Prepare against Richard Bethke
FM · DEU · World #3,366 classical · FIDE ID 12959243
Our database contains 1,047 games by Richard Bethke, covering Feb 2013 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Richard Bethke's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Richard Bethke 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 | 2,324 | 2,396 | Apr 2025 |
| Rapid | 2,329 | 2,393 | Aug 2025 |
| Blitz | 2,410 | 2,433 | Jun 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,047 | 441 | 139 | 467 | 42.1% |
| As White | 520 | 224 | 70 | 226 | 43.1% |
| As Black | 527 | 217 | 69 | 241 | 41.2% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Richard Bethke's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Richard Bethke's side.
First moves as White (520 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 509 | 97.9% | 49.5% |
| d4 | 6 | 1.2% | 58.3% |
| c4 | 4 | 0.8% | 87.5% |
| e3 | 1 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 98% of White games, 49.5% score
- …c5 (44% of these games) — Bethke usually continues Nf3 (49.1% score)
- …e5 (22% of these games) — Bethke usually continues Nf3 (46.6% score)
- …c6 (13% of these games) — Bethke usually continues d4 (45.3% score)
- 1.d4 — 1% of White games, 58.3% score
- …d5 (67% of these games) — Bethke usually continues c4 (62.5% score)
- …Nf6 (17% of these games) — Bethke usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
- …d6 (17% of these games) — Bethke usually continues e4 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (248 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 148 | 59.7% | 42.9% |
| e5 | 72 | 29.0% | 59.0% |
| c6 | 25 | 10.1% | 44.0% |
| Nc6 | 2 | 0.8% | 100.0% |
| Nf6 | 1 | 0.4% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (175 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 110 | 62.9% | 53.2% |
| f5 | 34 | 19.4% | 42.6% |
| d5 | 23 | 13.1% | 41.3% |
| c5 | 4 | 2.3% | 37.5% |
| e6 | 3 | 1.7% | 83.3% |
| c6 | 1 | 0.6% | 0.0% |
Richard Bethke's chess games
All 1,047 games by Richard Bethke in the Chess.ceo database (Feb 2013 - 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: 441 wins, 139 draws, 467 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B42 | Sicilian | 70 | 27/9/34 | 38.6% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 64 | 30/9/25 | 46.9% |
| C55 | Italian Game | 51 | 20/6/25 | 39.2% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 43 | 24/8/11 | 55.8% |
| B11 | Caro-Kann: Two Knights Variation | 33 | 13/4/16 | 39.4% |
| C54 | Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo | 27 | 11/1/15 | 40.7% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 23 | 9/1/13 | 39.1% |
| B36 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 18 | 5/0/13 | 27.8% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 17 | 6/2/9 | 35.3% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | 17 | 6/2/9 | 35.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 62 | 20/5/37 | 32.3% |
| D36 | Indian Defense | 58 | 22/11/25 | 37.9% |
| A90 | Dutch Defense | 42 | 15/6/21 | 35.7% |
| E01 | Catalan | 30 | 12/1/17 | 40.0% |
| D02 | Réti Opening | 26 | 8/4/14 | 30.8% |
| B52 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 25 | 9/4/12 | 36.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 22 | 9/1/12 | 40.9% |
| B53 | Sicilian | 20 | 10/3/7 | 50.0% |
| A13 | English Opening | 19 | 11/2/6 | 57.9% |
| D02 | London System | 14 | 6/1/7 | 42.9% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2023 | Axel Bachmann | 2,604 | Titled Tue Early | B23 |
| Jan 2022 | Vladimir Belov | 2,598 | Titled Tue | B90 |
| May 2023 | Peter Prohaszka | 2,585 | Titled Tue Early | D02 |
| Aug 2020 | Aleksandra Goryachkina | 2,582 | Titled Tue | C06 |
| May 2025 | Aleksandr Shimanov | 2,578 | Grand Prix PlusCity Blitz | A06 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2023 | 514 | 210.5 | 2,231 |
| ch-Hessen U10 | 2015 | 29 | 23 | 1,281 |
| ch-GER blitz | 2022 | 29 | 14 | 2,345 |
| ch-Hessen | 2019 | 26 | 14 | 2,284 |
| ch-GER U12 | 2017 | 22 | 13.5 | 1,794 |
| ch-GER U10 | 2015 | 22 | 15.5 | 1,642 |
| chT-GER U16 | 2021 | 21 | 14 | 2,249 |
| ch-GER U14 | 2019 | 18 | 14 | 2,268 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Alexander Krastev (12 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 1,047 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Richard Bethke's chess games?
1,047 games by Richard Bethke, from Feb 2013 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 Richard Bethke has played.
What does Richard Bethke play on the first move as White?
Across 520 games with White in our database, Richard Bethke opens with 1.e4 (98% of games), 1.d4 (1% of games), 1.c4 (1% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Richard Bethke answers 1...c5 (60% of games), 1...e5 (29% of games), 1...c6 (10% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (63% of games), 1...f5 (19% of games), 1...d5 (13% of games).
What openings does Richard Bethke play as White?
As White, Richard Bethke's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (70 games, 38.6% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (64 games, 46.9% win rate); Italian Game (51 games, 39.2% win rate). The full breakdown of 520 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Richard Bethke play as Black?
As Black, Richard Bethke most often plays: Sicilian: Najdorf (62 games, 32.3% win rate); Indian Defense (58 games, 37.9% win rate); Dutch Defense (42 games, 35.7% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 527 games.
What is Richard Bethke's FIDE rating?
Richard Bethke is currently rated 2,324 in classical chess, 2,329 in rapid and 2,410 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,396 (Apr 2025).
How many games has Richard Bethke played?
Our database contains 1,047 games by Richard Bethke, covering Feb 2013 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 441 wins, 139 draws, 467 losses (42.1% win rate).
How do I prepare against Richard Bethke?
1,047 games by Richard Bethke 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.