Prepare against Varun Krishnan
IM · United States · World #1,585 classical · FIDE ID 5054508
Our database contains 996 games by Varun Krishnan, covering Jan 2008 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Varun Krishnan's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Varun Krishnan 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 | 2,405 | 2,408 | May 2026 |
| Rapid | 2,375 | 2,375 | Aug 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,292 | 2,378 | Jun 2023 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 996 | 397 | 151 | 448 | 39.9% |
| As White | 506 | 225 | 73 | 208 | 44.5% |
| As Black | 490 | 172 | 78 | 240 | 35.1% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Varun Krishnan's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Varun Krishnan's side.
First moves as White (506 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 377 | 74.5% | 47.7% |
| d4 | 101 | 20.0% | 62.9% |
| a3 | 8 | 1.6% | 50.0% |
| Nf3 | 8 | 1.6% | 50.0% |
| g3 | 7 | 1.4% | 92.9% |
| Nc3 | 3 | 0.6% | 83.3% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 75% of White games, 47.7% score
- …c5 (47% of these games) — Krishnan usually continues Nf3 (50.9% score)
- …e5 (20% of these games) — Krishnan usually continues Nf3 (43.8% score)
- …c6 (10% of these games) — Krishnan usually continues d4 (47.2% score)
- 1.d4 — 20% of White games, 62.9% score
- …Nf6 (54% of these games) — Krishnan usually continues c4 (63.0% score)
- …d5 (21% of these games) — Krishnan usually continues c4 (54.8% score)
- …g6 (5% of these games) — Krishnan usually continues e4 (40.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (233 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 161 | 69.1% | 42.9% |
| e5 | 33 | 14.2% | 63.6% |
| a6 | 15 | 6.4% | 36.7% |
| g6 | 10 | 4.3% | 70.0% |
| c6 | 9 | 3.9% | 66.7% |
| e6 | 4 | 1.7% | 25.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (161 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 112 | 69.6% | 41.5% |
| Nf6 | 40 | 24.8% | 41.3% |
| a6 | 3 | 1.9% | 33.3% |
| g6 | 2 | 1.2% | 75.0% |
| b5 | 2 | 1.2% | 50.0% |
| e6 | 1 | 0.6% | 100.0% |
Varun Krishnan's chess games
All 996 games by Varun Krishnan in the Chess.ceo database (Jan 2008 - 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: 397 wins, 151 draws, 448 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B32 | Sicilian | 67 | 23/14/30 | 34.3% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 41 | 21/4/16 | 51.2% |
| E60 | Indian Defense | 21 | 12/2/7 | 57.1% |
| B76 | Sicilian: Dragon | 20 | 13/1/6 | 65.0% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 19 | 8/2/9 | 42.1% |
| B14 | Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation | 18 | 6/3/9 | 33.3% |
| C11 | French: Classical Variation | 14 | 6/2/6 | 42.9% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | 13 | 6/2/5 | 46.2% |
| B07 | Pirc Defense | 12 | 8/0/4 | 66.7% |
| C78 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 12 | 4/3/5 | 33.3% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B32 | Sicilian | 67 | 25/13/29 | 37.3% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 28 | 9/3/16 | 32.1% |
| E05 | Catalan | 27 | 6/5/16 | 22.2% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 23 | 6/4/13 | 26.1% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 18 | 4/2/12 | 22.2% |
| D45 | Slav Defense | 17 | 4/5/8 | 23.5% |
| A13 | English Opening | 16 | 7/3/6 | 43.8% |
| B23 | Sicilian: Closed | 16 | 7/1/8 | 43.8% |
| C01 | St. George Defense | 16 | 4/3/9 | 25.0% |
| D35 | Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense | 15 | 5/1/9 | 33.3% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2023 | Parham Maghsoodloo | 2,719 | Titled Tue Late | C01 |
| Dec 2022 | Pavel Eljanov | 2,706 | Titled Tue Late | B67 |
| Sep 2022 | Jeffery Xiong | 2,690 | Titled Tue Late | D37 |
| Mar 2022 | Maxim Matlakov | 2,674 | Titled Tue Early | B40 |
| Mar 2022 | Anton Demchenko | 2,654 | Titled Tue Late | C75 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2025 | 694 | 324.5 | 2,299 |
| Wch U12 | 2009 | 11 | 6.5 | 1,957 |
| Wch U10 | 2007 | 11 | 6.5 | 1,986 |
| Los Angeles IM Norm | 2023 | 10 | 6.5 | 2,410 |
| 1st Los Angeles Metropolitan Open | 2011 | 9 | 3.5 | 2,149 |
| Sunnyvale 1000 GM Winter 12 | 2023 | 9 | 3.5 | 2,349 |
| Brownsville UT RGV IM | 2016 | 9 | 2 | 2,068 |
| Sunnyvale 1000 GM Schev 07 | 2023 | 9 | 6.5 | 2,403 |
Interactive opening tree from all 996 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Varun Krishnan's chess games?
996 games by Varun Krishnan, from Jan 2008 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 Varun Krishnan has played.
What does Varun Krishnan play on the first move as White?
Across 506 games with White in our database, Varun Krishnan opens with 1.e4 (75% of games), 1.d4 (20% of games), 1.a3 (2% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Varun Krishnan answers 1...c5 (69% of games), 1...e5 (14% of games), 1...a6 (6% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (70% of games), 1...Nf6 (25% of games), 1...a6 (2% of games).
What openings does Varun Krishnan play as White?
As White, Varun Krishnan's most-played openings in our database are: Sicilian (67 games, 34.3% win rate); Sicilian: Najdorf (41 games, 51.2% win rate); Indian Defense (21 games, 57.1% win rate). The full breakdown of 506 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Varun Krishnan play as Black?
As Black, Varun Krishnan most often plays: Sicilian (67 games, 37.3% win rate); Indian Defense (28 games, 32.1% win rate); Catalan (27 games, 22.2% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 490 games.
What is Varun Krishnan's FIDE rating?
Varun Krishnan is currently rated 2,405 in classical chess, 2,375 in rapid and 2,292 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,408 (May 2026).
How many games has Varun Krishnan played?
Our database contains 996 games by Varun Krishnan, covering Jan 2008 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 397 wins, 151 draws, 448 losses (39.9% win rate).
How do I prepare against Varun Krishnan?
996 games by Varun Krishnan 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.