Prepare against Veselin Topalov
GM · BGR · World #35 classical · FIDE ID 2900084
When preparing against Veselin Topalov, expect 1.e4 in 47% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (57% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (76%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Petrov's Defense as White, 17.1% over 41 games.
Our database contains 2,694 games by Veselin Topalov, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Veselin Topalov's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Veselin Topalov 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 | 2,695 | 2,816 | Sep 2015 |
| Rapid | 2,607 | 2,790 | Nov 2013 |
| Blitz | 2,627 | 2,752 | Jul 2012 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 2,694 | 912 | 1,162 | 620 | 33.9% |
| As White | 1,374 | 569 | 574 | 231 | 41.4% |
| As Black | 1,320 | 343 | 588 | 389 | 26.0% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Veselin Topalov's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Veselin Topalov's side.
First moves as White (1,374 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 640 | 46.6% | 62.0% |
| d4 | 459 | 33.4% | 64.9% |
| Nf3 | 147 | 10.7% | 59.5% |
| c4 | 125 | 9.1% | 56.4% |
| g3 | 2 | 0.1% | 100.0% |
| b3 | 1 | 0.1% | 100.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 47% of White games, 62.0% score
- …e5 (39% of these games) — Topalov usually continues Nf3 (58.0% score)
- …c5 (37% of these games) — Topalov usually continues Nf3 (64.5% score)
- …e6 (10% of these games) — Topalov usually continues d4 (68.0% score)
- 1.d4 — 33% of White games, 64.9% score
- …Nf6 (65% of these games) — Topalov usually continues c4 (61.9% score)
- …d5 (28% of these games) — Topalov usually continues c4 (68.8% score)
- …f5 (2% of these games) — Topalov usually continues g3 (75.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (599 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 340 | 56.8% | 48.8% |
| e5 | 172 | 28.7% | 41.9% |
| e6 | 48 | 8.0% | 47.9% |
| c6 | 30 | 5.0% | 50.0% |
| d6 | 7 | 1.2% | 35.7% |
| d5 | 1 | 0.2% | 100.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (476 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 361 | 75.8% | 51.5% |
| d5 | 67 | 14.1% | 52.2% |
| f5 | 19 | 4.0% | 39.5% |
| e6 | 16 | 3.4% | 65.6% |
| d6 | 6 | 1.3% | 41.7% |
| g6 | 6 | 1.3% | 41.7% |
Veselin Topalov's chess games
All 2,694 games by Veselin Topalov in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - 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: 912 wins, 1,162 draws, 620 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D17 | Slav Defense | 99 | 38/53/8 | 38.4% |
| C88 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 96 | 45/39/12 | 46.9% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 87 | 30/39/18 | 34.5% |
| B30 | Sicilian | 74 | 32/29/13 | 43.2% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 68 | 35/16/17 | 51.5% |
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 67 | 29/30/8 | 43.3% |
| A13 | English Opening | 56 | 20/25/11 | 35.7% |
| A20 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 55 | 17/29/9 | 30.9% |
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 41 | 7/29/5 | 17.1% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 39 | 17/16/6 | 43.6% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 143 | 39/58/46 | 27.3% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 105 | 31/49/25 | 29.5% |
| D15 | Slav Defense | 66 | 18/30/18 | 27.3% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 63 | 19/29/15 | 30.2% |
| B42 | Sicilian | 59 | 19/19/21 | 32.2% |
| C67 | Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense | 56 | 10/30/16 | 17.9% |
| E92 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 47 | 15/22/10 | 31.9% |
| E11 | Catalan | 44 | 9/17/18 | 20.5% |
| A40 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 43 | 8/20/15 | 18.6% |
| A29 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 37 | 9/15/13 | 24.3% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2015 | Magnus Carlsen | 2,876 | 3rd Norway Chess | D43 |
| Jun 1998 | Garry Kasparov | 2,825 | Leon Man Comp Match | B90 |
| Nov 2016 | Fabiano Caruana | 2,823 | Saint Louis Showdown Blitz | D11 |
| Aug 2015 | Hikaru Nakamura | 2,814 | Sinquefield Cup 3rd | C65 |
| Apr 2018 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | 2,814 | 5th Gashimov Memorial | C83 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corus | 2008 | 91 | 50.5 | 2,756 |
| FIDE-Wch k.o. | 2004 | 44 | 28 | 2,725 |
| Frankfurt Classic Simul | 1997 | 39 | 33.5 | 2,414 |
| Hoogovens | 1999 | 39 | 20 | 2,673 |
| Las Palmas | 1996 | 37 | 20.5 | 2,681 |
| Dos Hermanas | 2008 | 34 | 20 | 2,755 |
| Candidates Tournament | 2016 | 32 | 12 | 2,667 |
| 6th Wch Blitz | 2012 | 30 | 13 | 2,659 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Viswanathan Anand (132 games) · Vasyl Ivanchuk (81 games) · Hikaru Nakamura (73 games) · Alexei Shirov (72 games) · Peter Leko (71 games) · Boris Gelfand (59 games) · Magnus Carlsen (58 games) · Levon Aronian (54 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 2,694 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Veselin Topalov's chess games?
2,694 games by Veselin Topalov, from Apr 2003 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 Veselin Topalov has played.
What does Veselin Topalov play on the first move as White?
Across 1,374 games with White in our database, Veselin Topalov opens with 1.e4 (47% of games), 1.d4 (33% of games), 1.Nf3 (11% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Veselin Topalov answers 1...c5 (57% of games), 1...e5 (29% of games), 1...e6 (8% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (76% of games), 1...d5 (14% of games), 1...f5 (4% of games).
What openings does Veselin Topalov play as White?
As White, Veselin Topalov's most-played openings in our database are: Slav Defense (99 games, 38.4% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Closed (96 games, 46.9% win rate); Indian Defense (87 games, 34.5% win rate). The full breakdown of 1,374 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Veselin Topalov play as Black?
As Black, Veselin Topalov most often plays: Sicilian: Najdorf (143 games, 27.3% win rate); Indian Defense (105 games, 29.5% win rate); Slav Defense (66 games, 27.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 1,320 games.
What is Veselin Topalov's FIDE rating?
Veselin Topalov is currently rated 2,695 in classical chess, 2,607 in rapid and 2,627 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,816 (Sep 2015).
How many games has Veselin Topalov played?
Our database contains 2,694 games by Veselin Topalov, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 912 wins, 1,162 draws, 620 losses (33.9% win rate).
How do I prepare against Veselin Topalov?
2,694 games by Veselin Topalov 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.