Prepare against Sebastian Poltorak
IM · Poland · World #1,770 classical · FIDE ID 1199498
When preparing against Sebastian Poltorak, expect 1.d4 in 49% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c6 (61% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (86%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: French Defense as White, 20.0% over 25 games.
Our database contains 1,171 games by Sebastian Poltorak, covering Jun 2013 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Sebastian Poltorak's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Sebastian Poltorak 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 | 2,395 | 2,421 | Aug 2025 |
| Rapid | 2,323 | 2,324 | Mar 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,508 | 2,508 | Sep 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,171 | 516 | 220 | 435 | 44.1% |
| As White | 583 | 292 | 103 | 188 | 50.1% |
| As Black | 588 | 224 | 117 | 247 | 38.1% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Sebastian Poltorak's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Sebastian Poltorak's side.
First moves as White (583 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 285 | 48.9% | 57.7% |
| e4 | 235 | 40.3% | 56.8% |
| Nc3 | 21 | 3.6% | 71.4% |
| Nf3 | 13 | 2.2% | 73.1% |
| b3 | 7 | 1.2% | 42.9% |
| c3 | 6 | 1.0% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 49% of White games, 57.7% score
- …Nf6 (59% of these games) — Poltorak usually continues c4 (53.7% score)
- …d5 (26% of these games) — Poltorak usually continues c4 (73.6% score)
- …d6 (5% of these games) — Poltorak usually continues c4 (56.3% score)
- 1.e4 — 40% of White games, 56.8% score
- …c5 (43% of these games) — Poltorak usually continues Nc3 (62.8% score)
- …e5 (20% of these games) — Poltorak usually continues Nc3 (65.9% score)
- …e6 (17% of these games) — Poltorak usually continues d4 (57.1% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (277 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c6 | 169 | 61.0% | 50.6% |
| c5 | 65 | 23.5% | 42.3% |
| Nc6 | 30 | 10.8% | 56.7% |
| e5 | 6 | 2.2% | 66.7% |
| e6 | 4 | 1.4% | 75.0% |
| f6 | 2 | 0.7% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (199 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 172 | 86.4% | 47.1% |
| d5 | 22 | 11.1% | 31.8% |
| a6 | 2 | 1.0% | 50.0% |
| c5 | 1 | 0.5% | 100.0% |
| Nc6 | 1 | 0.5% | 100.0% |
| f6 | 1 | 0.5% | 0.0% |
Sebastian Poltorak's chess games
All 1,171 games by Sebastian Poltorak in the Chess.ceo database (Jun 2013 - Sep 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: 516 wins, 220 draws, 435 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 76 | 46/9/21 | 60.5% |
| D35 | Indian Defense | 58 | 29/11/18 | 50.0% |
| E81 | King's Indian: Sämisch | 28 | 14/5/9 | 50.0% |
| C01 | French Defense | 25 | 5/4/16 | 20.0% |
| D10 | Slav Defense | 21 | 13/5/3 | 61.9% |
| E21 | Nimzo-Indian Defense | 20 | 6/8/6 | 30.0% |
| B11 | Caro-Kann: Two Knights Variation | 20 | 7/2/11 | 35.0% |
| C26 | Vienna Game | 20 | 12/2/6 | 60.0% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 17 | 8/4/5 | 47.1% |
| E60 | Anti-Grünfeld | 15 | 7/1/7 | 46.7% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 57 | 21/10/26 | 36.8% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 52 | 20/13/19 | 38.5% |
| D72 | Indian Defense | 44 | 15/6/23 | 34.1% |
| B19 | Caro-Kann: Classical | 31 | 11/11/9 | 35.5% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 25 | 17/2/6 | 68.0% |
| A34 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 22 | 6/6/10 | 27.3% |
| B11 | Caro-Kann: Two Knights Variation | 21 | 9/3/9 | 42.9% |
| B10 | Caro-Kann | 20 | 6/2/12 | 30.0% |
| A34 | English Opening | 19 | 8/6/5 | 42.1% |
| B00 | Nimzowitsch Defense | 19 | 8/3/8 | 42.1% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2023 | Gata Kamsky | 2,634 | Titled Tue Late | B23 |
| Sep 2021 | Bartosz Socko | 2,617 | Bydgoszcz PGNiG KO | E32 |
| Jan 2024 | Mikhail Al. Antipov | 2,604 | Titled Tue Late | B13 |
| Sep 2023 | Varuzhan Akobian | 2,582 | Titled Tue Early | E36 |
| Feb 2025 | Markus Ragger | 2,580 | Titled Tue Late | C26 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2025 | 681 | 341.5 | 2,302 |
| POL-chT U19 2nd League | 2016 | 21 | 14 | 1,566 |
| POL-chT 1st League | 2024 | 18 | 11.5 | 2,352 |
| chT-POL U19 3rd League Wielkopolska | 2014 | 17 | 9.5 | 1,439 |
| ch-Berlin | 2024 | 17 | 10 | 2,349 |
| Rainer Radtke Mem Blitz | 2025 | 13 | 9.5 | 2,569 |
| La Palma Island Open 2026 | 2026 | 10 | 7 | 2,443 |
| Akademickie Mistrzostwa Polski w szachach - Mężczyźni | 2026 | 10 | 6.5 | 2,135 |
Interactive opening tree from all 1,171 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Sebastian Poltorak's chess games?
1,171 games by Sebastian Poltorak, from Jun 2013 to Sep 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 Sebastian Poltorak has played.
What does Sebastian Poltorak play on the first move as White?
Across 583 games with White in our database, Sebastian Poltorak opens with 1.d4 (49% of games), 1.e4 (40% of games), 1.Nc3 (4% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Sebastian Poltorak answers 1...c6 (61% of games), 1...c5 (23% of games), 1...Nc6 (11% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (86% of games), 1...d5 (11% of games), 1...a6 (1% of games).
What openings does Sebastian Poltorak play as White?
As White, Sebastian Poltorak's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian: Closed (76 games, 60.5% win rate); Indian Defense (58 games, 50.0% win rate); King's Indian: Sämisch (28 games, 50.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 583 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Sebastian Poltorak play as Black?
As Black, Sebastian Poltorak most often plays: Grünfeld Defense (57 games, 36.8% win rate); Caro-Kann: Advance Variation (52 games, 38.5% win rate); Indian Defense (44 games, 34.1% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 588 games.
What is Sebastian Poltorak's FIDE rating?
Sebastian Poltorak is currently rated 2,395 in classical chess, 2,323 in rapid and 2,508 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,421 (Aug 2025).
How many games has Sebastian Poltorak played?
Our database contains 1,171 games by Sebastian Poltorak, covering Jun 2013 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 516 wins, 220 draws, 435 losses (44.1% win rate).
How do I prepare against Sebastian Poltorak?
1,171 games by Sebastian Poltorak 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.