Prepare against Thierry Penson
Belgium · World #12,625 classical · FIDE ID 200239
Our database contains 284 games by Thierry Penson, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Thierry Penson's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Thierry Penson 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 | 2,133 | 2,264 | Apr 2004 |
| Rapid | 2,103 | 2,191 | Aug 2024 |
| Blitz | 2,081 | 2,221 | May 2014 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 284 | 122 | 87 | 75 | 43.0% |
| As White | 145 | 61 | 47 | 37 | 42.1% |
| As Black | 139 | 61 | 40 | 38 | 43.9% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Thierry Penson's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Thierry Penson's side.
First moves as White (145 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 100 | 69.0% | 57.5% |
| d4 | 27 | 18.6% | 61.1% |
| c4 | 8 | 5.5% | 56.3% |
| Nc3 | 3 | 2.1% | 50.0% |
| b3 | 3 | 2.1% | 83.3% |
| Nf3 | 3 | 2.1% | 33.3% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 69% of White games, 57.5% score
- …c5 (39% of these games) — Penson usually continues Ne2 (65.9% score)
- …e5 (33% of these games) — Penson usually continues Nf3 (56.3% score)
- …c6 (8% of these games) — Penson usually continues Nc3 (37.5% score)
- 1.d4 — 19% of White games, 61.1% score
- …Nf6 (52% of these games) — Penson usually continues c4 (62.5% score)
- …d5 (22% of these games) — Penson usually continues Nf3 (83.3% score)
- …f5 (11% of these games) — Penson usually continues c4 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (73 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 51 | 69.9% | 66.7% |
| Nf6 | 11 | 15.1% | 31.8% |
| e5 | 5 | 6.8% | 50.0% |
| e6 | 3 | 4.1% | 50.0% |
| Nc6 | 2 | 2.7% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 1 | 1.4% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (47 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 36 | 76.6% | 61.1% |
| d5 | 5 | 10.6% | 20.0% |
| e6 | 4 | 8.5% | 50.0% |
| g6 | 1 | 2.1% | 100.0% |
| c6 | 1 | 2.1% | 100.0% |
Thierry Penson's chess games
All 284 games by Thierry Penson in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - Aug 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: 122 wins, 87 draws, 75 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B20 | Sicilian | 29 | 13/10/6 | 44.8% |
| C68 | Ruy Lopez: Exchange | 11 | 3/4/4 | 27.3% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 8 | 5/2/1 | 62.5% |
| C26 | Vienna Game | 5 | 2/3/0 | 40.0% |
| E23 | Nimzo-Indian Defense | 5 | 2/2/1 | 40.0% |
| C18 | French: Winawer Variation | 4 | 0/0/4 | 0.0% |
| A44 | Benoni Defense | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| B11 | Caro-Kann: Two Knights Variation | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| B02 | Alekhine Defense | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B60 | Sicilian | 25 | 14/5/6 | 56.0% |
| A56 | Benoni Defense | 10 | 4/5/1 | 40.0% |
| B04 | Alekhine Defense | 9 | 1/4/4 | 11.1% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 9 | 3/2/4 | 33.3% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 7 | 3/1/3 | 42.9% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 7 | 5/2/0 | 71.4% |
| E49 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 6 | 1/2/3 | 16.7% |
| B30 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 6 | 3/2/1 | 50.0% |
| A15 | English Opening | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| A30 | Queen's Indian Defense | 3 | 1/2/0 | 33.3% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2010 | Vyacheslav Ikonnikov | 2,571 | Zwijndrecht Open | B20 |
| Oct 1994 | Martin Martens | 2,415 | chT-BEL 9495 | B40 |
| Jan 1983 | Frans Kuijpers | 2,405 | Roosendaal | B24 |
| Jan 2014 | Christophe Philippe | 2,384 | chT-BEL 1314 | B85 |
| Jul 1983 | Johan Goormachtigh | 2,375 | ch-BEL Experts | B81 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-BEL | 2010 | 46 | 25 | 2,277 |
| ch-Antwerp League Experts | 1989 | 27 | 16.5 | 2,299 |
| ch-BEL Open | 2013 | 23 | 17.5 | 2,179 |
| Roosendaal | 1983 | 11 | 6.5 | 2,461 |
| ch-Antwerp League | 1984 | 9 | 6.5 | – |
| chT-BEL 9899 | 1999 | 9 | 5 | 2,270 |
| 9th Brasschaat Open | 2009 | 9 | 6 | 2,090 |
| OHRA Open | 1987 | 9 | 3 | 2,171 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Robert Schuermans (11 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 284 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Thierry Penson's chess games?
284 games by Thierry Penson, from Apr 2003 to Aug 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 Thierry Penson has played.
What does Thierry Penson play on the first move as White?
Across 145 games with White in our database, Thierry Penson opens with 1.e4 (69% of games), 1.d4 (19% of games), 1.c4 (6% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Thierry Penson answers 1...c5 (70% of games), 1...Nf6 (15% of games), 1...e5 (7% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (77% of games), 1...d5 (11% of games), 1...e6 (9% of games).
What openings does Thierry Penson play as White?
As White, Thierry Penson's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (29 games, 44.8% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Exchange (11 games, 27.3% win rate); Modern Defense (8 games, 62.5% win rate). The full breakdown of 145 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Thierry Penson play as Black?
As Black, Thierry Penson most often plays: Sicilian (25 games, 56.0% win rate); Benoni Defense (10 games, 40.0% win rate); Alekhine Defense (9 games, 11.1% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 139 games.
What is Thierry Penson's FIDE rating?
Thierry Penson is currently rated 2,133 in classical chess, 2,103 in rapid and 2,081 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,264 (Apr 2004).
How many games has Thierry Penson played?
Our database contains 284 games by Thierry Penson, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 122 wins, 87 draws, 75 losses (43.0% win rate).
How do I prepare against Thierry Penson?
284 games by Thierry Penson 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.