Prepare against Tapio Salo
FM · Finland · World #8,602 classical · FIDE ID 501360
Our database contains 362 games by Tapio Salo, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Tapio Salo's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Tapio Salo 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 | 2,193 | 2,324 | Apr 2003 |
| Rapid | 2,198 | 2,219 | Aug 2022 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 362 | 99 | 194 | 69 | 27.3% |
| As White | 184 | 63 | 92 | 29 | 34.2% |
| As Black | 178 | 36 | 102 | 40 | 20.2% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Tapio Salo's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Tapio Salo's side.
First moves as White (184 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf3 | 161 | 87.5% | 59.9% |
| d4 | 15 | 8.2% | 53.3% |
| c4 | 6 | 3.3% | 66.7% |
| e4 | 2 | 1.1% | 25.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.Nf3 — 88% of White games, 59.9% score
- …Nf6 (45% of these games) — Salo usually continues c4 (59.9% score)
- …d5 (23% of these games) — Salo usually continues c4 (62.0% score)
- …c5 (12% of these games) — Salo usually continues c4 (60.5% score)
- 1.d4 — 8% of White games, 53.3% score
- …Nf6 (80% of these games) — Salo usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
- …d5 (13% of these games) — Salo usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
- …c5 (7% of these games) — Salo usually continues d5 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (93 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c6 | 89 | 95.7% | 48.3% |
| c5 | 2 | 2.2% | 75.0% |
| d5 | 2 | 2.2% | 75.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (49 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 46 | 93.9% | 51.1% |
| d5 | 2 | 4.1% | 50.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 2.0% | 0.0% |
Tapio Salo's chess games
All 362 games by Tapio Salo 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: 99 wins, 194 draws, 69 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E66 | English Opening | 59 | 25/29/5 | 42.4% |
| A35 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 19 | 8/5/6 | 42.1% |
| D36 | Indian Defense | 18 | 3/12/3 | 16.7% |
| D15 | Slav Defense | 18 | 6/10/2 | 33.3% |
| E62 | Modern Defense | 10 | 5/3/2 | 50.0% |
| A09 | Réti Opening | 8 | 5/3/0 | 62.5% |
| A30 | Queen's Indian Defense | 7 | 1/4/2 | 14.3% |
| A41 | Rat Defense | 6 | 1/5/0 | 16.7% |
| D31 | Semi-Slav Defense | 6 | 1/4/1 | 16.7% |
| D06 | Queen's Pawn Game | 5 | 1/3/1 | 20.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B17 | Caro-Kann: Karpov Variation | 31 | 5/17/9 | 16.1% |
| B14 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 23 | 6/14/3 | 26.1% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 13 | 4/6/3 | 30.8% |
| B10 | Caro-Kann | 12 | 2/6/4 | 16.7% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 9 | 0/6/3 | 0.0% |
| A17 | English Opening | 7 | 1/4/2 | 14.3% |
| E41 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 7 | 1/3/3 | 14.3% |
| E04 | Catalan | 7 | 1/6/0 | 14.3% |
| D38 | Indian Defense | 7 | 2/4/1 | 28.6% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 7 | 0/6/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1999 | Kalle Kiik | 2,438 | chT-FIN 9900 | E62 |
| Jan 1998 | Aleksei Holmsten | 2,425 | 8th Heart of Finland Open | D70 |
| Jan 1992 | Yrjo A Rantanen | 2,410 | chT-FIN | B14 |
| Jan 1999 | Joose Norri | 2,405 | chT-FIN 9899 | B41 |
| Feb 2006 | Vladimir Zavoronkov | 2,374 | chT1A-FIN 0506 | A37 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salo We SalSK Open | 2003 | 27 | 12.5 | 2,246 |
| chT-FIN | 1994 | 25 | 13 | 2,364 |
| Espoo We MatSK Open | 1998 | 15 | 7.5 | 2,243 |
| Turku Open | 1999 | 14 | 9 | 2,311 |
| chT-FIN 9596 | 1996 | 11 | 6.5 | 2,406 |
| 19th Politiken Cup | 1997 | 11 | 6.5 | 2,322 |
| 18th Politiken Cup | 1996 | 11 | 6 | 2,251 |
| chT-FIN 9899 | 1999 | 9 | 4 | 2,315 |
Interactive opening tree from all 362 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Tapio Salo's chess games?
362 games by Tapio Salo, 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 Tapio Salo has played.
What does Tapio Salo play on the first move as White?
Across 184 games with White in our database, Tapio Salo opens with 1.Nf3 (88% of games), 1.d4 (8% of games), 1.c4 (3% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Tapio Salo answers 1...c6 (96% of games), 1...c5 (2% of games), 1...d5 (2% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (94% of games), 1...d5 (4% of games), 1...e6 (2% of games).
What openings does Tapio Salo play as White?
As White, Tapio Salo's most-played openings in our database are: English Opening (59 games, 42.4% win rate); English Opening: Symmetrical (19 games, 42.1% win rate); Indian Defense (18 games, 16.7% win rate). The full breakdown of 184 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Tapio Salo play as Black?
As Black, Tapio Salo most often plays: Caro-Kann: Karpov Variation (31 games, 16.1% win rate); Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation (23 games, 26.1% win rate); Caro-Kann: Advance Variation (13 games, 30.8% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 178 games.
What is Tapio Salo's FIDE rating?
Tapio Salo is currently rated 2,193 in classical chess, 2,198 in rapid. Peak classical rating: 2,324 (Apr 2003).
How many games has Tapio Salo played?
Our database contains 362 games by Tapio Salo, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 99 wins, 194 draws, 69 losses (27.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Tapio Salo?
362 games by Tapio Salo 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.