Prepare against James Clarke
United Kingdom · World #27,458 classical · FIDE ID 463140
Our database contains 67 games by James Clarke, covering Feb 2018 to Aug 2026. Below you'll find James Clarke's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout James Clarke before a game. You can open the same data in the free interactive preparation workstation, which builds a move-by-move opening tree from every game.
Ratings
| Time control | Current | Peak | Peak date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classical | 2,001 | 2,001 | Aug 2026 |
| Rapid | 1,887 | 1,887 | Aug 2026 |
| Blitz | 1,968 | 1,997 | Sep 2025 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 67 | 28 | 15 | 24 | 41.8% |
| As White | 34 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 44.1% |
| As Black | 33 | 13 | 7 | 13 | 39.4% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of James Clarke's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from James Clarke's side.
First moves as White (34 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 31 | 91.2% | 53.2% |
| Nf3 | 3 | 8.8% | 83.3% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 91% of White games, 53.2% score
- …c5 (35% of these games) — Clarke usually continues Nf3 (54.5% score)
- …e6 (23% of these games) — Clarke usually continues d4 (28.6% score)
- …c6 (13% of these games) — Clarke usually continues d4 (62.5% score)
- 1.Nf3 — 9% of White games, 83.3% score
- …Nf6 (67% of these games) — Clarke usually continues c4 (100.0% score)
- …d5 (33% of these games) — Clarke usually continues b3 (50.0% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (17 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| c5 | 14 | 82.4% | 50.0% |
| e5 | 3 | 17.6% | 16.7% |
As Black against 1.d4 (12 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 10 | 83.3% | 65.0% |
| d5 | 2 | 16.7% | 50.0% |
James Clarke's chess games
All 67 games by James Clarke in the Chess.ceo database (Feb 2018 - Aug 2026) are free to browse, search and replay: filter by opening, opponent, event or date on the player page, or step through any game on the analysis board. Record: 28 wins, 15 draws, 24 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C02 | French: Advance Variation | 5 | 1/0/4 | 20.0% |
| B29 | Sicilian | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 4 | 2/1/1 | 50.0% |
| B95 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 3 | 0/2/1 | 0.0% |
| C92 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 3 | 0/2/1 | 0.0% |
| B47 | Sicilian: Taimanov | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| C01 | French Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| B00 | Pirc Defense | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| A13 | Nimzo-Larsen Attack | 1 | 0/1/0 | 0.0% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D85 | Grünfeld Defense | 6 | 3/1/2 | 50.0% |
| A05 | Sicilian | 5 | 2/1/2 | 40.0% |
| C42 | Petrov's Defense | 3 | 0/1/2 | 0.0% |
| B21 | Sicilian: Smith-Morra Gambit | 2 | 2/0/0 | 100.0% |
| D71 | King's Indian Defense | 2 | 1/0/1 | 50.0% |
| B22 | Sicilian: Alapin | 2 | 1/1/0 | 50.0% |
| B30 | Sicilian: Rossolimo | 2 | 0/0/2 | 0.0% |
| D79 | Réti Opening: Symmetrical Defense | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B51 | Sicilian: Moscow Variation | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
| B90 | Sicilian: Najdorf | 1 | 0/0/1 | 0.0% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2024 | Aaravamudhan Balaji | 2,346 | ch-ENG | B07 |
| Sep 2021 | Neil H Bradbury | 2,297 | 26th Leamington Spa 4NCL Open | B83 |
| Sep 2021 | Max French | 2,248 | 26th Leamington Spa 4NCL Open | D87 |
| Sep 2021 | Philip J Holt | 2,207 | 26th Leamington Spa 4NCL Open | B07 |
| Jul 2026 | Toczek,G | 2,184 | 21st South Wales Int 2026 | B60 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Rapidplay | 2025 | 11 | 6 | 2,040 |
| ch-British Universities | 2024 | 9 | 5 | 1,895 |
| 21st South Wales Int 2026 | 2026 | 9 | 6 | 2,109 |
| English Open | 2025 | 7 | 3 | 2,060 |
| ch-ENG | 2024 | 7 | 4 | 2,189 |
| 106th ch-GBR Soanes Open | 2019 | 5 | 2.5 | 1,642 |
| 30th Daventry 4NCL Open A | 2023 | 5 | 2.5 | 1,922 |
| 26th Leamington Spa 4NCL Open | 2021 | 5 | 3 | 2,353 |
Interactive opening tree from all 67 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find James Clarke's chess games?
67 games by James Clarke, from Feb 2018 to Aug 2026, are free to browse and replay move by move — no signup needed. The preparation view groups them into an opening tree showing every line James Clarke has played.
What does James Clarke play on the first move as White?
Across 34 games with White in our database, James Clarke opens with 1.e4 (91% of games), 1.Nf3 (9% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, James Clarke answers 1...c5 (82% of games), 1...e5 (18% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...Nf6 (83% of games), 1...d5 (17% of games).
What openings does James Clarke play as White?
As White, James Clarke's most-played openings in our database are: French: Advance Variation (5 games, 20.0% win rate); Sicilian (4 games, 50.0% win rate); Caro-Kann: Advance Variation (4 games, 50.0% win rate). The full breakdown of 34 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does James Clarke play as Black?
As Black, James Clarke most often plays: Grünfeld Defense (6 games, 50.0% win rate); Sicilian (5 games, 40.0% win rate); Petrov's Defense (3 games, 0.0% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 33 games.
What is James Clarke's FIDE rating?
James Clarke is currently rated 2,001 in classical chess, 1,887 in rapid and 1,968 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,001 (Aug 2026).
How many games has James Clarke played?
Our database contains 67 games by James Clarke, covering Feb 2018 to Aug 2026. Overall record: 28 wins, 15 draws, 24 losses (41.8% win rate).
How do I prepare against James Clarke?
67 games by James Clarke reveal their opening repertoire, most-played lines, and the variations where they score worst — the raw material for targeted preparation. The interactive opening tree lets you walk every line to any depth.