So what does a player nicknamed “Miss Tactics” actually play? Exactly what you’d hope: a repertoire built for open, fighting positions. As Black she reaches for two of chess’s most combative defenses; as White she’s a king’s-pawn player who likes to open the center early. Here’s the tour — with a link to a full guide for each opening so you can learn to play them yourself.
As Black vs 1.e4: the Sicilian Defense
Mariya’s headline weapon against 1.e4 is the Sicilian Defense — the single most aggressive and popular answer to the king’s pawn, and the perfect fit for a tactician. Instead of meeting 1.e4 with the symmetrical 1…e5, Black strikes at the center from the side with 1…c5, unbalancing the game from move one and playing for a win rather than equality.
Within the Sicilian, she’s ventured into its sharpest neighborhoods — including the famous Sveshnikov (also called the Pelikan). After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5, Black boots the knight and accepts a slightly weakened d-pawn in exchange for fast, active piece play and rich tactical chances.
The Sveshnikov is a wonderful mirror of her style: it’s not about grabbing a safe, tidy position — it’s about accepting a little structural risk to get the kind of dynamic, double-edged fight where calculation and initiative decide the game.
As Black vs 1.d4: the Dutch Defense
When opponents avoid 1.e4 and open with 1.d4, Mariya has a fighting reply ready: the Dutch Defense. With the bold 1…f5, Black immediately stakes a claim on the kingside and steers the game away from the quieter, symmetrical channels that 1.d4 players often want.
The Dutch is an opening with real bite. That early f5 grabs space and often sets up attacking ideas against White’s king later in the game — but it slightly loosens Black’s own kingside, so it’s a defense that rewards players who are comfortable in sharp, imbalanced positions. In other words: made for someone like Mariya.
As White: open king’s-pawn chess
With the white pieces, Mariya is a king’s-pawn (1.e4) player who leans toward open, tactical systems rather than slow strategic squeezes. A great example is the Scotch Game, where White throws in an early d4 — 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 — to blow open the center immediately and reach a lively, piece-driven middlegame.
The Scotch suits her perfectly. By opening the center early, it sidesteps some of the heavy theory of the Ruy Lopez and lands both players in a fluid position where understanding and calculation matter more than memorization — the ideal hunting ground for a tactician.
Flexible systems: the English
Mariya has also shown she’s comfortable steering into more flexible territory, including English Opening structures — especially the Symmetrical setup that arises after 1.c4 c5. The English lets a player choose their battleground, transposing between quiet maneuvering and sharp play depending on what the opponent allows. Having that kind of flexible, positional option alongside her sharper weapons is exactly what you’d expect from a world-class grandmaster: a main plan built for a fight, plus the tools to mix it up when the moment calls for it.
Why her repertoire fits her so well
The beauty of Mariya’s repertoire is how neatly it mirrors her personality at the board. As Black she reaches for the most combative defenses available — the Sicilian and the Dutch — both of which unbalance the game and play for a win. As White she opens the center early with systems like the Scotch, reaching the kind of open, tactical middlegames where her calculation is a weapon. It’s not a repertoire built to memorize the “safest” computer lines; it’s one built to reach positions she understands and enjoys better than her opponent.
What her repertoire teaches you
There’s a genuinely useful lesson hiding in Mariya’s choices: pick openings that suit how you like to play.
- A fighting defense (hers are the Sicilian and Dutch) gives you real winning chances as Black instead of settling for a dull draw.
- An open, tactical system as White (hers is the Scotch) lands you in positions where seeing tactics — the skill most casual games turn on — actually decides the result.
- A flexible backup (hers is the English) means you’re never forced into a game you hate.
You don’t need to memorize reams of theory — start by learning the plans and ideas behind one opening from each category, and you’ll already be ahead of most casual opponents.
Keep exploring
See these openings do damage in her best games, learn how she uses them in her playing style, meet her sister Anna Muzychuk, or head back to the full Mariya Muzychuk profile. Ready to learn one? Start with the Sicilian Defense guide or the Scotch Game guide.
Written and fact-checked by the Chess Lab Academy Editorial Team · Facts verified against Wikipedia, her FIDE profile, and Chess.com, as of July 2026 · Positions engine-verified for legality · Last verified 2026-07-10 · How we verify content.