Prepare against Valentin Buckels
IM · DEU · World #1,193 classical · FIDE ID 12942766
When preparing against Valentin Buckels, expect 1.d4 in 86% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (83% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (72%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Bogo-Indian Defense as Black, 23.5% over 17 games.
Our database contains 828 games by Valentin Buckels, covering Jan 2012 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Valentin Buckels's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Valentin Buckels 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 | 2,435 | 2,478 | Jul 2024 |
| Rapid | 2,435 | 2,437 | Nov 2025 |
| Blitz | 2,428 | 2,439 | Nov 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 828 | 325 | 260 | 242 | 39.3% |
| As White | 408 | 176 | 131 | 101 | 43.1% |
| As Black | 420 | 149 | 129 | 141 | 35.5% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Valentin Buckels's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Valentin Buckels's side.
First moves as White (407 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 352 | 86.5% | 58.5% |
| Nf3 | 42 | 10.3% | 67.9% |
| c4 | 10 | 2.5% | 60.0% |
| e4 | 3 | 0.7% | 0.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 86% of White games, 58.5% score
- …Nf6 (55% of these games) — Buckels usually continues c4 (55.4% score)
- …d5 (28% of these games) — Buckels usually continues c4 (68.2% score)
- …e6 (5% of these games) — Buckels usually continues c4 (43.3% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 10% of White games, 67.9% score
- …Nf6 (60% of these games) — Buckels usually continues g3 (73.3% score)
- …d5 (24% of these games) — Buckels usually continues g3 (50.0% score)
- …c5 (7% of these games) — Buckels usually continues c4 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (206 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 171 | 83.0% | 52.9% |
| c5 | 20 | 9.7% | 55.0% |
| c6 | 14 | 6.8% | 64.3% |
| e6 | 1 | 0.5% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (130 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 93 | 71.5% | 48.9% |
| d5 | 37 | 28.5% | 50.0% |
Valentin Buckels's chess games
All 828 games by Valentin Buckels in the Chess.ceo database (Jan 2012 - 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: 325 wins, 260 draws, 242 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D76 | Indian Defense | 81 | 30/34/17 | 37.0% |
| D02 | London System | 47 | 21/18/8 | 44.7% |
| E05 | Catalan | 47 | 21/14/12 | 44.7% |
| D11 | Slav Defense | 36 | 20/8/8 | 55.6% |
| A58 | Benoni Defense | 28 | 14/4/10 | 50.0% |
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 17 | 7/4/6 | 41.2% |
| D30 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 15 | 8/2/5 | 53.3% |
| A41 | Modern Defense | 14 | 5/6/3 | 35.7% |
| A49 | King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation | 13 | 7/5/1 | 53.8% |
| A11 | Réti Opening | 13 | 9/3/1 | 69.2% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D37 | Indian Defense | 27 | 8/10/9 | 29.6% |
| C88 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 27 | 9/9/9 | 33.3% |
| C78 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 25 | 6/11/8 | 24.0% |
| A13 | English Opening | 22 | 10/4/8 | 45.5% |
| C54 | Italian Game: Classical Variation | 21 | 10/3/8 | 47.6% |
| D31 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 20 | 7/8/5 | 35.0% |
| E11 | Bogo-Indian Defense | 17 | 4/5/8 | 23.5% |
| E11 | Catalan | 16 | 7/4/5 | 43.8% |
| C45 | Scotch Game | 16 | 8/5/3 | 50.0% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 15 | 4/5/6 | 26.7% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2020 | Vassily Ivanchuk | 2,698 | 18th Gibraltar Masters | B07 |
| Nov 2018 | Sergei Movsesian | 2,633 | Bundesliga 2018-19 | D11 |
| Jun 2021 | Alexander Donchenko | 2,632 | ch-GER Net blitz Final | D02 |
| Oct 2019 | Sergei Ovsejevitsch | 2,617 | Braunschweig CC 150 Ann | E01 |
| Jan 2019 | Artur Jussupow | 2,568 | BL2-West 1819 | D03 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dieren Open | 2019 | 42 | 24 | 2,392 |
| ch-GER U12 | 2013 | 22 | 15 | 1,742 |
| ch-GER U18 | 2019 | 18 | 12 | 2,415 |
| ch-GER U14 | 2015 | 18 | 12 | 2,125 |
| ch-GER U16 | 2017 | 18 | 12.5 | 2,326 |
| Bundesliga 1920 | 2021 | 15 | 4 | 2,356 |
| Bundesliga 2023-24 | 2024 | 14 | 8.5 | 2,565 |
| Karlsruhe Grenke Open | 2024 | 13 | 7.5 | 2,447 |
Interactive opening tree from all 828 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Valentin Buckels's chess games?
828 games by Valentin Buckels, from Jan 2012 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 Valentin Buckels has played.
What does Valentin Buckels play on the first move as White?
Across 407 games with White in our database, Valentin Buckels opens with 1.d4 (86% of games), 1.Nf3 (10% of games), 1.c4 (2% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Valentin Buckels answers 1...e5 (83% of games), 1...c5 (10% of games), 1...c6 (7% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (72% of games), 1...d5 (28% of games).
What openings does Valentin Buckels play as White?
As White, Valentin Buckels's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (81 games, 37.0% win rate); London System (47 games, 44.7% win rate); Catalan (47 games, 44.7% win rate). The full breakdown of 408 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Valentin Buckels play as Black?
As Black, Valentin Buckels most often plays: Indian Defense (27 games, 29.6% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Closed (27 games, 33.3% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense (25 games, 24.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 420 games.
What is Valentin Buckels's FIDE rating?
Valentin Buckels is currently rated 2,435 in classical chess, 2,435 in rapid and 2,428 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,478 (Jul 2024).
How many games has Valentin Buckels played?
Our database contains 828 games by Valentin Buckels, covering Jan 2012 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 325 wins, 260 draws, 242 losses (39.3% win rate).
How do I prepare against Valentin Buckels?
828 games by Valentin Buckels 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.