Prepare against Richard Zhu
United Kingdom · World #19,769 classical · FIDE ID 426377
When preparing against Richard Zhu, expect 1.d4 in 79% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e6 (52% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (50%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Catalan as White, 50.0% over 18 games.
Our database contains 116 games by Richard Zhu, covering Jul 2012 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Richard Zhu's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Richard Zhu 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 | 2,059 | 2,059 | Aug 2026 |
| Rapid | 1,938 | 1,960 | Mar 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 116 | 41 | 36 | 39 | 35.3% |
| As White | 61 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 34.4% |
| As Black | 55 | 20 | 15 | 20 | 36.4% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Richard Zhu's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Richard Zhu's side.
First moves as White (61 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 48 | 78.7% | 52.1% |
| Nf3 | 7 | 11.5% | 57.1% |
| c4 | 4 | 6.6% | 62.5% |
| e4 | 2 | 3.3% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 79% of White games, 52.1% score
- …Nf6 (52% of these games) — Zhu usually continues c4 (44.7% score)
- …d5 (27% of these games) — Zhu usually continues c4 (45.5% score)
- …e6 (8% of these games) — Zhu usually continues c4 (87.5% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 11% of White games, 57.1% score
- …Nf6 (71% of these games) — Zhu usually continues g3 (37.5% score)
- …d5 (14% of these games) — Zhu usually continues g3 (100.0% score)
- …c6 (14% of these games) — Zhu usually continues g3 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (33 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 17 | 51.5% | 55.9% |
| c5 | 11 | 33.3% | 63.6% |
| c6 | 5 | 15.2% | 20.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (12 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 6 | 50.0% | 33.3% |
| Nf6 | 5 | 41.7% | 70.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 8.3% | 50.0% |
Richard Zhu's chess games
All 116 games by Richard Zhu in the Chess.ceo database (Jul 2012 - 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: 41 wins, 36 draws, 39 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E09 | Catalan | 18 | 9/6/3 | 50.0% |
| A11 | Réti Opening | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| D11 | Slav Defense | 5 | 0/4/1 | 0.0% |
| A56 | Benoni Defense | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 4 | 0/2/2 | 0.0% |
| A45 | Trompowsky Attack | 4 | 2/2/0 | 50.0% |
| A42 | Modern Defense | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| A21 | Queen's Pawn Game | 3 | 2/1/0 | 66.7% |
| A65 | King's Indian: Sämisch | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| D30 | Semi-Slav Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D52 | Slav Defense | 7 | 1/3/3 | 14.3% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 6 | 3/0/3 | 50.0% |
| B00 | French Defense | 6 | 1/1/4 | 16.7% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | 3 | 0/3/0 | 0.0% |
| B20 | King's Indian Attack | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A47 | Indian Defense | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Fantasy Variation | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| A25 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| C11 | French: Classical Variation | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A14 | English Opening: Neo-Catalan | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2016 | Richard L Britton | 2,188 | 103rd ch-GBR | E62 |
| Oct 2014 | Martin Kololli | 2,182 | 24th ch-EU U14 | D41 |
| Aug 2015 | Malcolm R Peacock | 2,123 | 102nd ch-GBR | A45 |
| Aug 2016 | Dominic Klingher | 2,117 | 103rd ch-GBR | B12 |
| Jul 2016 | Roger D De Coverly | 2,082 | 103rd ch-GBR | A46 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 103rd ch-GBR | 2016 | 11 | 5.5 | 2,138 |
| 102nd ch-GBR | 2015 | 11 | 4 | 1,994 |
| British Rapidplay 2026 | 2026 | 10 | 4.5 | 2,033 |
| 104th ch-GBR | 2017 | 9 | 3.5 | 2,025 |
| ch-BCF U14 | 2014 | 7 | 5.5 | 378 |
| 8th ch-World School U13 | 2012 | 7 | 2 | 1,607 |
| 04 Sunningdale e2e4 U2200 Open | 2014 | 7 | 4.5 | 1,936 |
| ch-GBR 100th U13 | 2013 | 7 | 5 | 1,833 |
Interactive opening tree from all 116 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Richard Zhu's chess games?
116 games by Richard Zhu, from Jul 2012 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 Zhu has played.
What does Richard Zhu play on the first move as White?
Across 61 games with White in our database, Richard Zhu opens with 1.d4 (79% of games), 1.Nf3 (11% of games), 1.c4 (7% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Richard Zhu answers 1...e6 (52% of games), 1...c5 (33% of games), 1...c6 (15% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (50% of games), 1...Nf6 (42% of games), 1...e6 (8% of games).
What openings does Richard Zhu play as White?
As White, Richard Zhu's most-played openings in our database are: Catalan (18 games, 50.0% win rate); Réti Opening (5 games, 40.0% win rate); Slav Defense (5 games, 0.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 61 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Richard Zhu play as Black?
As Black, Richard Zhu most often plays: Slav Defense (7 games, 14.3% win rate); French: Tarrasch Variation (6 games, 50.0% win rate); French Defense (6 games, 16.7% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 55 games.
What is Richard Zhu's FIDE rating?
Richard Zhu is currently rated 2,059 in classical chess, 1,938 in rapid. Peak classical rating: 2,059 (Aug 2026).
How many games has Richard Zhu played?
Our database contains 116 games by Richard Zhu, covering Jul 2012 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 41 wins, 36 draws, 39 losses (35.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Richard Zhu?
116 games by Richard Zhu 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.