Clemenz Opening

About this opening

With 1.h3 White plays a waiting move that helps neither the center nor development: the Clemenz Opening relies on transposition, the h3-square at most preventing a pin with Bg4. Black takes the initiative with 1...e5 or 1...d5 and natural development. The continuation 1...e5 2.a3 is catalogued as the Global Opening. Named after the Estonian player Hermann Clemenz, it is best kept for fast time controls — at classical pace the lost tempo tells.