Prepare against Vitaly Kunin
GM · DEU · World #451 classical · FIDE ID 4128737
When preparing against Vitaly Kunin, expect 1.d4 in 76% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (51% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (50%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Queen's Pawn Game as Black, 38.5% over 39 games.
Our database contains 2,265 games by Vitaly Kunin, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Vitaly Kunin's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Vitaly Kunin 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 | 2,520 | 2,595 | Sep 2016 |
| Rapid | 2,471 | 2,529 | Feb 2016 |
| Blitz | 2,351 | 2,545 | Mar 2016 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 2,265 | 1,160 | 639 | 466 | 51.2% |
| As White | 1,148 | 638 | 331 | 179 | 55.6% |
| As Black | 1,117 | 522 | 308 | 287 | 46.7% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Vitaly Kunin's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Vitaly Kunin's side.
First moves as White (1,140 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 868 | 76.1% | 70.9% |
| Nf3 | 109 | 9.6% | 67.0% |
| e4 | 102 | 8.9% | 69.6% |
| c4 | 40 | 3.5% | 70.0% |
| g3 | 10 | 0.9% | 65.0% |
| b3 | 7 | 0.6% | 35.7% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 76% of White games, 70.9% score
- …Nf6 (56% of these games) — Kunin usually continues c4 (70.2% score)
- …d5 (30% of these games) — Kunin usually continues c4 (72.2% score)
- …e6 (5% of these games) — Kunin usually continues c4 (71.4% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 10% of White games, 67.0% score
- …Nf6 (51% of these games) — Kunin usually continues c4 (58.3% score)
- …d5 (40% of these games) — Kunin usually continues g3 (76.4% score)
- …c5 (6% of these games) — Kunin usually continues c4 (30.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (526 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 270 | 51.3% | 65.2% |
| d6 | 176 | 33.5% | 61.9% |
| e5 | 47 | 8.9% | 41.5% |
| e6 | 20 | 3.8% | 47.5% |
| b6 | 7 | 1.3% | 92.9% |
| d5 | 2 | 0.4% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (351 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 174 | 49.6% | 64.4% |
| d5 | 124 | 35.3% | 54.8% |
| d6 | 29 | 8.3% | 62.1% |
| e6 | 18 | 5.1% | 52.8% |
| b6 | 3 | 0.9% | 33.3% |
| h5 | 1 | 0.3% | 0.0% |
Vitaly Kunin's chess games
All 2,265 games by Vitaly Kunin 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: 1,160 wins, 639 draws, 466 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D45 | Slav Defense | 144 | 85/41/18 | 59.0% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 140 | 68/46/26 | 48.6% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 74 | 36/29/9 | 48.6% |
| A57 | Benoni Defense | 72 | 47/17/8 | 65.3% |
| E70 | King's Indian Defense | 49 | 34/8/7 | 69.4% |
| D58 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 40 | 23/15/2 | 57.5% |
| B20 | Sicilian | 39 | 26/4/9 | 66.7% |
| A80 | Dutch Defense | 38 | 33/3/2 | 86.8% |
| D02 | Réti Opening | 38 | 18/17/3 | 47.4% |
| A17 | English Opening | 37 | 17/12/8 | 45.9% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B29 | Sicilian | 129 | 74/37/18 | 57.4% |
| C41 | Philidor | 92 | 38/29/25 | 41.3% |
| C41 | Pirc Defense: Lion System | 75 | 43/18/14 | 57.3% |
| D20 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 69 | 30/22/17 | 43.5% |
| A25 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 65 | 28/22/15 | 43.1% |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 54 | 21/20/13 | 38.9% |
| A13 | English Opening | 45 | 24/9/12 | 53.3% |
| A09 | Réti Opening | 40 | 22/8/10 | 55.0% |
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 39 | 20/12/7 | 51.3% |
| D22 | Queen's Pawn Game | 39 | 15/8/16 | 38.5% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2006 | Alexei Shirov | 2,716 | 13th Mainz Ordix Open | B29 |
| Jun 2017 | Rauf Mamedov | 2,689 | 18th ch-EU | C41 |
| Oct 2015 | B. Adhiban | 2,674 | 9th Wch Blitz | A05 |
| Mar 2016 | Vladimir Fedoseev | 2,664 | Karlsruhe Grenke Open | D38 |
| Jun 2017 | Sanan Sjugirov | 2,654 | 18th ch-EU | E12 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2025 | 134 | 60.5 | 2,357 |
| ch-Moscow | 2009 | 37 | 19 | 2,391 |
| Karlsruhe Grenke Open | 2019 | 23 | 14 | 2,450 |
| 9th Wch Blitz | 2015 | 21 | 10 | 2,561 |
| Amsterdam Science Park Open A | 2017 | 18 | 13 | 2,554 |
| Moscow Victory Day | 2012 | 18 | 9.5 | 2,468 |
| Basel Easter Open | 2024 | 18 | 13 | 2,535 |
| ch-RUS U16 | 1999 | 16 | 10 | 2,317 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Daniel Fridman (10 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 2,265 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Vitaly Kunin's chess games?
2,265 games by Vitaly Kunin, 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 Vitaly Kunin has played.
What does Vitaly Kunin play on the first move as White?
Across 1,140 games with White in our database, Vitaly Kunin opens with 1.d4 (76% of games), 1.Nf3 (10% of games), 1.e4 (9% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Vitaly Kunin answers 1...c5 (51% of games), 1...d6 (33% of games), 1...e5 (9% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (50% of games), 1...d5 (35% of games), 1...d6 (8% of games).
What openings does Vitaly Kunin play as White?
As White, Vitaly Kunin's most-played openings in our database are: Slav Defense (144 games, 59.0% win rate); Indian Defense (140 games, 48.6% win rate); Queen's Indian Defense (74 games, 48.6% win rate). The full breakdown of 1,148 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Vitaly Kunin play as Black?
As Black, Vitaly Kunin most often plays: Sicilian (129 games, 57.4% win rate); Philidor (92 games, 41.3% win rate); Pirc Defense: Lion System (75 games, 57.3% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 1,117 games.
What is Vitaly Kunin's FIDE rating?
Vitaly Kunin is currently rated 2,520 in classical chess, 2,471 in rapid and 2,351 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,595 (Sep 2016).
How many games has Vitaly Kunin played?
Our database contains 2,265 games by Vitaly Kunin, covering Apr 2003 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 1,160 wins, 639 draws, 466 losses (51.2% win rate).
How do I prepare against Vitaly Kunin?
2,265 games by Vitaly Kunin 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.