Prepare against Richard Taylor
CM · New Zealand · World #60,683 classical · FIDE ID 4301927
Our database contains 175 games by Richard Taylor, covering Jan 2008 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Richard Taylor's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Richard Taylor 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 | 1,853 | 1,946 | Apr 2009 |
| Rapid | 1,906 | 1,906 | Aug 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 175 | 60 | 39 | 76 | 34.3% |
| As White | 84 | 29 | 19 | 36 | 34.5% |
| As Black | 91 | 31 | 20 | 40 | 34.1% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Richard Taylor's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Richard Taylor's side.
First moves as White (84 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 80 | 95.2% | 45.6% |
| d4 | 2 | 2.4% | 75.0% |
| c4 | 2 | 2.4% | 25.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 95% of White games, 45.6% score
- …c5 (38% of these games) — Taylor usually continues Nf3 (41.7% score)
- …e5 (15% of these games) — Taylor usually continues Nf3 (62.5% score)
- …e6 (14% of these games) — Taylor usually continues d4 (45.5% score)
- 1.d4 — 2% of White games, 75.0% score
- …Nf6 (50% of these games) — Taylor usually continues c4 (100.0% score)
- …d5 (50% of these games) — Taylor usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (36 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 31 | 86.1% | 43.5% |
| Nf6 | 2 | 5.6% | 25.0% |
| d6 | 1 | 2.8% | 50.0% |
| e5 | 1 | 2.8% | 0.0% |
| c6 | 1 | 2.8% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (37 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 35 | 94.6% | 44.3% |
| d5 | 2 | 5.4% | 0.0% |
Richard Taylor's chess games
All 175 games by Richard Taylor in the Chess.ceo database (Jan 2008 - Aug 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: 60 wins, 39 draws, 76 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B99 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 10 | 2/2/6 | 20.0% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 10 | 3/2/5 | 30.0% |
| B42 | Sicilian | 7 | 1/3/3 | 14.3% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| B04 | Alekhine Defense | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| B34 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
| B49 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 4 | 1/2/1 | 25.0% |
| B09 | Pirc Defense | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| C41 | Pirc Defense: Lion System | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| C86 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 13 | 3/4/6 | 23.1% |
| B92 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 6 | 2/1/3 | 33.3% |
| E43 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 5 | 1/1/3 | 20.0% |
| A06 | Réti Opening | 5 | 4/1/0 | 80.0% |
| E25 | Nimzo-Indian: Kmoch Variation | 4 | 2/0/2 | 50.0% |
| B50 | Sicilian | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
| A50 | Nimzo-Indian Defense | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| D38 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 3 | 0/2/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2020 | Robert W Smith | 2,148 | ch-NZL Seniors | B17 |
| Oct 2010 | Antonio Krstev | 2,071 | North Shore Open A | E25 |
| Aug 2009 | Henry Vital | 2,035 | North Shore Open | B11 |
| Oct 2010 | Fuatai Fuatai | 2,016 | North Shore Open A | B90 |
| Jul 2011 | Peter W Stuart | 2,005 | George Trundle Qualifier | B48 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-NZL Seniors | 2020 | 18 | 11 | 1,827 |
| George Trundle Qualifier | 2011 | 18 | 6 | 1,864 |
| George Trundle Reserves | 2019 | 18 | 10 | 1,804 |
| ch-NZL Major | 2010 | 11 | 6.5 | 1,859 |
| ch-NZL 118th | 2011 | 11 | 2.5 | 1,769 |
| ch-NZL Major Open | 2014 | 9 | 5 | 1,886 |
| 123rd ch-NZL Open | 2016 | 9 | 3 | 1,789 |
| Oceania zt 3.6 | 2017 | 9 | 4.5 | 1,833 |
Interactive opening tree from all 175 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Richard Taylor's chess games?
175 games by Richard Taylor, from Jan 2008 to Aug 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 Taylor has played.
What does Richard Taylor play on the first move as White?
Across 84 games with White in our database, Richard Taylor opens with 1.e4 (95% of games), 1.d4 (2% of games), 1.c4 (2% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Richard Taylor answers 1...c5 (86% of games), 1...Nf6 (6% of games), 1...d6 (3% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (95% of games), 1...d5 (5% of games).
What openings does Richard Taylor play as White?
As White, Richard Taylor's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian: Najdorf (10 games, 20.0% win rate); French: Tarrasch Variation (10 games, 30.0% win rate); Sicilian (7 games, 14.3% win rate). The full breakdown of 84 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Richard Taylor play as Black?
As Black, Richard Taylor most often plays: Sicilian: Closed (13 games, 23.1% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (6 games, 33.3% win rate); Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System (5 games, 20.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 91 games.
What is Richard Taylor's FIDE rating?
Richard Taylor is currently rated 1,853 in classical chess, 1,906 in rapid. Peak classical rating: 1,946 (Apr 2009).
How many games has Richard Taylor played?
Our database contains 175 games by Richard Taylor, covering Jan 2008 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 60 wins, 39 draws, 76 losses (34.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Richard Taylor?
175 games by Richard Taylor 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.