Prepare against Sergei Karjakin
Estonia · World #20,016 classical · FIDE ID 4501128
Our database contains 71 games by Sergei Karjakin, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Sergei Karjakin's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Sergei Karjakin 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 | 2,057 | 2,191 | Apr 2006 |
| Rapid | 1,986 | 2,189 | Nov 2019 |
| Blitz | 2,028 | 2,114 | Jul 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 71 | 19 | 25 | 27 | 26.8% |
| As White | 33 | 9 | 15 | 9 | 27.3% |
| As Black | 38 | 10 | 10 | 18 | 26.3% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Sergei Karjakin's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Sergei Karjakin's side.
First moves as White (33 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 27 | 81.8% | 46.3% |
| d4 | 5 | 15.2% | 80.0% |
| Nf3 | 1 | 3.0% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 82% of White games, 46.3% score
- …c5 (41% of these games) — Karjakin usually continues Nf3 (50.0% score)
- …e5 (19% of these games) — Karjakin usually continues Nf3 (40.0% score)
- …e6 (15% of these games) — Karjakin usually continues d4 (62.5% score)
- 1.d4 — 15% of White games, 80.0% score
- …d5 (60% of these games) — Karjakin usually continues c4 (75.0% score)
- …Nf6 (40% of these games) — Karjakin usually continues c4 (75.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (18 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 16 | 88.9% | 56.3% |
| e5 | 1 | 5.6% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (17 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 15 | 88.2% | 30.0% |
| e6 | 2 | 11.8% | 25.0% |
Sergei Karjakin's chess games
All 71 games by Sergei Karjakin 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: 19 wins, 25 draws, 27 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B32 | Sicilian | 6 | 2/2/2 | 33.3% |
| D36 | Indian Defense | 3 | 3/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B80 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| C13 | French: Classical Variation | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| D15 | Slav Defense | 2 | 0/1/1 | 0.0% |
| A41 | Rat Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| C60 | Ruy Lopez | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| C92 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B85 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 7 | 1/4/2 | 14.3% |
| D00 | Indian Defense | 4 | 0/0/4 | 0.0% |
| B55 | Sicilian | 4 | 0/2/2 | 0.0% |
| E92 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| A47 | Torre Attack | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| E86 | King's Indian: Sämisch | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| A65 | Benoni Defense | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| B34 | Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| E61 | King's Indian Defense | 2 | 0/2/0 | 0.0% |
| B26 | Sicilian: Closed | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2004 | Tarvo Seeman | 2,403 | Keres Memorial Open | A25 |
| Jun 1998 | Rainer Raud | 2,385 | Keres Memorial Open | A41 |
| Mar 2005 | Jaan Narva | 2,293 | 20th chT-EST | B43 |
| Mar 2005 | Andres Vooremaa | 2,255 | 20th chT-EST | E89 |
| Jan 2004 | Artjom Jeremejev | 2,217 | ch-EST prel | D85 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keres Memorial Open | 2005 | 24 | 11 | 2,284 |
| chT-EST | 2003 | 10 | 5.5 | 2,282 |
| ch-EST sf | 1999 | 9 | 5 | 2,232 |
| 20th chT-EST | 2005 | 7 | 2.5 | 2,247 |
| 21st chT-EST | 2006 | 6 | 2.5 | 2,190 |
| chT-EST final | 2003 | 5 | 1 | 2,092 |
| ch-EST prel | 2004 | 4 | 1 | 2,032 |
| Tallinn Vesi Open | 2001 | 2 | 0.5 | 2,145 |
Interactive opening tree from all 71 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Sergei Karjakin's chess games?
71 games by Sergei Karjakin, 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 Sergei Karjakin has played.
What does Sergei Karjakin play on the first move as White?
Across 33 games with White in our database, Sergei Karjakin opens with 1.e4 (82% of games), 1.d4 (15% of games), 1.Nf3 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Sergei Karjakin answers 1...c5 (89% of games), 1...e5 (6% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (88% of games), 1...e6 (12% of games).
What openings does Sergei Karjakin play as White?
As White, Sergei Karjakin's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (6 games, 33.3% win rate); Indian Defense (3 games, 100.0% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (3 games, 0.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 33 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Sergei Karjakin play as Black?
As Black, Sergei Karjakin most often plays: Sicilian: Najdorf (7 games, 14.3% win rate); Indian Defense (4 games, 0.0% win rate); Sicilian (4 games, 0.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 38 games.
What is Sergei Karjakin's FIDE rating?
Sergei Karjakin is currently rated 2,057 in classical chess, 1,986 in rapid and 2,028 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,191 (Apr 2006).
How many games has Sergei Karjakin played?
Our database contains 71 games by Sergei Karjakin, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 19 wins, 25 draws, 27 losses (26.8% win rate).
How do I prepare against Sergei Karjakin?
71 games by Sergei Karjakin 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.