Prepare against Steven Szpisjak
United States · World #48,993 classical · FIDE ID 2012367
Our database contains 153 games by Steven Szpisjak, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Steven Szpisjak's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Steven Szpisjak 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 | 1,897 | 2,241 | Jul 2005 |
| Rapid | 2,099 | 2,099 | Jul 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 153 | 66 | 37 | 50 | 43.1% |
| As White | 77 | 33 | 18 | 26 | 42.9% |
| As Black | 76 | 33 | 19 | 24 | 43.4% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Steven Szpisjak's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Steven Szpisjak's side.
First moves as White (77 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 32 | 41.6% | 56.3% |
| d4 | 22 | 28.6% | 59.1% |
| c4 | 17 | 22.1% | 44.1% |
| b3 | 3 | 3.9% | 33.3% |
| Nf3 | 2 | 2.6% | 100.0% |
| f4 | 1 | 1.3% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 42% of White games, 56.3% score
- …e5 (28% of these games) — Szpisjak usually continues Nf3 (37.5% score)
- …c5 (28% of these games) — Szpisjak usually continues Nf3 (57.1% score)
- …c6 (13% of these games) — Szpisjak usually continues d4 (87.5% score)
- 1.d4 — 29% of White games, 59.1% score
- …Nf6 (50% of these games) — Szpisjak usually continues c4 (58.3% score)
- …d5 (32% of these games) — Szpisjak usually continues c4 (62.5% score)
- …d6 (9% of these games) — Szpisjak usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (30 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 9 | 30.0% | 50.0% |
| e6 | 8 | 26.7% | 56.3% |
| e5 | 5 | 16.7% | 70.0% |
| c6 | 3 | 10.0% | 66.7% |
| g6 | 3 | 10.0% | 66.7% |
| d6 | 2 | 6.7% | 75.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (31 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 16 | 51.6% | 43.8% |
| d5 | 7 | 22.6% | 57.1% |
| d6 | 3 | 9.7% | 66.7% |
| f5 | 2 | 6.5% | 0.0% |
| c5 | 2 | 6.5% | 100.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 3.2% | 50.0% |
Steven Szpisjak's chess games
All 153 games by Steven Szpisjak 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: 66 wins, 37 draws, 50 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A42 | Modern Defense | 5 | 2/2/1 | 40.0% |
| A14 | English Opening | 5 | 2/0/3 | 40.0% |
| A43 | Benoni Defense | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
| E20 | Nimzo-Indian Defense | 3 | 3/0/0 | 100.0% |
| E73 | King's Indian Defense: Averbakh System | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| A01 | Nimzovich-Larsen attack | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| E08 | Catalan | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| A20 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 3 | 2/1/0 | 66.7% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 3 | 0/2/1 | 0.0% |
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D36 | Indian Defense | 6 | 0/2/4 | 0.0% |
| A51 | Budapest Defense | 5 | 2/2/1 | 40.0% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| B40 | Sicilian | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| A04 | Réti Opening | 4 | 0/1/3 | 0.0% |
| D11 | Slav Defense | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
| D86 | Grünfeld Defense | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| B13 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 3 | 1/1/1 | 33.3% |
| A21 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 3 | 2/1/0 | 66.7% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1997 | Nikola Mitkov | 2,525 | National Open | A29 |
| Jan 1990 | Marc Lonoff | 2,340 | Lincolnwood TOC | C02 |
| Jan 1996 | Andrew Karklins | 2,335 | Chicago Open | C02 |
| Jan 1993 | Roman Izrailevich Levit | 2,315 | Illinois Open 2 | A13 |
| Aug 2001 | David Lucky | 2,311 | 102nd US Open | B13 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Open | 1997 | 14 | 7.5 | 2,367 |
| Illinois Open | 2025 | 11 | 8.5 | 2,325 |
| 95th US Open | 1994 | 10 | 6 | 2,377 |
| US Open 1997 | 1996 | 7 | 5 | 2,437 |
| Chicago US Masters | 1996 | 7 | 4 | 2,403 |
| Lincolnwood TOC | 1990 | 7 | 3.5 | 2,303 |
| 28th World Open | 2000 | 6 | 3 | 2,272 |
| 102nd US Open | 2001 | 6 | 4 | 2,445 |
Interactive opening tree from all 153 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Steven Szpisjak's chess games?
153 games by Steven Szpisjak, 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 Steven Szpisjak has played.
What does Steven Szpisjak play on the first move as White?
Across 77 games with White in our database, Steven Szpisjak opens with 1.e4 (42% of games), 1.d4 (29% of games), 1.c4 (22% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Steven Szpisjak answers 1...c5 (30% of games), 1...e6 (27% of games), 1...e5 (17% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (52% of games), 1...d5 (23% of games), 1...d6 (10% of games).
What openings does Steven Szpisjak play as White?
As White, Steven Szpisjak's most-played openings in our database are: Modern Defense (5 games, 40.0% win rate); English Opening (5 games, 40.0% win rate); Benoni Defense (4 games, 25.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 77 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Steven Szpisjak play as Black?
As Black, Steven Szpisjak most often plays: Indian Defense (6 games, 0.0% win rate); Budapest Defense (5 games, 40.0% win rate); Modern Defense (4 games, 50.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 76 games.
What is Steven Szpisjak's FIDE rating?
Steven Szpisjak is currently rated 1,897 in classical chess, 2,099 in rapid. Peak classical rating: 2,241 (Jul 2005).
How many games has Steven Szpisjak played?
Our database contains 153 games by Steven Szpisjak, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 66 wins, 37 draws, 50 losses (43.1% win rate).
How do I prepare against Steven Szpisjak?
153 games by Steven Szpisjak 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.