Clemenz Opening

2 variations · 1.4M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

Key Finding

Clemenz Opening is balanced for White at 48.8% expected score.

This opening produces roughly even results, with outcomes depending more on middlegame play than opening choice.

You play

Playable

Rating

Time

White Expected Score0.0%Range (90% confident): 48.7% – 48.9%Aggregated from 2 variations

0%48.8%100%

Range (90% confident): 48.7% – 48.9%

ContextOverall · n=1.4M

Outcome Distribution

46.5%4.5%49.0%

Win

Draw

Loss

1.h3

Clemenz Opening

Variations2

Games (Context)1.4M

Avg Length35 moves

Draw Rate4.5%

What Should I Play?

Player-controlled continuations for White · Overall

#1Clemenz OpeningTop Pick

1.h3

Min adv -2.7% · n=1.3M

48.8%

#2Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit

1.h3 h5 2.g4

Min adv -13.7% · n=3.7K

44.5%

Continuations show the most common variations from this opening. Higher expected scores indicate better statistical outcomes, but familiarity and playstyle matter too.

Snapshot

Overall, the Clemenz Opening family has a 48.8% expected score for White (we're 90% confident it's between 48.7% and 48.9%), aggregated from 2 variations and 1.4M Lichess games.

White Win% by Rating

Declines with rating: 41% → 39%

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

2200

2500+

White Win% by Time Control

Best in Bullet (48%), worst in Classical (38%)

UltraBullet

Bullet

Blitz

Rapid

Classical

Rating vs Time Control Matrix

Click cells to filter · White expected scores

White% by Rating × Time Control

Click any cell to filter. Green = above 50%, Red = below 50%.

Rating	UB	Bulle	Blitz	Rapid	Class
0-999
1000-1199
1200-1399
1400-1599
1600-1799
1800-1999
2000-2199
2200-2499
2500+

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 46.4% expected score (2,139 games)
0-999 rating, Bullet: 45.3% expected score (39,677 games)
0-999 rating, Blitz: 45.5% expected score (65,670 games)
0-999 rating, Rapid: 41.4% expected score (28,034 games)
0-999 rating, Classical: 35.9% expected score (505 games)
1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 47.1% expected score (3,668 games)
1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 49.1% expected score (53,725 games)
1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 48.7% expected score (85,523 games)
1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 46.8% expected score (27,032 games)
1000-1199 rating, Classical: 34.2% expected score (637 games)
1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 46.6% expected score (5,215 games)
1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.2% expected score (66,946 games)
1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.7% expected score (94,847 games)
1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 48.2% expected score (36,926 games)
1200-1399 rating, Classical: 46.5% expected score (2,084 games)
1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 42.9% expected score (5,232 games)
1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.1% expected score (81,099 games)
1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 48.2% expected score (108,700 games)
1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 45.5% expected score (33,425 games)
1400-1599 rating, Classical: 35.6% expected score (2,548 games)
1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 45.9% expected score (2,957 games)
1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.7% expected score (100,570 games)
1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.7% expected score (77,080 games)
1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 48.7% expected score (25,238 games)
1600-1799 rating, Classical: 46.8% expected score (1,355 games)
1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 52.2% expected score (4,055 games)
1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.2% expected score (90,232 games)
1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (53,940 games)
1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 49.9% expected score (17,035 games)
1800-1999 rating, Classical: 45.6% expected score (496 games)
2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.6% expected score (2,260 games)
2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.8% expected score (83,918 games)
2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 50.4% expected score (33,499 games)
2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 51.9% expected score (2,981 games)
2000-2199 rating, Classical: 59.9% expected score (79 games)
2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 55.1% expected score (526 games)
2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 52.2% expected score (61,881 games)
2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.2% expected score (27,632 games)
2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 53.3% expected score (913 games)
2200-2499 rating, Classical: 51.1% expected score (46 games)
2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 54.2% expected score (34 games)
2500+ rating, Bullet: 51.0% expected score (18,142 games)
2500+ rating, Blitz: 53.8% expected score (2,550 games)
2500+ rating, Rapid: 50.6% expected score (426 games)
2500+ rating, Classical: 52.7% expected score (168 games)

Matrix view reveals how performance varies across rating brackets and time controls. Green indicates favorable, red indicates challenging contexts.

Variations (2)

Clemenz Opening1.3M games

Balanced48.8%

Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit3.7K games

Losing44.5%

Analyze Clemenz Opening PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Clemenz Opening win rate?

The Clemenz Opening family has a 46.5% (90% CI: 46.4%-46.6%) win rate for white, aggregated from 2 variations and 1.4M rated games from Lichess.

How many Clemenz Opening variations are there?

This analysis covers 2 Clemenz Opening variations with sufficient game data. Each variation has its own statistics page with detailed win rates by rating and time control.

At what rating does the Clemenz Opening perform best?

The Clemenz Opening family performs best at 2200-2499 Elo with a 50.2% win rate for white (91K games). Performance may vary by specific variation.

Is the Clemenz Opening better in blitz or rapid?

Bullet (47.9%) outperforms Classical (37.7%) by 10.2% across all Clemenz Opening variations.

How sharp is the Clemenz Opening?

Clemenz Opening games are 95.5% decisive (non-draws), with an average length of 35 moves. Sharpness varies by specific variation.

Is the Clemenz Opening a good opening family?

The Clemenz Opening family is statistically balanced overall with a 46.5% (90% CI: 46.4%-46.6%) aggregated win rate. However, win rates vary significantly between the 2 variations—explore individual lines to find the best fit for your style.