Prepare against Richard Black
FM · BMU · World #9,399 classical · FIDE ID 8800081
Our database contains 75 games by Richard Black, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Richard Black's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Richard Black 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 | 2,179 | 2,235 | Jan 2005 |
| Blitz | 2,161 | 2,222 | Sep 2016 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 75 | 29 | 17 | 29 | 38.7% |
| As White | 41 | 18 | 11 | 12 | 43.9% |
| As Black | 34 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 32.4% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Richard Black's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Richard Black's side.
First moves as White (41 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 41 | 100.0% | 57.3% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 100% of White games, 57.3% score
- …c5 (37% of these games) — Black usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …e5 (27% of these games) — Black usually continues f4 (77.8% score)
- …e6 (20% of these games) — Black usually continues d4 (56.3% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (18 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| g6 | 10 | 55.6% | 25.0% |
| d6 | 8 | 44.4% | 56.3% |
As Black against 1.d4 (11 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| g6 | 8 | 72.7% | 43.8% |
| d6 | 2 | 18.2% | 75.0% |
| d5 | 1 | 9.1% | 0.0% |
Richard Black's chess games
All 75 games by Richard Black 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: 29 wins, 17 draws, 29 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C37 | King's Gambit | 9 | 7/0/2 | 77.8% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 7 | 2/3/2 | 28.6% |
| B28 | Sicilian | 5 | 2/3/0 | 40.0% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 4 | 0/0/4 | 0.0% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Four Knights | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| B35 | Sicilian: Hyperaccelerated Dragon | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| C55 | Bishop's Opening | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B47 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B06 | Modern Defense | 17 | 5/4/8 | 29.4% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 9 | 5/1/3 | 55.6% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| A41 | Rat Defense | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| A22 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| D10 | Slav Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| E84 | King's Indian: Sämisch | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| A40 | Queen's Pawn Game | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1996 | Arthur Bisguier | 2,385 | Bermuda | C30 |
| Jan 1996 | David Arnett | 2,355 | Bermuda | E68 |
| Oct 1998 | Peter J Sowray | 2,320 | chT-BCF 9899 (4NCL) | B06 |
| Oct 1999 | Charles W Kennaugh | 2,290 | chT-BCF 9900 (4NCL) | C37 |
| Dec 1994 | Stephen G Lukey | 2,285 | Olympiad-31 | E97 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympiad-31 | 1994 | 14 | 9 | 2,368 |
| Gibraltar Masters | 2005 | 10 | 4.5 | 2,295 |
| 4th London Classic Open | 2012 | 9 | 5 | 2,202 |
| Olympiad-43 | 2018 | 9 | 3.5 | 1,980 |
| chT-BCF 9900 (4NCL) | 2000 | 8 | 4 | 2,311 |
| chT2-BCF 9798 (4NCL) | 1998 | 7 | 5 | 2,341 |
| Bermuda | 1996 | 6 | 3 | 2,329 |
| chT-BCF 0001 (4NCL) | 2001 | 4 | 0 | 2,010 |
Interactive opening tree from all 75 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Richard Black's chess games?
75 games by Richard Black, 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 Richard Black has played.
What does Richard Black play on the first move as White?
Across 41 games with White in our database, Richard Black opens with 1.e4 (100% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Richard Black answers 1...g6 (56% of games), 1...d6 (44% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...g6 (73% of games), 1...d6 (18% of games), 1...d5 (9% of games).
What openings does Richard Black play as White?
As White, Richard Black's most-played openings in our database are: King's Gambit (9 games, 77.8% win rate); French: Tarrasch Variation (7 games, 28.6% win rate); Sicilian (5 games, 40.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 41 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Richard Black play as Black?
As Black, Richard Black most often plays: Modern Defense (17 games, 29.4% win rate); Pirc Defense (9 games, 55.6% win rate); King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation (3 games, 33.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 34 games.
What is Richard Black's FIDE rating?
Richard Black is currently rated 2,179 in classical chess and 2,161 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,235 (Jan 2005).
How many games has Richard Black played?
Our database contains 75 games by Richard Black, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 29 wins, 17 draws, 29 losses (38.7% win rate).
How do I prepare against Richard Black?
75 games by Richard Black 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.