Prepare against Siem Van Dael
FM · NLD · World #3,123 classical · FIDE ID 1049771
When preparing against Siem Van Dael, expect 1.e4 in 89% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (47% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (76%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Dunst Opening as White, 15.8% over 19 games.
Our database contains 1,294 games by Siem Van Dael, covering Oct 2014 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Siem Van Dael's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Siem Van Dael 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 | 2,334 | 2,390 | Aug 2021 |
| Rapid | 2,233 | 2,278 | Jun 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,236 | 2,336 | Sep 2023 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,294 | 513 | 215 | 566 | 39.6% |
| As White | 654 | 291 | 113 | 250 | 44.5% |
| As Black | 640 | 222 | 102 | 316 | 34.7% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Siem Van Dael's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Siem Van Dael's side.
First moves as White (654 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 581 | 88.8% | 53.8% |
| Nc3 | 22 | 3.4% | 20.5% |
| h4 | 13 | 2.0% | 61.5% |
| Nf3 | 10 | 1.5% | 50.0% |
| d4 | 10 | 1.5% | 65.0% |
| b3 | 4 | 0.6% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 89% of White games, 53.8% score
- …c5 (40% of these games) — Dael usually continues Nf3 (53.6% score)
- …e5 (23% of these games) — Dael usually continues Nf3 (51.9% score)
- …e6 (14% of these games) — Dael usually continues d4 (61.4% score)
- 1.Nc3 — 3% of White games, 20.5% score
- …d5 (41% of these games) — Dael usually continues e4 (25.0% score)
- …c5 (23% of these games) — Dael usually continues Ne4 (16.7% score)
- …g6 (9% of these games) — Dael usually continues e4 (0.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (315 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 149 | 47.3% | 38.6% |
| e5 | 123 | 39.0% | 43.1% |
| g6 | 15 | 4.8% | 60.0% |
| d5 | 13 | 4.1% | 15.4% |
| e6 | 9 | 2.9% | 44.4% |
| f6 | 2 | 0.6% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (226 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 171 | 75.7% | 48.8% |
| d5 | 37 | 16.4% | 37.8% |
| g6 | 14 | 6.2% | 53.6% |
| e6 | 2 | 0.9% | 50.0% |
| g5 | 1 | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| e5 | 1 | 0.4% | 50.0% |
Siem Van Dael's chess games
All 1,294 games by Siem Van Dael in the Chess.ceo database (Oct 2014 - 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: 513 wins, 215 draws, 566 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B32 | Sicilian | 69 | 32/10/27 | 46.4% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 59 | 23/10/26 | 39.0% |
| C50 | Italian Game | 41 | 20/9/12 | 48.8% |
| C18 | French: Winawer Variation | 37 | 18/10/9 | 48.6% |
| C13 | French: Classical Variation | 29 | 14/5/10 | 48.3% |
| C54 | Italian Game: Classical Variation | 27 | 12/4/11 | 44.4% |
| B15 | Caro-Kann: Main Line | 25 | 11/6/8 | 44.0% |
| A00 | Dunst Opening | 19 | 3/1/15 | 15.8% |
| B48 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 19 | 12/2/5 | 63.2% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 17 | 8/2/7 | 47.1% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 44 | 18/5/21 | 40.9% |
| E92 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 36 | 9/14/13 | 25.0% |
| E71 | King's Indian Defense | 35 | 12/8/15 | 34.3% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 27 | 14/1/12 | 51.9% |
| C54 | Italian Game | 26 | 9/3/14 | 34.6% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 21 | 4/4/13 | 19.0% |
| E73 | King's Indian Defense: Averbakh System | 21 | 4/7/10 | 19.0% |
| E61 | Indian Defense | 20 | 9/4/7 | 45.0% |
| B53 | Sicilian | 20 | 5/2/13 | 25.0% |
| A49 | Réti Opening: Symmetrical Defense | 19 | 6/2/11 | 31.6% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2022 | Gabriel Sargissian | 2,711 | Santiago de Compostela Bicapawn GP B4 | B06 |
| Dec 2022 | Gata Kamsky | 2,664 | Titled Tue Late | B01 |
| Mar 2024 | Alexei Shirov | 2,658 | Titled Tue Late | C54 |
| Feb 2021 | David Paravyan | 2,647 | Titled Tue | B98 |
| Oct 2022 | Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli | 2,629 | Santiago de Compostela Bicapawn GP B3 | B38 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2025 | 464 | 189.5 | 2,211 |
| ch-NED U11 | 2014 | 36 | 22 | 1,052 |
| ch-NED U13 | 2015 | 21 | 12.5 | 1,716 |
| ch-NED U10 | 2013 | 16 | 11.5 | 1,246 |
| Kragero Open | 2022 | 15 | 7.5 | 2,243 |
| Dieren Open | 2018 | 15 | 8 | 2,392 |
| Dutch Championship Qualification | 2025 | 13 | 6.5 | 2,240 |
| chT-World Rapid | 2023 | 12 | 7.5 | 2,380 |
Interactive opening tree from all 1,294 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Siem Van Dael's chess games?
1,294 games by Siem Van Dael, from Oct 2014 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 Siem Van Dael has played.
What does Siem Van Dael play on the first move as White?
Across 654 games with White in our database, Siem Van Dael opens with 1.e4 (89% of games), 1.Nc3 (3% of games), 1.h4 (2% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Siem Van Dael answers 1...c5 (47% of games), 1...e5 (39% of games), 1...g6 (5% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (76% of games), 1...d5 (16% of games), 1...g6 (6% of games).
What openings does Siem Van Dael play as White?
As White, Siem Van Dael's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (69 games, 46.4% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (59 games, 39.0% win rate); Italian Game (41 games, 48.8% win rate). The full breakdown of 654 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Siem Van Dael play as Black?
As Black, Siem Van Dael most often plays: Sicilian: Najdorf (44 games, 40.9% win rate); King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation (36 games, 25.0% win rate); King's Indian Defense (35 games, 34.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 640 games.
What is Siem Van Dael's FIDE rating?
Siem Van Dael is currently rated 2,334 in classical chess, 2,233 in rapid and 2,236 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,390 (Aug 2021).
How many games has Siem Van Dael played?
Our database contains 1,294 games by Siem Van Dael, covering Oct 2014 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 513 wins, 215 draws, 566 losses (39.6% win rate).
How do I prepare against Siem Van Dael?
1,294 games by Siem Van Dael 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.