Prepare against Sergey Volkov
GM · Russia · World #2,354 classical · FIDE ID 4122763
When preparing against Sergey Volkov, expect 1.d4 in 97% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e6 (97% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (96%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: French Defense as Black, 33.3% over 54 games.
Our database contains 3,607 games by Sergey Volkov, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Sergey Volkov's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Sergey Volkov 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 | 2,366 | 2,659 | Jul 2007 |
| Rapid | 2,389 | 2,641 | Nov 2018 |
| Blitz | 2,342 | 2,632 | Mar 2013 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 3,607 | 1,703 | 1,133 | 771 | 47.2% |
| As White | 1,818 | 951 | 515 | 352 | 52.3% |
| As Black | 1,789 | 752 | 618 | 419 | 42.0% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Sergey Volkov's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Sergey Volkov's side.
First moves as White (1,818 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 1,767 | 97.2% | 66.5% |
| e4 | 22 | 1.2% | 75.0% |
| c4 | 13 | 0.7% | 69.2% |
| Nf3 | 10 | 0.6% | 55.0% |
| g3 | 5 | 0.3% | 60.0% |
| d3 | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 97% of White games, 66.5% score
- …Nf6 (55% of these games) — Volkov usually continues c4 (66.2% score)
- …d5 (33% of these games) — Volkov usually continues c4 (65.0% score)
- …e6 (4% of these games) — Volkov usually continues c4 (70.5% score)
- 1.e4 — 1% of White games, 75.0% score
- …c5 (45% of these games) — Volkov usually continues Nf3 (65.0% score)
- …e6 (18% of these games) — Volkov usually continues d4 (87.5% score)
- …e5 (18% of these games) — Volkov usually continues d4 (75.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (751 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 728 | 96.9% | 60.9% |
| c5 | 9 | 1.2% | 66.7% |
| e5 | 7 | 0.9% | 42.9% |
| c6 | 3 | 0.4% | 100.0% |
| g6 | 2 | 0.3% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (710 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 680 | 95.8% | 59.4% |
| Nf6 | 14 | 2.0% | 78.6% |
| e6 | 10 | 1.4% | 65.0% |
| g6 | 4 | 0.6% | 62.5% |
| d6 | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| c5 | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Sergey Volkov's chess games
All 3,607 games by Sergey Volkov in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - 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: 1,703 wins, 1,133 draws, 771 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D10 | Slav Defense | 277 | 134/82/61 | 48.4% |
| E20 | Nimzo-Indian: Kmoch Variation | 257 | 124/85/48 | 48.2% |
| D35 | Indian Defense | 190 | 100/56/34 | 52.6% |
| E92 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 184 | 108/44/32 | 58.7% |
| D97 | Grünfeld Defense | 119 | 57/36/26 | 47.9% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 90 | 49/20/21 | 54.4% |
| D20 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 86 | 46/27/13 | 53.5% |
| E46 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 74 | 37/27/10 | 50.0% |
| D31 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 56 | 29/13/14 | 51.8% |
| D31 | Semi-Slav Defense | 49 | 29/14/6 | 59.2% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D15 | Slav Defense | 572 | 203/237/132 | 35.5% |
| C11 | French: Classical Variation | 305 | 128/106/71 | 42.0% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 211 | 87/85/39 | 41.2% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 84 | 36/24/24 | 42.9% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 78 | 32/29/17 | 41.0% |
| A21 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 77 | 30/20/27 | 39.0% |
| C00 | French Defense | 54 | 18/20/16 | 33.3% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 50 | 32/10/8 | 64.0% |
| A11 | English Opening: Slav Setup | 48 | 16/17/15 | 33.3% |
| C01 | French: Exchange Variation | 46 | 30/11/5 | 65.2% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2017 | Maxim Matlakov | 2,735 | ch-RUS 70th | D15 |
| Oct 2006 | Vladimir Akopian | 2,713 | 15th Monarch Assurance | C12 |
| Dec 2005 | Alexey Dreev | 2,694 | ch-RUS Superfinal | D10 |
| Apr 2011 | Emil Sutovsky | 2,692 | 12th ch-EU | D85 |
| Apr 2016 | Sergei Rublevsky | 2,692 | Cheboksary Sergievskiy Memorial Rapid | D10 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2026 | 186 | 111.5 | 2,387 |
| Dvorkovich Memorial Open | 2019 | 61 | 42 | 2,586 |
| Moscow Aeroflot Open A | 2024 | 51 | 28 | 2,592 |
| Cheliabinsk Kurnosov Memorial Rapid | 2024 | 40 | 24.5 | 2,446 |
| Moscow Open A | 2015 | 37 | 25.5 | 2,628 |
| RUS-Cup | 2000 | 35 | 25 | 2,617 |
| ch-EU blitz | 2002 | 32 | 18 | 2,621 |
| Cheliabinsk Panchenko Memorial Open A | 2022 | 29 | 19 | 2,490 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Igor Lysyj (22 games) · Vadim Zvjaginsev (21 games) · Aleksei Pridorozhni (17 games) · Boris Savchenko (14 games) · Aleksey Dreev (13 games) · Roman Ovetchkin (13 games) · Vladimir Malakhov (13 games) · Arseniy Nesterov (13 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 3,607 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Sergey Volkov's chess games?
3,607 games by Sergey Volkov, from Apr 2003 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 Sergey Volkov has played.
What does Sergey Volkov play on the first move as White?
Across 1,818 games with White in our database, Sergey Volkov opens with 1.d4 (97% of games), 1.e4 (1% of games), 1.c4 (1% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Sergey Volkov answers 1...e6 (97% of games), 1...c5 (1% of games), 1...e5 (1% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (96% of games), 1...Nf6 (2% of games), 1...e6 (1% of games).
What openings does Sergey Volkov play as White?
As White, Sergey Volkov's most-played openings in our database are: Slav Defense (277 games, 48.4% win rate); Nimzo-Indian: Kmoch Variation (257 games, 48.2% win rate); Indian Defense (190 games, 52.6% win rate). The full breakdown of 1,818 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Sergey Volkov play as Black?
As Black, Sergey Volkov most often plays: Slav Defense (572 games, 35.5% win rate); French: Classical Variation (305 games, 42.0% win rate); French: Tarrasch Variation (211 games, 41.2% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 1,789 games.
What is Sergey Volkov's FIDE rating?
Sergey Volkov is currently rated 2,366 in classical chess, 2,389 in rapid and 2,342 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,659 (Jul 2007).
How many games has Sergey Volkov played?
Our database contains 3,607 games by Sergey Volkov, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 1,703 wins, 1,133 draws, 771 losses (47.2% win rate).
How do I prepare against Sergey Volkov?
3,607 games by Sergey Volkov 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.