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Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit

White Gambit

Source Lichess

You play
Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level
All Ratings
Edge at worst−13.7%

White isn't shown winning more often than losing at this level

how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident

Rating TrendPeak: −13.3% at 1000-1199
0-9992500+
Win%41.9%
Games3.7K
Breakpoint0-999first rating it isn't shown winning more than losing
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Does Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit work for White at All Ratings?

Snapshot

At All Ratings, Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit keeps White's wins running −13.7% ahead of its losses at worst, 90% confident, from 3.7K Lichess games. The games don't show this gambit paying at this level. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.

RatingEdge at worstWhite WinDrawWhite LossGames
0-999−18.0%40.2%8.5%51.4%572
1000-1199−13.3%45.4%4.5%50.1%363
1200-1399−14.9%43.4%6.8%49.8%361
1400-1599−21.4%40.6%6.1%53.3%352
1600-1799−16.3%44.0%3.7%52.2%413
1800-1999−19.4%41.9%4.2%53.9%482
2000-2199−25.7%39.0%3.4%57.6%513
2200-2499−16.1%43.1%4.7%52.2%536
2500+−32.3%39.4%2.5%58.1%137
Full Opening StatsSee rating/time-control breakdowns for White on the opening stats page
Analyze Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit sound?

Not shown to be. White does not come out ahead at any rating we can see: its best Edge at worst, at 1000-1199, is −13.3%.

What is the Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit win rate?

White wins 41.9% of Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit games, draws 5.1% and loses 53.0%. That rests on 3.7K games from Lichess.

What is the best rating to play the Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit?

No rating in these games shows it paying. White's Edge at worst is highest at 1000-1199: −13.3%, how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident.

Is the Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit better in blitz or rapid?

Blitz. For White, the Edge at worst — how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident — is −14.7% in Blitz (1.2K games) and −21.7% in Rapid (262 games). In neither do the games show White winning more than losing.

Does the Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit breakpoint vary by time control?

No. The first rating where the games do not show White coming out ahead is 0-999 in Bullet, 0-999 in Blitz and 0-999 in Rapid.

How sharp is the Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit?

The Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit is very sharp: 5.1% of its games are drawn, so 94.9% end with a winner.

Should I play the Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit?

Not for the results: White does not come out ahead at any rating we can see.

How do I defend against the Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit?

As Black, take the material, then develop fast, castle early, and trade pieces. Give the material back when doing so kills the attack. White does not come out ahead with it at any rating we can see.

How reliable is the Clemenz Opening: Spike Lee Gambit data?

This rests on 3.7K games from Lichess. Every figure carries the range it is in, 90% confident, and the table above shows how many games sit behind each rating and each clock — the fewer there are, the wider that range.