Paleface Attack

1 variations · 491K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

Key Finding

Paleface Attack is balanced for White at 49.3% 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): 49.2% – 49.4%Aggregated from 1 variations

0%49.3%100%

Range (90% confident): 49.2% – 49.4%

ContextOverall · n=491K

Outcome Distribution

47.4%3.7%48.9%

Win

Draw

Loss

2.f3

Paleface Attack

Variations1

Games (Context)491K

Avg Length34 moves

Draw Rate3.7%

What Should I Play?

Player-controlled continuations for White · Overall

#1Paleface AttackTop Pick

1.d4 Nf6 2.f3

Min adv -1.7% · n=491K

49.3%

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 Paleface Attack family has a 49.3% expected score for White (we're 90% confident it's between 49.2% and 49.4%), aggregated from 1 variations and 491K Lichess games.

White Win% by Rating

Improves with rating: 46% → 51%

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

2200

2500+

White Win% by Time Control

Best in UltraBullet (50%), worst in Classical (42%)

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	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: 23.4% expected score (6 games)
0-999 rating, Bullet: 47.8% expected score (6,189 games)
0-999 rating, Blitz: 48.5% expected score (24,950 games)
0-999 rating, Rapid: 48.0% expected score (11,148 games)
0-999 rating, Classical: 47.6% expected score (82 games)
1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 36.5% expected score (28 games)
1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (9,616 games)
1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 50.5% expected score (33,978 games)
1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 48.2% expected score (17,958 games)
1000-1199 rating, Classical: 41.7% expected score (534 games)
1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 38.5% expected score (42 games)
1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.7% expected score (14,424 games)
1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (37,950 games)
1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.9% expected score (21,682 games)
1200-1399 rating, Classical: 43.8% expected score (1,239 games)
1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 41.1% expected score (110 games)
1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.5% expected score (13,863 games)
1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.8% expected score (41,637 games)
1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 47.2% expected score (17,946 games)
1400-1599 rating, Classical: 40.8% expected score (1,598 games)
1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 53.4% expected score (281 games)
1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (18,392 games)
1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.6% expected score (43,931 games)
1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 47.5% expected score (16,533 games)
1600-1799 rating, Classical: 44.3% expected score (1,137 games)
1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (198 games)
1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.5% expected score (21,928 games)
1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (48,009 games)
1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 48.6% expected score (13,666 games)
1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.1% expected score (942 games)
2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 71.5% expected score (87 games)
2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (22,175 games)
2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 49.1% expected score (22,294 games)
2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 49.2% expected score (6,582 games)
2000-2199 rating, Classical: 62.4% expected score (184 games)
2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 55.7% expected score (16 games)
2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 48.7% expected score (9,588 games)
2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 51.2% expected score (6,331 games)
2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 54.8% expected score (1,328 games)
2200-2499 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (8 games)
2500+ rating, Bullet: 50.3% expected score (1,199 games)
2500+ rating, Blitz: 58.5% expected score (776 games)
2500+ rating, Rapid: 46.8% expected score (14 games)

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

Variations (1)

Paleface Attack491K games

Balanced49.3%

Analyze Paleface Attack PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Paleface Attack win rate?

The Paleface Attack family has a 47.4% (90% CI: 47.3%-47.5%) win rate for white, aggregated from 1 variations and 491K rated games from Lichess.

How many Paleface Attack variations are there?

This analysis covers 1 Paleface Attack 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 Paleface Attack perform best?

The Paleface Attack family performs best at 2500+ Elo with a 50.6% win rate for white (2.0K games). Performance may vary by specific variation.

Is the Paleface Attack better in blitz or rapid?

Bullet (48.3%) outperforms Classical (42.1%) by 6.2% across all Paleface Attack variations.

How sharp is the Paleface Attack?

Paleface Attack games are 96.3% decisive (non-draws), with an average length of 34 moves. Sharpness varies by specific variation.

Is the Paleface Attack a good opening family?

The Paleface Attack family is statistically balanced overall with a 47.4% (90% CI: 47.3%-47.5%) aggregated win rate. However, win rates vary significantly between the 1 variations—explore individual lines to find the best fit for your style.