Prepare against Ruslan Ponomariov
GM · Ukraine · World #94 classical · FIDE ID 14103320
When preparing against Ruslan Ponomariov, expect 1.e4 in 57% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (40% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (66%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense as Black, 12.2% over 82 games.
Our database contains 2,851 games by Ruslan Ponomariov, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Ruslan Ponomariov's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Ruslan Ponomariov 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 | 2,632 | 2,764 | Jul 2011 |
| Rapid | 2,657 | 2,748 | Dec 2013 |
| Blitz | 2,614 | 2,797 | Sep 2013 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 2,851 | 1,033 | 1,295 | 522 | 36.2% |
| As White | 1,423 | 614 | 611 | 197 | 43.1% |
| As Black | 1,428 | 419 | 684 | 325 | 29.3% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Ruslan Ponomariov's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Ruslan Ponomariov's side.
First moves as White (1,423 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 815 | 57.3% | 65.7% |
| d4 | 404 | 28.4% | 62.6% |
| Nf3 | 122 | 8.6% | 66.4% |
| c4 | 63 | 4.4% | 61.9% |
| b3 | 7 | 0.5% | 71.4% |
| Nc3 | 6 | 0.4% | 33.3% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 57% of White games, 65.7% score
- …c5 (43% of these games) — Ponomariov usually continues Nf3 (64.3% score)
- …e5 (32% of these games) — Ponomariov usually continues Nf3 (62.9% score)
- …e6 (12% of these games) — Ponomariov usually continues d4 (68.8% score)
- 1.d4 — 28% of White games, 62.6% score
- …Nf6 (66% of these games) — Ponomariov usually continues c4 (60.9% score)
- …d5 (30% of these games) — Ponomariov usually continues c4 (66.8% score)
- …f5 (1% of these games) — Ponomariov usually continues Nc3 (75.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (632 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 253 | 40.0% | 49.0% |
| c5 | 190 | 30.1% | 53.9% |
| c6 | 59 | 9.3% | 49.2% |
| d6 | 52 | 8.2% | 69.2% |
| e6 | 48 | 7.6% | 43.8% |
| g6 | 15 | 2.4% | 60.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (533 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 351 | 65.9% | 55.1% |
| d5 | 136 | 25.5% | 49.6% |
| e6 | 16 | 3.0% | 59.4% |
| f5 | 15 | 2.8% | 60.0% |
| d6 | 7 | 1.3% | 50.0% |
| g6 | 6 | 1.1% | 58.3% |
Ruslan Ponomariov's chess games
All 2,851 games by Ruslan Ponomariov in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - 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: 1,033 wins, 1,295 draws, 522 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B43 | Sicilian | 112 | 57/43/12 | 50.9% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 103 | 32/48/23 | 31.1% |
| D15 | Slav Defense | 87 | 37/38/12 | 42.5% |
| C88 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 56 | 15/34/7 | 26.8% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 48 | 24/19/5 | 50.0% |
| A13 | English Opening | 47 | 18/23/6 | 38.3% |
| E05 | Catalan | 41 | 13/23/5 | 31.7% |
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 40 | 17/17/6 | 42.5% |
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 39 | 15/23/1 | 38.5% |
| C07 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 37 | 17/13/7 | 45.9% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C67 | Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense | 82 | 10/60/12 | 12.2% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 67 | 20/36/11 | 29.9% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 60 | 16/24/20 | 26.7% |
| E05 | Catalan | 55 | 11/34/10 | 20.0% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 54 | 24/21/9 | 44.4% |
| D11 | Slav Defense | 52 | 19/19/14 | 36.5% |
| B34 | Sicilian | 51 | 19/21/11 | 37.3% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 51 | 28/16/7 | 54.9% |
| A13 | English Opening | 47 | 16/14/17 | 34.0% |
| C88 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 45 | 8/23/14 | 17.8% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2003 | Vladimir Kramnik | 2,807 | Corus | E46 |
| Nov 2007 | Viswanathan Anand | 2,801 | 2nd Wch Blitz | D43 |
| Nov 2009 | Magnus Carlsen | 2,801 | 4th World Blitz | E05 |
| Dec 2014 | Levon Aronian | 2,797 | Beijing Sportaccord Blitz | E60 |
| Aug 2008 | Alexander Morozevich | 2,788 | Moscow Tal Memorial Blitz | B80 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIDE World Cup | 2023 | 130 | 74 | 2,722 |
| Beijing Sportaccord Blitz | 2014 | 68 | 33.5 | 2,734 |
| ch-EU blitz | 2017 | 46 | 30.5 | 2,612 |
| Wch Rapid | 2017 | 45 | 23.5 | 2,648 |
| chT-ESP CECLUB Honor | 2019 | 44 | 25 | 2,697 |
| 4th World Blitz | 2009 | 42 | 23.5 | 2,765 |
| Wch Blitz | 2023 | 41 | 24 | 2,661 |
| Corus | 2007 | 39 | 18.5 | 2,692 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Boris Gelfand (54 games) · Vasyl Ivanchuk (51 games) · Alexander Grischuk (44 games) · Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (39 games) · Viswanathan Anand (35 games) · Leinier Dominguez Perez (33 games) · Levon Aronian (32 games) · Peter Leko (31 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 2,851 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Ruslan Ponomariov's chess games?
2,851 games by Ruslan Ponomariov, from Apr 2003 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 Ruslan Ponomariov has played.
What does Ruslan Ponomariov play on the first move as White?
Across 1,423 games with White in our database, Ruslan Ponomariov opens with 1.e4 (57% of games), 1.d4 (28% of games), 1.Nf3 (9% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Ruslan Ponomariov answers 1...e5 (40% of games), 1...c5 (30% of games), 1...c6 (9% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (66% of games), 1...d5 (26% of games), 1...e6 (3% of games).
What openings does Ruslan Ponomariov play as White?
As White, Ruslan Ponomariov's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (112 games, 50.9% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (103 games, 31.1% win rate); Slav Defense (87 games, 42.5% win rate). The full breakdown of 1,423 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Ruslan Ponomariov play as Black?
As Black, Ruslan Ponomariov most often plays: Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense (82 games, 12.2% win rate); Indian Defense (67 games, 29.9% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (60 games, 26.7% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 1,428 games.
What is Ruslan Ponomariov's FIDE rating?
Ruslan Ponomariov is currently rated 2,632 in classical chess, 2,657 in rapid and 2,614 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,764 (Jul 2011).
How many games has Ruslan Ponomariov played?
Our database contains 2,851 games by Ruslan Ponomariov, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 1,033 wins, 1,295 draws, 522 losses (36.2% win rate).
How do I prepare against Ruslan Ponomariov?
2,851 games by Ruslan Ponomariov 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.