Prepare against Steven Zierk

GM · United States · World #668 classical · FIDE ID 2034255

When preparing against Steven Zierk, expect 1.e4 in 87% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e6 (57% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (59%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Queen's Pawn Game as Black, 34.6% over 26 games.

Our database contains 1,845 games by Steven Zierk, covering Jul 2008 to Nov 2026. Below you'll find Steven Zierk's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Steven Zierk 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	2,487	2,517	Sep 2019
Rapid	2,517	2,517	Nov 2026
Blitz	2,459	2,512	Oct 2019

Performance record

Split	Games	Wins	Draws	Losses	Win rate
Overall	1,845	1,097	274	474	59.5%
As White	943	596	130	217	63.2%
As Black	902	501	144	257	55.5%

FIDE rated record

From FIDE's official rated-game ledger (2007-2026): 582 rated games against 395 different opponents, across 74 events in 5 countries. These counts cover FIDE-rated play only, so they differ from the database totals above.

By time control

Format	Games	W	D	L	Win rate	Avg opp	Perf	Unbeaten
Classical	517	241	176	100	46.6%	2,347	2,447	34
Rapid	17	9	4	4	52.9%	2,441	2,541	4
Blitz	39	25	6	8	64.1%	2,278	2,403	14

Against the field

Opposition	Games	W	D	L	Win rate
Against higher-rated	190	48	65	77	25.3%
Against lower-rated	340	195	119	26	57.4%

Wins over titled players: 58 vs GM · 65 vs IM · 51 vs FM · 6 vs CM · 9 vs WGM · 4 vs WIM · 1 vs WFM.

Tournament wins

15 tournament wins from 74 events, 9 of them outright.

Year by year

Year	Games	W	D	L	Avg opp	Perf
2026	9	3	3	3	2,633	2,633
2025	19	10	7	2	2,215	2,383
2024	13	7	5	1	2,459	2,644
2023	19	9	7	3	2,344	2,470
2021	18	12	3	3	2,240	2,340
2020	3	1	1	1	2,549	2,549
2019	87	39	30	18	2,347	2,436
2018	73	29	33	11	2,400	2,499
2017	12	5	3	4	2,435	2,468
2016	18	6	8	4	2,442	2,486
2015	43	21	16	6	2,380	2,523
2012	26	14	7	5	2,352	2,490
2011	11	9	2	0	2,223	2,543
2010	108	52	34	22	2,328	2,426
2009	48	23	19	6	2,277	2,408
2008	63	34	12	17	2,290	2,347
2007	12	5	0	7	2,187	2,053

Where Steven Zierk has played

United States (82) · Canada (3) · Iceland (2) · Greece (1) · Kazakhstan (1)

Move-by-move preparation stats

Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Steven Zierk's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Steven Zierk's side.

First moves as White (943 games)

Move	Games	Share	Player score
e4	821	87.1%	68.6%
d4	45	4.8%	78.9%
b3	38	4.0%	81.6%
Nf3	27	2.9%	77.8%
c4	12	1.3%	87.5%

Main lines as White

1.e4 — 87% of White games, 68.6% score
- …c5 (39% of these games) — Zierk usually continues Nf3 (66.3% score)
- …e5 (21% of these games) — Zierk usually continues Nf3 (68.3% score)
- …e6 (14% of these games) — Zierk usually continues d4 (73.7% score)
1.d4 — 5% of White games, 78.9% score
- …Nf6 (58% of these games) — Zierk usually continues c4 (91.2% score)
- …d5 (33% of these games) — Zierk usually continues c4 (65.0% score)
- …b6 (2% of these games) — Zierk usually continues e4 (100.0% score)

As Black against 1.e4 (389 games)

Move	Games	Share	Player score
e6	221	56.8%	68.1%
c5	151	38.8%	63.2%
c6	13	3.3%	57.7%
e5	4	1.0%	37.5%

As Black against 1.d4 (321 games)

Move	Games	Share	Player score
d5	188	58.6%	67.3%
Nf6	108	33.6%	59.3%
e6	19	5.9%	71.1%
f5	6	1.9%	16.7%

Steven Zierk's chess games

All 1,845 games by Steven Zierk in the Chess.ceo database (Jul 2008 - Nov 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: 1,097 wins, 274 draws, 474 losses.

