Prepare against Risto Niemela
Finland · World #84,207 classical · FIDE ID 502413
When preparing against Risto Niemela, expect 1.d4 in 76% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (64% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (100%).
Our database contains 39 games by Risto Niemela, covering Dec 2024 to Oct 2026. Below you'll find Risto Niemela's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Risto Niemela 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 | 1,776 | 1,776 | Oct 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 39 | 14 | 7 | 18 | 35.9% |
| As White | 21 | 9 | 3 | 9 | 42.9% |
| As Black | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 27.8% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Risto Niemela's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Risto Niemela's side.
First moves as White (21 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 16 | 76.2% | 56.3% |
| e4 | 3 | 14.3% | 0.0% |
| Nf3 | 1 | 4.8% | 100.0% |
| c4 | 1 | 4.8% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 76% of White games, 56.3% score
- …d5 (44% of these games) — Niemela usually continues c4 (85.7% score)
- …Nf6 (31% of these games) — Niemela usually continues Nf3 (16.7% score)
- …f5 (6% of these games) — Niemela usually continues c4 (0.0% score)
- 1.e4 — 14% of White games, 0.0% score
- …c5 (67% of these games) — Niemela usually continues Nf3 (0.0% score)
- …d6 (33% of these games) — Niemela usually continues d4 (0.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (11 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 7 | 63.6% | 57.1% |
| g6 | 2 | 18.2% | 25.0% |
| e5 | 1 | 9.1% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 1 | 9.1% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (4 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 4 | 100.0% | 12.5% |
Risto Niemela's chess games
All 39 games by Risto Niemela in the Chess.ceo database (Dec 2024 - Oct 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: 14 wins, 7 draws, 18 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D15 | Slav Defense | 4 | 4/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A42 | Modern Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| A47 | Indian Defense | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| A48 | London System | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| A87 | Dutch Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| D50 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| E17 | Queen's Indian Defense | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| D66 | Semi-Slav Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B95 | Sicilian: Scheveningen | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B06 | Modern Defense | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| B22 | Sicilian | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| D94 | Benoni Defense | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| C50 | Italian Game | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B24 | Sicilian: Closed | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A45 | Trompowsky Attack | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| A36 | English Opening | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2006 | Mika Koskinen | 2,087 | chT-FIN 1B 0607 | C01 |
| Oct 2022 | Axel Zrunek | 1,821 | chT-FIN Gp3 | C02 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| chT-FIN 1B 0607 | 2007 | 5 | 2.5 | 2,062 |
| chT-FIN 1B 0203 | 2003 | 5 | 2.5 | 2,062 |
| Joensuu We JoeSK | 2004 | 4 | 2 | 2,190 |
| chT-FIN Gp3 1516 | 2015 | 4 | 0.5 | 1,727 |
| chT1B-FIN 0102 | 2002 | 4 | 3 | – |
| chT1A-FIN 9900 | 2000 | 3 | 0.5 | 1,914 |
| chT1B-FIN 0001 | 2001 | 3 | 0.5 | – |
| FIN Team Cup | 2012 | 3 | 1.5 | – |
Interactive opening tree from all 39 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Risto Niemela's chess games?
39 games by Risto Niemela, from Dec 2024 to Oct 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 Risto Niemela has played.
What does Risto Niemela play on the first move as White?
Across 21 games with White in our database, Risto Niemela opens with 1.d4 (76% of games), 1.e4 (14% of games), 1.Nf3 (5% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Risto Niemela answers 1...c5 (64% of games), 1...g6 (18% of games), 1...e5 (9% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (100% of games).
What openings does Risto Niemela play as White?
As White, Risto Niemela's most-played openings in our database are: Slav Defense (4 games, 100.0% win rate); Modern Defense (2 games, 50.0% win rate); Indian Defense (2 games, 0.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 21 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Risto Niemela play as Black?
As Black, Risto Niemela most often plays: Modern Defense (3 games, 0.0% win rate); Sicilian (3 games, 66.7% win rate); Sicilian: Alapin (2 games, 50.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 18 games.
What is Risto Niemela's FIDE rating?
Risto Niemela is currently rated 1,776 in classical chess. Peak classical rating: 1,776 (Oct 2026).
How many games has Risto Niemela played?
Our database contains 39 games by Risto Niemela, covering Dec 2024 to Oct 2026. Overall record: 14 wins, 7 draws, 18 losses (35.9% win rate).
How do I prepare against Risto Niemela?
39 games by Risto Niemela 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.