Prepare against Tom Middelburg
IM · New Zealand · World #2,872 classical · FIDE ID 1004930
When preparing against Tom Middelburg, expect 1.e4 in 93% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (79% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (70%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Sicilian: Najdorf as White, 15.0% over 20 games.
Our database contains 369 games by Tom Middelburg, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Tom Middelburg's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Tom Middelburg 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 | 2,344 | 2,419 | Jan 2007 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 369 | 127 | 128 | 114 | 34.4% |
| As White | 183 | 71 | 63 | 49 | 38.8% |
| As Black | 186 | 56 | 65 | 65 | 30.1% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Tom Middelburg's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Tom Middelburg's side.
First moves as White (183 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 170 | 92.9% | 55.6% |
| c4 | 8 | 4.4% | 62.5% |
| d4 | 3 | 1.6% | 50.0% |
| Nf3 | 2 | 1.1% | 75.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 93% of White games, 55.6% score
- …c5 (49% of these games) — Middelburg usually continues Nf3 (46.8% score)
- …e5 (17% of these games) — Middelburg usually continues Nf3 (59.3% score)
- …e6 (14% of these games) — Middelburg usually continues d4 (76.1% score)
- 1.c4 — 4% of White games, 62.5% score
- …g6 (38% of these games) — Middelburg usually continues Nc3 (33.3% score)
- …e5 (13% of these games) — Middelburg usually continues g3 (100.0% score)
- …c6 (13% of these games) — Middelburg usually continues b3 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (101 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 80 | 79.2% | 48.8% |
| c6 | 16 | 15.8% | 43.8% |
| g6 | 2 | 2.0% | 50.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 1.0% | 0.0% |
| e5 | 1 | 1.0% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (47 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 33 | 70.2% | 47.0% |
| Nf6 | 14 | 29.8% | 53.6% |
Tom Middelburg's chess games
All 369 games by Tom Middelburg in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - Sep 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: 127 wins, 128 draws, 114 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B32 | Sicilian | 26 | 7/10/9 | 26.9% |
| B93 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 20 | 3/12/5 | 15.0% |
| C49 | Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation | 20 | 9/4/7 | 45.0% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 11 | 3/5/3 | 27.3% |
| C14 | French: Classical Variation | 9 | 6/3/0 | 66.7% |
| B49 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 8 | 1/2/5 | 12.5% |
| B70 | Sicilian: Dragon | 7 | 3/3/1 | 42.9% |
| C18 | French: Winawer Variation | 5 | 2/3/0 | 40.0% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 5 | 3/1/1 | 60.0% |
| C10 | French Defense | 4 | 2/2/0 | 50.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D15 | Slav Defense | 27 | 5/13/9 | 18.5% |
| B47 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 19 | 4/10/5 | 21.1% |
| B70 | Sicilian: Dragon | 13 | 6/4/3 | 46.2% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 9 | 3/3/3 | 33.3% |
| B50 | Sicilian | 9 | 1/3/5 | 11.1% |
| B30 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 8 | 2/3/3 | 25.0% |
| B26 | Sicilian: Closed | 8 | 3/2/3 | 37.5% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 7 | 1/2/4 | 14.3% |
| D31 | Semi-Slav Defense | 7 | 2/2/3 | 28.6% |
| B87 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 6 | 3/1/2 | 50.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1997 | Jun Xie | 2,500 | 1st Vlissingen HZ Open | C49 |
| Sep 2026 | Ortik Nigmatov | 2,484 | 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 2026 | Open | Matches 1-12 | B56 |
| Mar 2006 | Karel Van der Weide | 2,466 | chT-NED 0506 | B41 |
| Dec 2001 | Jan Werle | 2,459 | Groningen SO ON | C02 |
| Sep 2001 | Sipke Ernst | 2,459 | chT-NED 0102 | C48 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-NED U20 | 2000 | 26 | 15 | 2,354 |
| Groningen Open | 1999 | 15 | 8 | 2,449 |
| chT-NED 9697 | 1996 | 10 | 4 | 2,235 |
| Bob Wade Masters 2025 | 2025 | 9 | 4.5 | 2,324 |
| ch-NED 53 sf | 1998 | 9 | 4 | 2,255 |
| Groningen SO ON | 2001 | 9 | 6 | 2,487 |
| chT-NED 9900 | 2000 | 9 | 5.5 | 2,471 |
| ch-NED U17 | 1996 | 9 | 4.5 | – |
Interactive opening tree from all 369 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Tom Middelburg's chess games?
369 games by Tom Middelburg, from Apr 2003 to Sep 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 Tom Middelburg has played.
What does Tom Middelburg play on the first move as White?
Across 183 games with White in our database, Tom Middelburg opens with 1.e4 (93% of games), 1.c4 (4% of games), 1.d4 (2% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Tom Middelburg answers 1...c5 (79% of games), 1...c6 (16% of games), 1...g6 (2% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (70% of games), 1...Nf6 (30% of games).
What openings does Tom Middelburg play as White?
As White, Tom Middelburg's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (26 games, 26.9% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (20 games, 15.0% win rate); Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation (20 games, 45.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 183 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Tom Middelburg play as Black?
As Black, Tom Middelburg most often plays: Slav Defense (27 games, 18.5% win rate); Sicilian: Taimanov (19 games, 21.1% win rate); Sicilian: Dragon (13 games, 46.2% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 186 games.
What is Tom Middelburg's FIDE rating?
Tom Middelburg is currently rated 2,344 in classical chess. Peak classical rating: 2,419 (Jan 2007).
How many games has Tom Middelburg played?
Our database contains 369 games by Tom Middelburg, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 127 wins, 128 draws, 114 losses (34.4% win rate).
How do I prepare against Tom Middelburg?
369 games by Tom Middelburg 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.