Prepare against Wesley So
GM · United States · World #5 classical · FIDE ID 5202213
When preparing against Wesley So, expect 1.e4 in 47% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (61% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (79%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense as Black, 21.6% over 333 games.
Our database contains 5,283 games by Wesley So, covering Jan 2005 to Sep 2026. Below you'll find Wesley So's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Wesley So 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 | 2,774 | 2,822 | Apr 2017 |
| Rapid | 2,699 | 2,852 | Aug 2018 |
| Blitz | 2,745 | 2,862 | Aug 2021 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 5,283 | 2,143 | 2,230 | 910 | 40.6% |
| As White | 2,656 | 1,223 | 1,047 | 386 | 46.0% |
| As Black | 2,627 | 920 | 1,183 | 524 | 35.0% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Wesley So's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Wesley So's side.
First moves as White (2,655 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 1,254 | 47.2% | 65.5% |
| d4 | 817 | 30.8% | 65.2% |
| Nf3 | 293 | 11.0% | 64.0% |
| c4 | 187 | 7.0% | 66.8% |
| b3 | 92 | 3.5% | 74.5% |
| e3 | 8 | 0.3% | 62.5% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 47% of White games, 65.5% score
- …e5 (49% of these games) — So usually continues Nf3 (64.3% score)
- …c5 (30% of these games) — So usually continues Nf3 (65.2% score)
- …c6 (8% of these games) — So usually continues d4 (64.9% score)
- 1.d4 — 31% of White games, 65.2% score
- …Nf6 (73% of these games) — So usually continues c4 (62.3% score)
- …d5 (21% of these games) — So usually continues c4 (67.9% score)
- …e6 (2% of these games) — So usually continues c4 (68.8% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (1,210 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 740 | 61.2% | 53.4% |
| c5 | 307 | 25.4% | 65.3% |
| e6 | 81 | 6.7% | 65.4% |
| c6 | 53 | 4.4% | 58.5% |
| d6 | 20 | 1.7% | 55.0% |
| g6 | 6 | 0.5% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (854 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 677 | 79.3% | 58.9% |
| d5 | 164 | 19.2% | 57.6% |
| e6 | 7 | 0.8% | 71.4% |
| f5 | 4 | 0.5% | 37.5% |
| g6 | 1 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Wesley So's chess games
All 5,283 games by Wesley So in the Chess.ceo database (Jan 2005 - 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: 2,143 wins, 2,230 draws, 910 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D35 | Indian Defense | 176 | 67/88/21 | 38.1% |
| B42 | Sicilian | 132 | 58/52/22 | 43.9% |
| C65 | Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense | 121 | 40/63/18 | 33.1% |
| D12 | Slav Defense | 105 | 49/45/11 | 46.7% |
| C55 | Italian Game | 100 | 51/32/17 | 51.0% |
| E05 | Catalan | 94 | 37/51/6 | 39.4% |
| C54 | Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo | 92 | 45/34/13 | 48.9% |
| A01 | Nimzovich-Larsen attack | 90 | 60/15/15 | 66.7% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 88 | 43/26/19 | 48.9% |
| A13 | English Opening | 78 | 34/33/11 | 43.6% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C67 | Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense | 333 | 72/215/46 | 21.6% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 221 | 74/105/42 | 33.5% |
| A13 | Réti Opening | 133 | 54/43/36 | 40.6% |
| E05 | Catalan | 125 | 36/75/14 | 28.8% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 80 | 40/19/21 | 50.0% |
| C54 | Italian Game | 80 | 28/34/18 | 35.0% |
| A29 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 78 | 30/34/14 | 38.5% |
| D02 | London System | 74 | 35/20/19 | 47.3% |
| D15 | Slav Defense | 73 | 25/38/10 | 34.2% |
| B50 | Sicilian | 65 | 38/16/11 | 58.5% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2022 | Magnus Carlsen | 2,864 | 10th Norway Chess Armageddon | C54 |
| May 2020 | Fabiano Caruana | 2,835 | ch-Clutch May | C65 |
| Jul 2026 | Nodirbek Abdusattorov | 2,820 | USA vs Uzbekistan - WR Chess Rapid & Blitz Miami 2026 | D46 |
| Nov 2018 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | 2,817 | Tata Steel India blitz | A50 |
| Nov 2025 | Hikaru Nakamura | 2,816 | chess.com SpeedChess | D04 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titled Tuesday | 2026 | 719 | 549.5 | 2,694 |
| Speed Chess | 2022 | 152 | 74.5 | 2,705 |
| chess.com Speed | 2020 | 115 | 61.5 | 2,785 |
| Saint Louis Blitz | 2025 | 107 | 57.5 | 2,781 |
| ch-USA | 2023 | 90 | 56.5 | 2,761 |
| Chess.com Speed Chess | 2023 | 88 | 38 | 2,732 |
| PRO League Stage | 2020 | 81 | 62.5 | 2,764 |
| FIDE World Cup | 2025 | 80 | 47 | 2,731 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Hikaru Nakamura (294 games) · Magnus Carlsen (242 games) · Fabiano Caruana (209 games) · Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (206 games) · Levon Aronian (176 games) · Anish Giri (133 games) · Alireza Firouzja (112 games) · Jan-Krzysztof Duda (111 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 5,283 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Wesley So's chess games?
5,283 games by Wesley So, from Jan 2005 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 Wesley So has played.
What does Wesley So play on the first move as White?
Across 2,655 games with White in our database, Wesley So opens with 1.e4 (47% of games), 1.d4 (31% of games), 1.Nf3 (11% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Wesley So answers 1...e5 (61% of games), 1...c5 (25% of games), 1...e6 (7% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (79% of games), 1...d5 (19% of games), 1...e6 (1% of games).
What openings does Wesley So play as White?
As White, Wesley So's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (176 games, 38.1% win rate); Sicilian (132 games, 43.9% win rate); Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense (121 games, 33.1% win rate). The full breakdown of 2,656 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Wesley So play as Black?
As Black, Wesley So most often plays: Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense (333 games, 21.6% win rate); Indian Defense (221 games, 33.5% win rate); Réti Opening (133 games, 40.6% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 2,627 games.
What is Wesley So's FIDE rating?
Wesley So is currently rated 2,774 in classical chess, 2,699 in rapid and 2,745 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,822 (Apr 2017).
How many games has Wesley So played?
Our database contains 5,283 games by Wesley So, covering Jan 2005 to Sep 2026. Overall record: 2,143 wins, 2,230 draws, 910 losses (40.6% win rate).
How do I prepare against Wesley So?
5,283 games by Wesley So 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.