Prepare against Richard O'Donovan
Ireland · World #35,988 classical · FIDE ID 2500868
Our database contains 179 games by Richard O'Donovan, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Richard O'Donovan's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Richard O'Donovan 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 | 1,954 | 2,174 | Apr 2008 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 179 | 58 | 37 | 84 | 32.4% |
| As White | 90 | 35 | 13 | 42 | 38.9% |
| As Black | 89 | 23 | 24 | 42 | 25.8% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Richard O'Donovan's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Richard O'Donovan's side.
First moves as White (90 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 88 | 97.8% | 46.0% |
| g3 | 1 | 1.1% | 0.0% |
| c4 | 1 | 1.1% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 98% of White games, 46.0% score
- …c5 (42% of these games) — O'Donovan usually continues Nf3 (42.9% score)
- …e5 (22% of these games) — O'Donovan usually continues f4 (57.1% score)
- …e6 (14% of these games) — O'Donovan usually continues d4 (37.5% score)
- 1.g3 — 1% of White games, 0.0% score
- …g6 (100% of these games) — O'Donovan usually continues Bg2 (0.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (40 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 38 | 95.0% | 40.8% |
| e5 | 2 | 5.0% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (34 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 33 | 97.1% | 37.9% |
| c5 | 1 | 2.9% | 100.0% |
Richard O'Donovan's chess games
All 179 games by Richard O'Donovan 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: 58 wins, 37 draws, 84 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B22 | Sicilian | 16 | 6/3/7 | 37.5% |
| C36 | King's Gambit | 14 | 7/2/5 | 50.0% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 12 | 4/1/7 | 33.3% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 6 | 2/0/4 | 33.3% |
| B92 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| B30 | Sicilian: Closed | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| B08 | Modern Defense | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| B08 | Pirc Defense | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B33 | Sicilian | 22 | 8/4/10 | 36.4% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 9 | 3/1/5 | 33.3% |
| A45 | Trompowsky Attack | 8 | 2/1/5 | 25.0% |
| A43 | Indian Defense | 8 | 2/2/4 | 25.0% |
| A25 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 7 | 1/3/3 | 14.3% |
| B30 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 6 | 2/1/3 | 33.3% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 3 | 0/2/1 | 0.0% |
| E68 | King's Indian Defense | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| A31 | English Opening | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2005 | Mark Van der Werf | 2,397 | 21st EU-Cup | B44 |
| Oct 2003 | Heinz Peter Kotz | 2,354 | 19th EU-Cup | C45 |
| Jul 2005 | Colm Daly | 2,343 | ch-IRL | B02 |
| Jan 1996 | Mark Heidenfeld | 2,320 | ch-IRL | B30 |
| Jan 1994 | Conor O'Shaughnessy | 2,295 | ch-IRL | B92 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-IRL | 2005 | 66 | 32 | 2,213 |
| Kilkenny Masters | 1999 | 27 | 11.5 | 2,183 |
| Bunratty Masters Open | 2001 | 20 | 7.5 | 2,156 |
| Isle of Man Open | 1995 | 18 | 8.5 | 2,210 |
| 21st EU-Cup | 2005 | 7 | 3 | 2,279 |
| Kilkenny Norkom Open | 2000 | 6 | 2.5 | 2,130 |
| Malahide Millennium Open | 2003 | 6 | 3.5 | 2,165 |
| 24th EU-Cup | 2008 | 5 | 0 | 1,881 |
Interactive opening tree from all 179 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Richard O'Donovan's chess games?
179 games by Richard O'Donovan, 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 O'Donovan has played.
What does Richard O'Donovan play on the first move as White?
Across 90 games with White in our database, Richard O'Donovan opens with 1.e4 (98% of games), 1.g3 (1% of games), 1.c4 (1% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Richard O'Donovan answers 1...c5 (95% of games), 1...e5 (5% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (97% of games), 1...c5 (3% of games).
What openings does Richard O'Donovan play as White?
As White, Richard O'Donovan's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (16 games, 37.5% win rate); King's Gambit (14 games, 50.0% win rate); French: Advance Variation (12 games, 33.3% win rate). The full breakdown of 90 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Richard O'Donovan play as Black?
As Black, Richard O'Donovan most often plays: Sicilian (22 games, 36.4% win rate); Benoni Defense (9 games, 33.3% win rate); Trompowsky Attack (8 games, 25.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 89 games.
What is Richard O'Donovan's FIDE rating?
Richard O'Donovan is currently rated 1,954 in classical chess. Peak classical rating: 2,174 (Apr 2008).
How many games has Richard O'Donovan played?
Our database contains 179 games by Richard O'Donovan, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 58 wins, 37 draws, 84 losses (32.4% win rate).
How do I prepare against Richard O'Donovan?
179 games by Richard O'Donovan 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.