,181 | Australian Open | C02 |
| Jan 2019 | Ralph Hart | 2,174 | George Trundle Qualifiers | A10 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-South Island | 2012 | 15 | 9 | 2,047 |
| ch-NZL 115th | 2008 | 11 | 5 | 2,210 |
| Bob Wade 2026 | Hilton Bennett Masters | 2026 | 11 | 7.5 | 1,989 |
| George Trundle Qualifier | 2010 | 9 | 6 | 2,108 |
| Sydney Open | 2007 | 9 | 5 | 2,024 |
| 127th ch-NZL Open | 2020 | 9 | 4.5 | 1,902 |
| George Trundle Qualifiers | 2019 | 9 | 4.5 | 2,046 |
| Oceania zt | 2019 | 9 | 5.5 | 1,935 |
Interactive opening tree from all 148 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find R.A. Tony Dowden's chess games?
148 games by R.A. Tony Dowden, from Apr 2003 to Aug 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 R.A. Tony Dowden has played.
What does R.A. Tony Dowden play on the first move as White?
Across 75 games with White in our database, R.A. Tony Dowden opens with 1.c4 (53% of games), 1.e4 (23% of games), 1.Nf3 (12% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, R.A. Tony Dowden answers 1...e6 (97% of games), 1...c5 (3% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (52% of games), 1...e6 (28% of games), 1...c5 (12% of games).
What openings does R.A. Tony Dowden play as White?
As White, R.A. Tony Dowden's most-played openings in our database are: English Opening (17 games, 35.3% win rate); English Opening: Reverse Sicilian (13 games, 38.5% win rate); Réti Opening (6 games, 50.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 75 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does R.A. Tony Dowden play as Black?
As Black, R.A. Tony Dowden most often plays: Benoni Defense (15 games, 33.3% win rate); French: Winawer Variation (11 games, 36.4% win rate); French: Tarrasch Variation (9 games, 22.2% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 73 games.
What is R.A. Tony Dowden's FIDE rating?
R.A. Tony Dowden is currently rated 1,961 in classical chess, 2,113 in rapid and 2,103 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,215 (Oct 2004).
How many games has R.A. Tony Dowden played?
Our database contains 148 games by R.A. Tony Dowden, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 46 wins, 58 draws, 44 losses (31.1% win rate).
How do I prepare against R.A. Tony Dowden?
148 games by R.A. Tony Dowden 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.