Prepare against Rafael Mendoza
IM · Colombia · World #8,267 classical · FIDE ID 4400119
Our database contains 788 games by Rafael Mendoza, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Rafael Mendoza's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Rafael Mendoza 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 | 2,200 | 2,401 | Apr 2006 |
| Rapid | 2,214 | 2,380 | Dec 2014 |
| Blitz | 2,287 | 2,418 | Sep 2013 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 788 | 323 | 333 | 132 | 41.0% |
| As White | 401 | 191 | 155 | 55 | 47.6% |
| As Black | 387 | 132 | 178 | 77 | 34.1% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Rafael Mendoza's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Rafael Mendoza's side.
First moves as White (401 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 337 | 84.0% | 69.3% |
| Nf3 | 22 | 5.5% | 54.5% |
| c4 | 22 | 5.5% | 56.8% |
| d4 | 10 | 2.5% | 55.0% |
| b3 | 6 | 1.5% | 33.3% |
| g3 | 2 | 0.5% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 84% of White games, 69.3% score
- …c5 (49% of these games) — Mendoza usually continues Nf3 (66.8% score)
- …e5 (25% of these games) — Mendoza usually continues Nf3 (71.5% score)
- …e6 (8% of these games) — Mendoza usually continues d4 (78.9% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 5% of White games, 54.5% score
- …Nf6 (64% of these games) — Mendoza usually continues g3 (50.0% score)
- …d5 (23% of these games) — Mendoza usually continues g3 (50.0% score)
- …d6 (5% of these games) — Mendoza usually continues e4 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (212 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 139 | 65.6% | 52.5% |
| c5 | 63 | 29.7% | 63.5% |
| g6 | 3 | 1.4% | 16.7% |
| c6 | 3 | 1.4% | 0.0% |
| d5 | 2 | 0.9% | 25.0% |
| Nc6 | 1 | 0.5% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (112 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 96 | 85.7% | 62.5% |
| d5 | 8 | 7.1% | 56.3% |
| c5 | 3 | 2.7% | 16.7% |
| f5 | 3 | 2.7% | 66.7% |
| d6 | 1 | 0.9% | 100.0% |
| c6 | 1 | 0.9% | 100.0% |
Rafael Mendoza's chess games
All 788 games by Rafael Mendoza 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: 323 wins, 333 draws, 132 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B43 | Sicilian | 71 | 36/24/11 | 50.7% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 20 | 12/7/1 | 60.0% |
| C90 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 20 | 13/7/0 | 65.0% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 19 | 10/4/5 | 52.6% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 17 | 4/9/4 | 23.5% |
| B30 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 14 | 9/3/2 | 64.3% |
| C93 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 13 | 5/7/1 | 38.5% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 13 | 9/3/1 | 69.2% |
| D71 | English Opening | 11 | 2/5/4 | 18.2% |
| C07 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 10 | 7/3/0 | 70.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C92 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 47 | 9/25/13 | 19.1% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 30 | 14/11/5 | 46.7% |
| B28 | Sicilian | 30 | 17/7/6 | 56.7% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 16 | 8/5/3 | 50.0% |
| C55 | Italian Game | 14 | 6/7/1 | 42.9% |
| A29 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 12 | 6/3/3 | 50.0% |
| C77 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 12 | 2/7/3 | 16.7% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 10 | 3/4/3 | 30.0% |
| A16 | English Opening | 10 | 4/5/1 | 40.0% |
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 9 | 1/6/2 | 11.1% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2019 | Esteban Alb Valderrama Quiceno | 2,560 | 21st chT-COL | A05 |
| Apr 2019 | Sergio E Barrientos Chavarriaga | 2,546 | Cartagena Bolivar Cup | A46 |
| Jul 2003 | Alonso Zapata | 2,543 | ch-COL | B48 |
| Oct 2003 | Alejandro Ramirez Alvarez | 2,483 | Guayaquil zt 2.3 | B10 |
| Jun 2017 | Martin Martinez Romero | 2,427 | 13th American Continental | C26 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-COL | 2023 | 119 | 70 | 2,295 |
| ch-COL sf | 2024 | 67 | 45.5 | 2,318 |
| Pamplona IRT Blitz Open | 2012 | 18 | 12.5 | 2,482 |
| ch-COL blitz | 2015 | 16 | 9.5 | 2,282 |
| Cartagena Bolivar Cup | 2019 | 15 | 8 | 2,287 |
| Olympiad-31 | 1994 | 13 | 4 | 2,196 |
| Santo Domingo zt 2.3 | 2007 | 13 | 6 | 2,360 |
| ch-ATL | 1999 | 13 | 10 | 2,272 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Alonso Zapata (10 games) · Cristhian Camilo Rios Gomez (10 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 788 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Rafael Mendoza's chess games?
788 games by Rafael Mendoza, 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 Rafael Mendoza has played.
What does Rafael Mendoza play on the first move as White?
Across 401 games with White in our database, Rafael Mendoza opens with 1.e4 (84% of games), 1.Nf3 (5% of games), 1.c4 (5% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Rafael Mendoza answers 1...e5 (66% of games), 1...c5 (30% of games), 1...g6 (1% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (86% of games), 1...d5 (7% of games), 1...c5 (3% of games).
What openings does Rafael Mendoza play as White?
As White, Rafael Mendoza's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (71 games, 50.7% win rate); Sicilian: Closed (20 games, 60.0% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense (20 games, 65.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 401 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Rafael Mendoza play as Black?
As Black, Rafael Mendoza most often plays: Ruy Lopez: Closed (47 games, 19.1% win rate); Indian Defense (30 games, 46.7% win rate); Sicilian (30 games, 56.7% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 387 games.
What is Rafael Mendoza's FIDE rating?
Rafael Mendoza is currently rated 2,200 in classical chess, 2,214 in rapid and 2,287 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,401 (Apr 2006).
How many games has Rafael Mendoza played?
Our database contains 788 games by Rafael Mendoza, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 323 wins, 333 draws, 132 losses (41.0% win rate).
How do I prepare against Rafael Mendoza?
788 games by Rafael Mendoza 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.