Prepare against Yifan(HLJ) Hou
China · World #2,214 classical · FIDE ID 8619492
When preparing against Yifan(HLJ) Hou, expect 1.d4 in 87% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...c5 (98% of games). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Sicilian as Black, 25.0% over 20 games.
Our database contains 362 games by Yifan(HLJ) Hou, covering Aug 2016 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Yifan(HLJ) Hou's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Yifan(HLJ) Hou 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 | 2,372 | 2,372 | Aug 2026 |
| Rapid | 2,105 | 2,105 | Aug 2026 |
| Blitz | 2,262 | 2,262 | Aug 2026 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 362 | 123 | 158 | 81 | 34.0% |
| As White | 183 | 72 | 78 | 33 | 39.3% |
| As Black | 179 | 51 | 80 | 48 | 28.5% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Yifan(HLJ) Hou's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Yifan(HLJ) Hou's side.
First moves as White (183 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 160 | 87.4% | 57.8% |
| Nf3 | 11 | 6.0% | 86.4% |
| c4 | 9 | 4.9% | 83.3% |
| e4 | 3 | 1.6% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 87% of White games, 57.8% score
- …Nf6 (64% of these games) — Hou usually continues c4 (57.6% score)
- …d5 (28% of these games) — Hou usually continues c4 (66.1% score)
- …f5 (3% of these games) — Hou usually continues Nf3 (66.7% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 6% of White games, 86.4% score
- …d5 (45% of these games) — Hou usually continues g3 (83.3% score)
- …Nf6 (45% of these games) — Hou usually continues c4 (90.0% score)
- …c5 (9% of these games) — Hou usually continues c4 (100.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (86 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 84 | 97.7% | 48.2% |
| e6 | 1 | 1.2% | 100.0% |
| e5 | 1 | 1.2% | 0.0% |
Yifan(HLJ) Hou's chess games
All 362 games by Yifan(HLJ) Hou in the Chess.ceo database (Aug 2016 - 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: 123 wins, 158 draws, 81 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E04 | Catalan | 59 | 19/33/7 | 32.2% |
| E60 | Indian Defense | 31 | 8/11/12 | 25.8% |
| D45 | Slav Defense | 22 | 10/10/2 | 45.5% |
| A13 | English Opening | 9 | 6/3/0 | 66.7% |
| A61 | Benoni Defense | 9 | 3/2/4 | 33.3% |
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 8 | 5/3/0 | 62.5% |
| E11 | Bogo-Indian Defense | 6 | 3/3/0 | 50.0% |
| D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | 6 | 2/3/1 | 33.3% |
| A90 | Dutch Defense | 5 | 2/2/1 | 40.0% |
| A50 | King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation | 4 | 3/0/1 | 75.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B31 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 26 | 8/10/8 | 30.8% |
| B22 | Sicilian | 20 | 5/9/6 | 25.0% |
| B33 | Sicilian: Sveshnikov | 16 | 4/6/6 | 25.0% |
| A13 | English Opening | 13 | 3/6/4 | 23.1% |
| D38 | Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense | 13 | 2/11/0 | 15.4% |
| B48 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 11 | 2/3/6 | 18.2% |
| B45 | Sicilian: Four Knights | 7 | 4/1/2 | 57.1% |
| E04 | Catalan | 7 | 1/4/2 | 14.3% |
| E35 | Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation | 7 | 2/5/0 | 28.6% |
| E46 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 6 | 1/3/2 | 16.7% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2025 | Changren Dai | 2,560 | 15th Nat Games Tm Prelim | D05 |
| Feb 2025 | Rohith Krishna S | 2,481 | 62nd World Juniors | E46 |
| Aug 2025 | Tao Pang | 2,469 | Belt and Road China Int | E36 |
| Jun 2019 | Qi b Chen | 2,453 | chT-CHN | B77 |
| Nov 2025 | Alex Garrido Outon | 2,437 | 36th Leuven Open | A07 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| chT-CHN | 2024 | 40 | 22.5 | 2,168 |
| Harbin U20 Open | 2018 | 18 | 11 | 2,052 |
| chT-CHN Div-B | 2024 | 16 | 12 | 2,211 |
| ch-CHN B | 2023 | 12 | 7.5 | 2,006 |
| 62nd World Juniors | 2025 | 11 | 6 | 2,471 |
| ch-CHN sf | 2023 | 11 | 7.5 | 1,883 |
| 15th Nat PRC RR Teams | 2025 | 11 | 2.5 | 2,193 |
| ch-CHN Gp-B | 2024 | 10 | 6.5 | 1,945 |
Interactive opening tree from all 362 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Yifan(HLJ) Hou's chess games?
362 games by Yifan(HLJ) Hou, from Aug 2016 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 Yifan(HLJ) Hou has played.
What does Yifan(HLJ) Hou play on the first move as White?
Across 183 games with White in our database, Yifan(HLJ) Hou opens with 1.d4 (87% of games), 1.Nf3 (6% of games), 1.c4 (5% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Yifan(HLJ) Hou answers 1...c5 (98% of games), 1...e6 (1% of games), 1...e5 (1% of games).
What openings does Yifan(HLJ) Hou play as White?
As White, Yifan(HLJ) Hou's most-played openings in our database are: Catalan (59 games, 32.2% win rate); Indian Defense (31 games, 25.8% win rate); Slav Defense (22 games, 45.5% win rate). The full breakdown of 183 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Yifan(HLJ) Hou play as Black?
As Black, Yifan(HLJ) Hou most often plays: Sicilian: Rossolimo (26 games, 30.8% win rate); Sicilian (20 games, 25.0% win rate); Sicilian: Sveshnikov (16 games, 25.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 179 games.
What is Yifan(HLJ) Hou's FIDE rating?
Yifan(HLJ) Hou is currently rated 2,372 in classical chess, 2,105 in rapid and 2,262 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,372 (Aug 2026).
How many games has Yifan(HLJ) Hou played?
Our database contains 362 games by Yifan(HLJ) Hou, covering Aug 2016 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 123 wins, 158 draws, 81 losses (34.0% win rate).
How do I prepare against Yifan(HLJ) Hou?
362 games by Yifan(HLJ) Hou 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.