Prepare against Tikhon Popov
FM · Russia · World #4,671 classical · FIDE ID 24252026
Our database contains 1,005 games by Tikhon Popov, covering Nov 2016 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Tikhon Popov's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Tikhon Popov 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 | 2,283 | 2,335 | Jan 2026 |
| Rapid | 2,364 | 2,392 | May 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,367 | 2,382 | Jun 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,005 | 503 | 107 | 395 | 50.0% |
| As White | 504 | 270 | 51 | 183 | 53.6% |
| As Black | 501 | 233 | 56 | 212 | 46.5% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Tikhon Popov's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Tikhon Popov's side.
First moves as White (503 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 355 | 70.6% | 56.2% |
| d4 | 62 | 12.3% | 68.5% |
| c4 | 49 | 9.7% | 63.3% |
| Nf3 | 26 | 5.2% | 57.7% |
| Nc3 | 6 | 1.2% | 83.3% |
| a3 | 2 | 0.4% | 75.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 71% of White games, 56.2% score
- …c5 (42% of these games) — Popov usually continues Nf3 (58.6% score)
- …e5 (23% of these games) — Popov usually continues Nf3 (50.7% score)
- …c6 (11% of these games) — Popov usually continues Nf3 (54.8% score)
- 1.d4 — 12% of White games, 68.5% score
- …Nf6 (53% of these games) — Popov usually continues Bf4 (63.2% score)
- …d5 (26% of these games) — Popov usually continues c4 (68.8% score)
- …e6 (10% of these games) — Popov usually continues e4 (66.7% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (216 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 122 | 56.5% | 51.6% |
| e5 | 41 | 19.0% | 52.4% |
| d5 | 25 | 11.6% | 60.0% |
| Nc6 | 14 | 6.5% | 64.3% |
| c6 | 9 | 4.2% | 77.8% |
| Nf6 | 3 | 1.4% | 33.3% |
As Black against 1.d4 (176 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 168 | 95.5% | 54.2% |
| d5 | 4 | 2.3% | 50.0% |
| g6 | 1 | 0.6% | 100.0% |
| e5 | 1 | 0.6% | 0.0% |
Tikhon Popov's chess games
All 1,005 games by Tikhon Popov in the Chess.ceo database (Nov 2016 - 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: 503 wins, 107 draws, 395 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B30 | Sicilian | 55 | 28/3/24 | 50.9% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 43 | 25/4/14 | 58.1% |
| A45 | London System | 25 | 16/1/8 | 64.0% |
| C46 | Four Knights Game | 23 | 16/1/6 | 69.6% |
| B10 | Caro-Kann | 19 | 10/2/7 | 52.6% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 16 | 8/1/7 | 50.0% |
| B40 | Sicilian: Four Knights | 13 | 9/2/2 | 69.2% |
| A27 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 13 | 7/2/4 | 53.8% |
| C00 | French Defense | 11 | 5/3/3 | 45.5% |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 11 | 3/1/7 | 27.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B40 | Sicilian | 46 | 19/11/16 | 41.3% |
| A15 | English Opening | 42 | 19/4/19 | 45.2% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 39 | 15/7/17 | 38.5% |
| A43 | Indian Defense | 36 | 20/3/13 | 55.6% |
| B40 | Sicilian: Four Knights | 25 | 11/6/8 | 44.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation | 22 | 14/0/8 | 63.6% |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 21 | 8/4/9 | 38.1% |
| E71 | King's Indian Defense | 20 | 4/1/15 | 20.0% |
| E92 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 15 | 5/2/8 | 33.3% |
| A45 | Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation | 11 | 7/2/2 | 63.6% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2026 | Parham Maghsoodloo | 2,720 | Titled Tuesday | A29 |
| May 2026 | Yakubboev,Nodirbek | 2,689 | Titled Tue 26th May 2026 | A21 |
| Jul 2026 | Aravindh,Chithambaram VR. | 2,677 | 1st 3-0 Thu 23rd Jul 2026 | B33 |
| Nov 2025 | A Sarana | 2,675 | Titled Tue | B52 |
| Apr 2025 | Bogdan-Daniel Deac | 2,668 | Titled Tue Late | B40 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2026 | 683 | 394 | 2,378 |
| 1st 3-0 Thursday | 2026 | 120 | 64 | 2,402 |
| Abu Dhabi Masters Online | 2025 | 22 | 13 | 2,452 |
| 2nd 3-0 Thursday | 2026 | 20 | 9.5 | 2,259 |
| ch-Tambov Region | 2019 | 18 | 11.5 | 1,916 |
| 1st 3-0 Thu 11th Jun 2026 | 2026 | 11 | 7 | 2,464 |
| 1st 3-0 Thu 23rd Jul 2026 | 2026 | 11 | 6 | 2,420 |
| 1st 3-0 Thu 4th Jun 2026 | 2026 | 11 | 8 | 2,589 |
Interactive opening tree from all 1,005 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Tikhon Popov's chess games?
1,005 games by Tikhon Popov, from Nov 2016 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 Tikhon Popov has played.
What does Tikhon Popov play on the first move as White?
Across 503 games with White in our database, Tikhon Popov opens with 1.e4 (71% of games), 1.d4 (12% of games), 1.c4 (10% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Tikhon Popov answers 1...c5 (56% of games), 1...e5 (19% of games), 1...d5 (12% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (95% of games), 1...d5 (2% of games), 1...g6 (1% of games).
What openings does Tikhon Popov play as White?
As White, Tikhon Popov's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (55 games, 50.9% win rate); Sicilian: Moscow Variation (43 games, 58.1% win rate); London System (25 games, 64.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 504 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Tikhon Popov play as Black?
As Black, Tikhon Popov most often plays: Sicilian (46 games, 41.3% win rate); English Opening (42 games, 45.2% win rate); Benoni Defense (39 games, 38.5% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 501 games.
What is Tikhon Popov's FIDE rating?
Tikhon Popov is currently rated 2,283 in classical chess, 2,364 in rapid and 2,367 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,335 (Jan 2026).
How many games has Tikhon Popov played?
Our database contains 1,005 games by Tikhon Popov, covering Nov 2016 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 503 wins, 107 draws, 395 losses (50.0% win rate).
How do I prepare against Tikhon Popov?
1,005 games by Tikhon Popov 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.