Prepare against Richard J McMichael
FM · United Kingdom · World #14,681 classical · FIDE ID 400963
When preparing against Richard J McMichael, expect 1.b3 in 44% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e6 (82% of games); against 1.d4, 1...e6 (78%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: French Defense as Black, 10.3% over 29 games.
Our database contains 406 games by Richard J McMichael, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Richard J McMichael's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Richard J McMichael 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 | 2,109 | 2,298 | Apr 2004 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 406 | 118 | 149 | 139 | 29.1% |
| As White | 200 | 67 | 75 | 58 | 33.5% |
| As Black | 206 | 51 | 74 | 81 | 24.8% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Richard J McMichael's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Richard J McMichael's side.
First moves as White (200 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| b3 | 88 | 44.0% | 55.1% |
| c4 | 40 | 20.0% | 55.0% |
| d4 | 35 | 17.5% | 51.4% |
| f4 | 19 | 9.5% | 36.8% |
| Nf3 | 10 | 5.0% | 55.0% |
| e4 | 6 | 3.0% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.b3 — 44% of White games, 55.1% score
- …e5 (55% of these games) — McMichael usually continues Bb2 (55.2% score)
- …d5 (20% of these games) — McMichael usually continues Bb2 (42.9% score)
- …Nf6 (13% of these games) — McMichael usually continues Bb2 (59.1% score)
- 1.c4 — 20% of White games, 55.0% score
- …e5 (28% of these games) — McMichael usually continues g3 (55.0% score)
- …Nf6 (15% of these games) — McMichael usually continues g3 (50.0% score)
- …c5 (13% of these games) — McMichael usually continues g3 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (88 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 72 | 81.8% | 45.8% |
| e5 | 9 | 10.2% | 44.4% |
| c5 | 4 | 4.5% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 1 | 1.1% | 100.0% |
| c6 | 1 | 1.1% | 50.0% |
| g6 | 1 | 1.1% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (77 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 60 | 77.9% | 45.8% |
| Nf6 | 13 | 16.9% | 23.1% |
| f5 | 4 | 5.2% | 25.0% |
Richard J McMichael's chess games
All 406 games by Richard J McMichael in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - Sep 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: 118 wins, 149 draws, 139 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A01 | Nimzovich-Larsen attack | 88 | 37/23/28 | 42.0% |
| A03 | Bird's opening | 19 | 3/8/8 | 15.8% |
| A25 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 13 | 4/6/3 | 30.8% |
| A10 | English Opening | 11 | 5/4/2 | 45.5% |
| D05 | Indian Defense | 8 | 3/2/3 | 37.5% |
| D03 | Torre Attack | 8 | 3/3/2 | 37.5% |
| A36 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 5 | 1/3/1 | 20.0% |
| A25 | English Opening: Dutch Defense | 4 | 0/3/1 | 0.0% |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 4 | 0/2/2 | 0.0% |
| A21 | Queen's Pawn Game | 4 | 2/2/0 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A90 | Horwitz Defense | 52 | 11/27/14 | 21.2% |
| C10 | French Defense | 29 | 3/10/16 | 10.3% |
| C10 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 23 | 6/6/11 | 26.1% |
| A10 | English Opening | 15 | 5/6/4 | 33.3% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 10 | 7/2/1 | 70.0% |
| C41 | Philidor | 9 | 5/0/4 | 55.6% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 7 | 1/1/5 | 14.3% |
| C00 | King's Indian Attack | 7 | 2/3/2 | 28.6% |
| C18 | French: Winawer Variation | 6 | 4/1/1 | 66.7% |
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2000 | Aloyzas Kveinys | 2,496 | 16th Cappelle Open | A15 |
| Aug 2000 | Aleksandar H Wohl | 2,461 | 87th ch-BCF | A01 |
| May 2005 | Thomas E Rendle | 2,396 | chT2-BCF 0405 (4NCL) | A86 |
| Feb 1990 | Jean-Marc Degraeve | 2,375 | 06th Cappelle Open | B23 |
| Aug 1996 | Graeme N Buckley | 2,370 | 1st Northumbrian Masters | E60 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| chT-BCF 9697 (4NCL) | 1997 | 12 | 4.5 | 2,182 |
| 97th ch-GBR | 2010 | 11 | 6 | 2,277 |
| chT2-BCF 9899 (4NCL) | 1999 | 11 | 6 | 2,245 |
| 87th ch-BCF | 2000 | 11 | 5.5 | 2,334 |
| chT2-BCF 0203 (4NCL) | 2003 | 11 | 4.5 | 2,226 |
| chT2-BCF 0102 (4NCL) | 2002 | 11 | 8 | 2,413 |
| chT2-BCF 9900 (4NCL) | 2000 | 11 | 4 | 2,106 |
| chT3-BCF 0506 (4NCL) | 2006 | 11 | 5.5 | 2,236 |
Interactive opening tree from all 406 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Richard J McMichael's chess games?
406 games by Richard J McMichael, from Apr 2003 to Sep 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 J McMichael has played.
What does Richard J McMichael play on the first move as White?
Across 200 games with White in our database, Richard J McMichael opens with 1.b3 (44% of games), 1.c4 (20% of games), 1.d4 (18% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Richard J McMichael answers 1...e6 (82% of games), 1...e5 (10% of games), 1...c5 (5% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...e6 (78% of games), 1...Nf6 (17% of games), 1...f5 (5% of games).
What openings does Richard J McMichael play as White?
As White, Richard J McMichael's most-played openings in our database are: Nimzovich-Larsen attack (88 games, 42.0% win rate); Bird's opening (19 games, 15.8% win rate); English Opening: Reverse Sicilian (13 games, 30.8% win rate). The full breakdown of 200 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Richard J McMichael play as Black?
As Black, Richard J McMichael most often plays: Horwitz Defense (52 games, 21.2% win rate); French Defense (29 games, 10.3% win rate); French: Tarrasch Variation (23 games, 26.1% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 206 games.
What is Richard J McMichael's FIDE rating?
Richard J McMichael is currently rated 2,109 in classical chess. Peak classical rating: 2,298 (Apr 2004).
How many games has Richard J McMichael played?
Our database contains 406 games by Richard J McMichael, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 118 wins, 149 draws, 139 losses (29.1% win rate).
How do I prepare against Richard J McMichael?
406 games by Richard J McMichael 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.