Prepare against Sami Hamalainen
Finland · World #15,589 classical · FIDE ID 501530
Our database contains 439 games by Sami Hamalainen, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Sami Hamalainen's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Sami Hamalainen 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 | 2,099 | 2,272 | Jan 2012 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 439 | 146 | 152 | 141 | 33.3% |
| As White | 224 | 83 | 86 | 55 | 37.1% |
| As Black | 215 | 63 | 66 | 86 | 29.3% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Sami Hamalainen's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Sami Hamalainen's side.
First moves as White (224 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 197 | 87.9% | 57.1% |
| Nf3 | 20 | 8.9% | 50.0% |
| d4 | 6 | 2.7% | 41.7% |
| Nc3 | 1 | 0.4% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 88% of White games, 57.1% score
- …c5 (44% of these games) — Hamalainen usually continues Nf3 (48.6% score)
- …e5 (21% of these games) — Hamalainen usually continues Nf3 (58.1% score)
- …e6 (11% of these games) — Hamalainen usually continues d4 (55.6% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 9% of White games, 50.0% score
- …Nf6 (60% of these games) — Hamalainen usually continues c4 (60.0% score)
- …d5 (15% of these games) — Hamalainen usually continues c4 (25.0% score)
- …f5 (10% of these games) — Hamalainen usually continues c4 (25.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (107 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 49 | 45.8% | 45.9% |
| e5 | 34 | 31.8% | 51.5% |
| e6 | 10 | 9.3% | 50.0% |
| Nf6 | 6 | 5.6% | 41.7% |
| d5 | 4 | 3.7% | 37.5% |
| c6 | 2 | 1.9% | 25.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (71 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 45 | 63.4% | 37.8% |
| e6 | 17 | 23.9% | 52.9% |
| c5 | 4 | 5.6% | 62.5% |
| d5 | 3 | 4.2% | 50.0% |
| f5 | 1 | 1.4% | 100.0% |
| c6 | 1 | 1.4% | 0.0% |
Sami Hamalainen's chess games
All 439 games by Sami Hamalainen 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: 146 wins, 152 draws, 141 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B53 | Sicilian | 36 | 12/12/12 | 33.3% |
| B87 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 13 | 5/5/3 | 38.5% |
| B21 | Sicilian: Grand Prix Attack | 11 | 6/5/0 | 54.5% |
| C56 | Italian Game | 9 | 3/4/2 | 33.3% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 8 | 2/4/2 | 25.0% |
| C13 | French: Classical Variation | 7 | 3/3/1 | 42.9% |
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 7 | 3/2/2 | 42.9% |
| C18 | French: Winawer Variation | 6 | 2/2/2 | 33.3% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 6 | 4/2/0 | 66.7% |
| B09 | Pirc Defense | 6 | 3/1/2 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B50 | Sicilian | 17 | 7/5/5 | 41.2% |
| C80 | Ruy Lopez: Open | 14 | 5/3/6 | 35.7% |
| A43 | Benoni Defense | 13 | 3/6/4 | 23.1% |
| B76 | Sicilian: Dragon | 9 | 3/1/5 | 33.3% |
| D05 | Indian Defense | 9 | 1/3/5 | 11.1% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 8 | 1/2/5 | 12.5% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 7 | 1/2/4 | 14.3% |
| A46 | Horwitz Defense | 7 | 3/1/3 | 42.9% |
| C55 | Italian Game | 6 | 1/3/2 | 16.7% |
| B66 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 6 | 1/2/3 | 16.7% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2011 | Veijo Maki | 2,400 | chT-FIN 1112 | B89 |
| Sep 2005 | Denis Rombaldoni | 2,327 | 21st EU-Cup | D91 |
| Jan 2007 | Eero J. Raaste | 2,311 | chT-FIN 0607 | C80 |
| Oct 2009 | Martin Baekgaard | 2,311 | 25th EU-Cup | C18 |
| Sep 2014 | Aleksei Holmsten | 2,307 | chT-FIN 1415 | C10 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-Helsinki | 2000 | 23 | 9.5 | 2,155 |
| chT-FIN | 1995 | 22 | 11 | 2,245 |
| ch-EU U21 | 1989 | 13 | 4.5 | 2,141 |
| chT-FIN 1112 | 2012 | 10 | 4 | 2,215 |
| TCh-FIN 2024-25 | 2025 | 10 | 5 | 2,154 |
| chT-FIN 0102 | 2002 | 9 | 5.5 | 2,264 |
| chT-FIN 1213 | 2013 | 9 | 2.5 | 2,040 |
| chT-FIN 9697 | 1997 | 9 | 6.5 | 2,382 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Janne Salimaki (11 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 439 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Sami Hamalainen's chess games?
439 games by Sami Hamalainen, 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 Sami Hamalainen has played.
What does Sami Hamalainen play on the first move as White?
Across 224 games with White in our database, Sami Hamalainen opens with 1.e4 (88% of games), 1.Nf3 (9% of games), 1.d4 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Sami Hamalainen answers 1...c5 (46% of games), 1...e5 (32% of games), 1...e6 (9% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (63% of games), 1...e6 (24% of games), 1...c5 (6% of games).
What openings does Sami Hamalainen play as White?
As White, Sami Hamalainen's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (36 games, 33.3% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (13 games, 38.5% win rate); Sicilian: Grand Prix Attack (11 games, 54.5% win rate). The full breakdown of 224 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Sami Hamalainen play as Black?
As Black, Sami Hamalainen most often plays: Sicilian (17 games, 41.2% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Open (14 games, 35.7% win rate); Benoni Defense (13 games, 23.1% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 215 games.
What is Sami Hamalainen's FIDE rating?
Sami Hamalainen is currently rated 2,099 in classical chess. Peak classical rating: 2,272 (Jan 2012).
How many games has Sami Hamalainen played?
Our database contains 439 games by Sami Hamalainen, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 146 wins, 152 draws, 141 losses (33.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Sami Hamalainen?
439 games by Sami Hamalainen 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.