Openings as White

ECO	Opening	Games	W/D/L	Win rate
B55	Sicilian	138	83/20/35	60.1%
C07	French: Tarrasch Variation	64	39/10/15	60.9%
B13	Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation	53	38/2/13	71.7%
B31	Sicilian: Rossolimo	46	25/5/16	54.3%
A01	Nimzovich-Larsen attack	38	28/6/4	73.7%
C77	Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense	35	25/3/7	71.4%
B06	Modern Defense	33	22/5/6	66.7%
B51	Sicilian: Moscow Variation	32	19/7/6	59.4%
C56	Italian Game	29	18/2/9	62.1%
B90	Sicilian: Najdorf	28	16/6/6	57.1%

Openings as Black

ECO	Opening	Games	W/D/L	Win rate
D27	Queen's Gambit Accepted	100	61/19/20	61.0%
C18	French: Winawer Variation	96	59/15/22	61.5%
B50	Sicilian	63	38/5/20	60.3%
A07	Réti Opening	55	28/9/18	50.9%
C07	French: Tarrasch Variation	52	31/13/8	59.6%
D02	London System	36	25/6/5	69.4%
A13	English Opening	33	18/5/10	54.5%
C01	French: Exchange Variation	27	17/0/10	63.0%
D02	Queen's Pawn Game	26	9/5/12	34.6%
D37	Indian Defense	25	13/5/7	52.0%

Notable wins

Date	Opponent	Elo	Event	ECO
Jan 2020	Fabiano Caruana	2,822	PRO League Stage	C54
Sep 2022	Anish Giri	2,764	Titled Tue Early	E94
Jul 2026	Erigaisi Arjun	2,757	2nd 3-0 Thu 9th Jul 2026	B00
Sep 2023	Wesley So	2,753	Titled Tue Early	C03
Sep 2020	Sergey Karjakin	2,752	Titled Tue	C18

Top events

Event	Year	Games	Score	TPR
Titled Tuesday	2026	1,189	828	2,564
PRO League Stage	2020	44	21	2,495
USA tt	2015	22	12	2,500
Saint Louis Fall-B	2019	18	8.5	2,505
Saint Louis GM	2017	17	10.5	2,560
US Masters Open	2019	13	8.5	2,579
2nd 3-0 Thu 30th Jul 2026	2026	11	8.5	2,699
1st 3-0 Thu 9th Jul 2026	2026	11	7	2,468

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Frequently asked questions

Where can I find Steven Zierk's chess games?

1,845 games by Steven Zierk, from Jul 2008 to Nov 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 Zierk has played.

What does Steven Zierk play on the first move as White?

Across 943 games with White in our database, Steven Zierk opens with 1.e4 (87% of games), 1.d4 (5% of games), 1.b3 (4% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Steven Zierk answers 1...e6 (57% of games), 1...c5 (39% of games), 1...c6 (3% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (59% of games), 1...Nf6 (34% of games), 1...e6 (6% of games).

What openings does Steven Zierk play as White?

As White, Steven Zierk's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (138 games, 60.1% win rate); French: Tarrasch Variation (64 games, 60.9% win rate); Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation (53 games, 71.7% win rate). The full breakdown of 943 games with White is in the table above.

What openings does Steven Zierk play as Black?

As Black, Steven Zierk most often plays: Queen's Gambit Accepted (100 games, 61.0% win rate); French: Winawer Variation (96 games, 61.5% win rate); Sicilian (63 games, 60.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 902 games.

What is Steven Zierk's FIDE rating?

Steven Zierk is currently rated 2,487 in classical chess, 2,517 in rapid and 2,459 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,517 (Sep 2019).

How many games has Steven Zierk played?

Our database contains 1,845 games by Steven Zierk, covering Jul 2008 to Nov 2026. Overall record: 1,097 wins, 274 draws, 474 losses (59.5% win rate).

How do I prepare against Steven Zierk?

1,845 games by Steven Zierk 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.