Prepare against Stephen Swanson
United Kingdom · World #11,683 classical · FIDE ID 2400251
When preparing against Stephen Swanson, expect 1.e4 in 82% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...g6 (51% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d6 (60%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Vienna Game as White, 23.5% over 17 games.
Our database contains 428 games by Stephen Swanson, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Stephen Swanson's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Stephen Swanson 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 | 2,145 | 2,291 | Apr 2003 |
| Rapid | 2,126 | 2,228 | Dec 2013 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 428 | 124 | 171 | 133 | 29.0% |
| As White | 205 | 63 | 80 | 62 | 30.7% |
| As Black | 223 | 61 | 91 | 71 | 27.4% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Stephen Swanson's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Stephen Swanson's side.
First moves as White (205 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 168 | 82.0% | 51.8% |
| f4 | 17 | 8.3% | 41.2% |
| g3 | 15 | 7.3% | 43.3% |
| d4 | 3 | 1.5% | 33.3% |
| Nf3 | 1 | 0.5% | 100.0% |
| c4 | 1 | 0.5% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 82% of White games, 51.8% score
- …c5 (41% of these games) — Swanson usually continues Nf3 (53.4% score)
- …e6 (18% of these games) — Swanson usually continues d3 (47.5% score)
- …e5 (13% of these games) — Swanson usually continues Nc3 (38.9% score)
- 1.f4 — 8% of White games, 41.2% score
- …d5 (35% of these games) — Swanson usually continues Nf3 (33.3% score)
- …Nf6 (29% of these games) — Swanson usually continues Nf3 (30.0% score)
- …g6 (18% of these games) — Swanson usually continues Nf3 (83.3% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (116 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| g6 | 59 | 50.9% | 42.4% |
| e5 | 33 | 28.4% | 43.9% |
| d6 | 18 | 15.5% | 52.8% |
| e6 | 5 | 4.3% | 30.0% |
| c5 | 1 | 0.9% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (60 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d6 | 36 | 60.0% | 50.0% |
| g6 | 14 | 23.3% | 60.7% |
| Nf6 | 8 | 13.3% | 43.8% |
| e6 | 1 | 1.7% | 0.0% |
| d5 | 1 | 1.7% | 50.0% |
Stephen Swanson's chess games
All 428 games by Stephen Swanson 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: 124 wins, 171 draws, 133 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B53 | Sicilian | 44 | 13/24/7 | 29.5% |
| C00 | King's Indian Attack | 20 | 6/7/7 | 30.0% |
| C29 | Vienna Game | 17 | 4/4/9 | 23.5% |
| A03 | Bird's opening | 16 | 5/4/7 | 31.3% |
| A00 | Hungarian Opening | 14 | 3/5/6 | 21.4% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 13 | 2/9/2 | 15.4% |
| B31 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 12 | 2/6/4 | 16.7% |
| B10 | Caro-Kann | 12 | 2/6/4 | 16.7% |
| B21 | Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit | 9 | 6/1/2 | 66.7% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 8 | 4/2/2 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B06 | Modern Defense | 81 | 22/32/27 | 27.2% |
| B06 | Pirc Defense | 25 | 10/5/10 | 40.0% |
| C74 | Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense Deferred | 14 | 4/5/5 | 28.6% |
| C41 | Philidor | 11 | 2/9/0 | 18.2% |
| A55 | Indian Defense | 11 | 3/4/4 | 27.3% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 10 | 5/3/2 | 50.0% |
| A41 | Rat Defense | 9 | 1/4/4 | 11.1% |
| A21 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 8 | 1/2/5 | 12.5% |
| A55 | Queen's Pawn Game | 7 | 2/3/2 | 28.6% |
| A55 | English Opening | 6 | 2/2/2 | 33.3% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1995 | Mark L Hebden | 2,550 | Scotland WE Open | B08 |
| May 2002 | John Shaw | 2,503 | chT2-BCF 0102 (4NCL) | B06 |
| Nov 1982 | Adam Kuligowski | 2,465 | Olympiad-25 | E85 |
| May 2005 | Graeme N Buckley | 2,417 | chT3-BCF 0405 (4NCL) | B01 |
| Nov 1982 | Walter Wittmann | 2,415 | Olympiad-25 | C72 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-EU U21 prel | 1974 | 14 | 5 | – |
| chT-BCF2 0708 (4NCL) | 2008 | 11 | 3 | 2,127 |
| chT-BCF 9697 (4NCL) | 1997 | 11 | 2 | 2,098 |
| chT2-BCF 0304 (4NCL) | 2004 | 11 | 4.5 | 2,243 |
| chT2-BCF 9900 (4NCL) | 2000 | 11 | 5 | 2,203 |
| chT2-BCF 0203 (4NCL) | 2003 | 11 | 4 | 2,249 |
| chT-BCF 0001 (4NCL) | 2001 | 11 | 4 | 2,256 |
| ch-EU U21 fin-D | 1974 | 10 | 8 | – |
Interactive opening tree from all 428 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Stephen Swanson's chess games?
428 games by Stephen Swanson, 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 Stephen Swanson has played.
What does Stephen Swanson play on the first move as White?
Across 205 games with White in our database, Stephen Swanson opens with 1.e4 (82% of games), 1.f4 (8% of games), 1.g3 (7% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Stephen Swanson answers 1...g6 (51% of games), 1...e5 (28% of games), 1...d6 (16% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d6 (60% of games), 1...g6 (23% of games), 1...Nf6 (13% of games).
What openings does Stephen Swanson play as White?
As White, Stephen Swanson's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (44 games, 29.5% win rate); King's Indian Attack (20 games, 30.0% win rate); Vienna Game (17 games, 23.5% win rate). The full breakdown of 205 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Stephen Swanson play as Black?
As Black, Stephen Swanson most often plays: Modern Defense (81 games, 27.2% win rate); Pirc Defense (25 games, 40.0% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense Deferred (14 games, 28.6% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 223 games.
What is Stephen Swanson's FIDE rating?
Stephen Swanson is currently rated 2,145 in classical chess, 2,126 in rapid. Peak classical rating: 2,291 (Apr 2003).
How many games has Stephen Swanson played?
Our database contains 428 games by Stephen Swanson, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 124 wins, 171 draws, 133 losses (29.0% win rate).
How do I prepare against Stephen Swanson?
428 games by Stephen Swanson 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.