Prepare against Zurab Sturua
GM · Georgia · World #675 classical · FIDE ID 13600095
When preparing against Zurab Sturua, expect 1.d4 in 55% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (47% of games); against 1.d4, 1...Nf6 (68%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense as Black, 11.8% over 17 games.
Our database contains 1,201 games by Zurab Sturua, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find Zurab Sturua's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Zurab Sturua 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 | 2,488 | 2,556 | Dec 2016 |
| Rapid | 2,480 | 2,526 | Apr 2015 |
| Blitz | 2,419 | 2,524 | Mar 2014 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1,201 | 503 | 503 | 195 | 41.9% |
| As White | 609 | 309 | 228 | 72 | 50.7% |
| As Black | 592 | 194 | 275 | 123 | 32.8% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Zurab Sturua's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Zurab Sturua's side.
First moves as White (609 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d4 | 335 | 55.0% | 67.6% |
| Nf3 | 115 | 18.9% | 72.2% |
| c4 | 96 | 15.8% | 71.9% |
| e4 | 51 | 8.4% | 74.5% |
| g3 | 12 | 2.0% | 54.2% |
Main lines as White
- 1.d4 — 55% of White games, 67.6% score
- …Nf6 (60% of these games) — Sturua usually continues c4 (64.6% score)
- …d5 (27% of these games) — Sturua usually continues c4 (67.6% score)
- …e6 (6% of these games) — Sturua usually continues c4 (62.5% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 19% of White games, 72.2% score
- …Nf6 (50% of these games) — Sturua usually continues c4 (81.7% score)
- …d5 (29% of these games) — Sturua usually continues g3 (66.7% score)
- …c5 (11% of these games) — Sturua usually continues c4 (83.3% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (242 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 114 | 47.1% | 51.3% |
| c5 | 52 | 21.5% | 55.8% |
| g6 | 34 | 14.0% | 70.6% |
| c6 | 16 | 6.6% | 56.3% |
| d6 | 14 | 5.8% | 50.0% |
| d5 | 5 | 2.1% | 80.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (253 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 172 | 68.0% | 54.9% |
| d5 | 49 | 19.4% | 44.9% |
| g6 | 13 | 5.1% | 69.2% |
| d6 | 12 | 4.7% | 83.3% |
| e6 | 6 | 2.4% | 33.3% |
| c5 | 1 | 0.4% | 100.0% |
Zurab Sturua's chess games
All 1,201 games by Zurab Sturua in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - 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: 503 wins, 503 draws, 195 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D37 | Indian Defense | 92 | 44/36/12 | 47.8% |
| D45 | Slav Defense | 51 | 22/27/2 | 43.1% |
| A17 | English Opening | 46 | 26/15/5 | 56.5% |
| E12 | Queen's Indian Defense | 42 | 13/21/8 | 31.0% |
| A43 | Benoni Defense | 24 | 12/10/2 | 50.0% |
| A07 | Réti Opening | 23 | 13/5/5 | 56.5% |
| A29 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 21 | 12/4/5 | 57.1% |
| E69 | King's Indian Defense | 21 | 13/6/2 | 61.9% |
| A35 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 20 | 15/5/0 | 75.0% |
| E42 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 18 | 10/3/5 | 55.6% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E15 | Queen's Indian Defense | 52 | 13/24/15 | 25.0% |
| D37 | Indian Defense | 52 | 15/27/10 | 28.8% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 44 | 25/14/5 | 56.8% |
| C95 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 33 | 7/17/9 | 21.2% |
| E04 | Catalan | 24 | 9/11/4 | 37.5% |
| E42 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 18 | 5/10/3 | 27.8% |
| D17 | Slav Defense | 17 | 4/10/3 | 23.5% |
| D31 | Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense | 17 | 2/8/7 | 11.8% |
| A14 | English Opening | 17 | 2/13/2 | 11.8% |
| C67 | Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense | 13 | 2/9/2 | 15.4% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2000 | Jun Xu | 2,668 | Olympiad-34 | A29 |
| May 2016 | Dariusz Swiercz | 2,656 | 17th ch-EU | E01 |
| Jun 2002 | Michal Krasenkow | 2,641 | 3rd ch-EU | D70 |
| Jan 1998 | Vadim Milov | 2,635 | Biel MTO Open | D10 |
| Jan 1997 | Jaan Ehlvest | 2,635 | 11th Pula Open | D20 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biel MTO Open | 2000 | 59 | 43 | 2,643 |
| ch-URS U26 | 1985 | 30 | 13.5 | 2,407 |
| Tbilisi | 1991 | 20 | 13 | 2,569 |
| Yerevan Margaryan Memorial GM | 2023 | 18 | 10.5 | 2,521 |
| Yerevan Margaryan Memorial | 2020 | 18 | 11.5 | 2,555 |
| Baden-Baden Open | 1993 | 16 | 14 | 2,640 |
| Badenweiler Open | 1994 | 16 | 11.5 | 2,514 |
| Yerevan | 1982 | 15 | 8 | 2,488 |
Interactive opening tree from all 1,201 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Zurab Sturua's chess games?
1,201 games by Zurab Sturua, from Apr 2003 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 Zurab Sturua has played.
What does Zurab Sturua play on the first move as White?
Across 609 games with White in our database, Zurab Sturua opens with 1.d4 (55% of games), 1.Nf3 (19% of games), 1.c4 (16% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Zurab Sturua answers 1...e5 (47% of games), 1...c5 (21% of games), 1...g6 (14% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (68% of games), 1...d5 (19% of games), 1...g6 (5% of games).
What openings does Zurab Sturua play as White?
As White, Zurab Sturua's most-played openings in our database are: Indian Defense (92 games, 47.8% win rate); Slav Defense (51 games, 43.1% win rate); English Opening (46 games, 56.5% win rate). The full breakdown of 609 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Zurab Sturua play as Black?
As Black, Zurab Sturua most often plays: Queen's Indian Defense (52 games, 25.0% win rate); Indian Defense (52 games, 28.8% win rate); Modern Defense (44 games, 56.8% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 592 games.
What is Zurab Sturua's FIDE rating?
Zurab Sturua is currently rated 2,488 in classical chess, 2,480 in rapid and 2,419 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,556 (Dec 2016).
How many games has Zurab Sturua played?
Our database contains 1,201 games by Zurab Sturua, covering Apr 2003 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 503 wins, 503 draws, 195 losses (41.9% win rate).
How do I prepare against Zurab Sturua?
1,201 games by Zurab Sturua 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.