Prepare against Ulrich Kessler
DEU · World #46,978 classical · FIDE ID 533015643
When preparing against Ulrich Kessler, expect 1.Nf3 in 77% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e6 (77% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (60%).
Our database contains 91 games by Ulrich Kessler, covering Dec 2024 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Ulrich Kessler's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Ulrich Kessler 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 | 1,906 | 1,920 | Apr 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 91 | 30 | 27 | 34 | 33.0% |
| As White | 47 | 20 | 11 | 16 | 42.6% |
| As Black | 44 | 10 | 16 | 18 | 22.7% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Ulrich Kessler's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Ulrich Kessler's side.
First moves as White (47 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf3 | 36 | 76.6% | 50.0% |
| e4 | 9 | 19.1% | 66.7% |
| c4 | 1 | 2.1% | 100.0% |
| f4 | 1 | 2.1% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.Nf3 — 77% of White games, 50.0% score
- …Nf6 (44% of these games) — Kessler usually continues g3 (40.0% score)
- …d5 (33% of these games) — Kessler usually continues g3 (28.6% score)
- …d6 (14% of these games) — Kessler usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
- 1.e4 — 19% of White games, 66.7% score
- …d6 (33% of these games) — Kessler usually continues d4 (66.7% score)
- …c5 (22% of these games) — Kessler usually continues Nc3 (50.0% score)
- …e5 (22% of these games) — Kessler usually continues Nf3 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (22 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e6 | 17 | 77.3% | 38.2% |
| d5 | 4 | 18.2% | 25.0% |
| c5 | 1 | 4.5% | 0.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (15 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 9 | 60.0% | 55.6% |
| f5 | 5 | 33.3% | 30.0% |
| c5 | 1 | 6.7% | 100.0% |
Ulrich Kessler's chess games
All 91 games by Ulrich Kessler in the Chess.ceo database (Dec 2024 - 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: 30 wins, 27 draws, 34 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A11 | Réti Opening | 14 | 5/5/4 | 35.7% |
| A14 | English Opening | 5 | 3/0/2 | 60.0% |
| A10 | English Opening: Neo-Catalan | 5 | 1/2/2 | 20.0% |
| A11 | Réti Opening: Symmetrical Defense | 4 | 1/1/2 | 25.0% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 3 | 2/0/1 | 66.7% |
| A21 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 3 | 1/0/2 | 33.3% |
| A11 | English Opening: Slav Setup | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| B25 | Sicilian: Closed | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| C71 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A38 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C18 | French: Winawer Variation | 8 | 2/0/6 | 25.0% |
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 7 | 3/2/2 | 42.9% |
| A81 | Dutch Defense | 6 | 0/3/3 | 0.0% |
| A10 | English Opening: Dutch Defense | 4 | 2/2/0 | 50.0% |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 4 | 0/2/2 | 0.0% |
| C01 | French: Exchange Variation | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| C06 | French: Tarrasch Variation | 3 | 0/2/1 | 0.0% |
| A56 | Benoni Defense | 1 | 1/0/0 | 100.0% |
| D03 | Torre Attack | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
| A39 | English Opening | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2007 | Manfred Olbrisch | 2,049 | Troisdorf Open | C16 |
| Oct 2007 | Martin Bigott | 2,037 | Troisdorf Open | D87 |
| Oct 2016 | Frank Lommen | 2,032 | Mittelrhein Verbandsliga-O 16/17 | A24 |
| Jan 2015 | Karl Koopmeiners | 1,962 | Mittelrhein Verbandsliga Ost 1415 | A12 |
| Jan 2018 | Horst Konzen | 1,956 | Mittelrhein Verbandsliga-S 17/18 | A24 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Troisdorf Open | 2013 | 19 | 10.5 | 1,939 |
| Mittelrhein Verbandsliga-O 16/17 | 2017 | 10 | 3.5 | 1,829 |
| Mittelrhein Verbandsliga-S 18/19 | 2019 | 10 | 4.5 | 1,824 |
| Verbandsliga Mittelrhein-Ost 1213 | 2013 | 9 | 3.5 | 1,924 |
| Mittelrhein Verbandsliga-S 17/18 | 2018 | 8 | 4 | 1,954 |
| Mittelrhein Verbandsliga Ost 1314 | 2014 | 8 | 4 | 1,915 |
| Mittelrhein Verbandsliga Ost 1415 | 2015 | 8 | 1.5 | 1,721 |
| Mittelrhein Verbandsliga-O 15/16 | 2016 | 8 | 5 | 2,020 |
Interactive opening tree from all 91 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Ulrich Kessler's chess games?
91 games by Ulrich Kessler, from Dec 2024 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 Ulrich Kessler has played.
What does Ulrich Kessler play on the first move as White?
Across 47 games with White in our database, Ulrich Kessler opens with 1.Nf3 (77% of games), 1.e4 (19% of games), 1.c4 (2% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Ulrich Kessler answers 1...e6 (77% of games), 1...d5 (18% of games), 1...c5 (5% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (60% of games), 1...f5 (33% of games), 1...c5 (7% of games).
What openings does Ulrich Kessler play as White?
As White, Ulrich Kessler's most-played openings in our database are: Réti Opening (14 games, 35.7% win rate); English Opening (5 games, 60.0% win rate); English Opening: Neo-Catalan (5 games, 20.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 47 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Ulrich Kessler play as Black?
As Black, Ulrich Kessler most often plays: French: Winawer Variation (8 games, 25.0% win rate); Grünfeld Defense (7 games, 42.9% win rate); Dutch Defense (6 games, 0.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 44 games.
What is Ulrich Kessler's FIDE rating?
Ulrich Kessler is currently rated 1,906 in classical chess. Peak classical rating: 1,920 (Apr 2026).
How many games has Ulrich Kessler played?
Our database contains 91 games by Ulrich Kessler, covering Dec 2024 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 30 wins, 27 draws, 34 losses (33.0% win rate).
How do I prepare against Ulrich Kessler?
91 games by Ulrich Kessler 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.