- ECO code
- A06
- Moves
- 1.Nf3 d5
- Family
- Zukertort Opening
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 5,559
- Average game length
- 46 moves
- Years covered
- 1872–2026
Zukertort Opening is the opening filed under ECO code A06, reached after 1.Nf3 d5. It belongs to the Zukertort Opening family; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 5,559 games on this line — the 26th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1872 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 3,058 games. An average game here lasts 46 moves.
White wins 41% of those games, 34% end in a draw, and Black wins 25%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 3 percentage points.
From this position the most popular move is 2.g3, played in 2,104 games, followed by 2.d4 (1,307) and 2.e3 (903). 2.g3 leads into King's Indian Attack. After 2.g3 White scores 39% and Black 26%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Nakamura,Hi (691 games); on the Black side, Shirov,A (209).
4 named variations branch off this position and have their own page here, among them King's Indian Attack; Réti Opening; King's Indian Attack: Double Fianchetto.
Reading about an opening is not the same as knowing it. Play this line against the Katuranga bot, then let the engine mark your brilliant moves, mistakes and blunders in Analysis — the fastest way to find out which of these moves you actually understand.
Results in master games
- White 41% (2,302)
- Draws 34% (1,895)
- Black 25% (1,362)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.g3 | 2,104 | 39/35/26 | King's Indian Attack |
| 2.d4 | 1,307 | 33/45/22 | — |
| 2.e3 | 903 | 52/25/23 | — |
| 2.c4 | 752 | 43/33/24 | Réti Opening |
| 2.b3 | 449 | 56/20/24 | Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation |
| 2.d3 | 32 | 50/22/28 | — |
| 2.b4 | 3 | 33/67/0 | — |
| 2.Nc3 | 2 | 50/50/0 | — |
Variations from this position
- King's Indian Attack · 2.g3 · 2,104 games
- Réti Opening · 2.c4 · 752 games
- King's Indian Attack: Double Fianchetto · 2.g3 g6 · 602 games
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation · 2.b3 · 449 games
How the position is reached
- Zukertort Opening · 1.Nf3 · 14,933 games
Played most often by
As White
- Nakamura,Hi 691
- Keymer,Vincent 304
- Giri,A 181
As Black
- Shirov,A 209
- So,W 197
- Nakamura,Hi 179
Games per decade
- 1870s 1
- 1880s 9
- 1890s 13
- 1900s 10
- 1910s 3
- 1920s 62
- 1930s 64
- 1940s 26
- 1950s 37
- 1960s 84
- 1970s 84
- 1980s 150
- 1990s 273
- 2000s 281
- 2010s 1,404
- 2020s 3,058
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| So,W | Lee,Justin | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 17th Feb 2026 |
| Caruana,F | Duda,J | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | GCT Super Rapid Poland |
| Gukesh,D | Fedoseev,Vl3 | 0-1 | 2026 | GCT Super Blitz Poland |
| So,W | Drozdowski,K | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 24th Mar 2026 |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Wojtaszek,R | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | GCT Super Rapid Poland |
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Cahaya,Satria Duta | 1-0 | 2026 | 3rd 3-0 Thu 26th Feb 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Zukertort Opening?
It is the opening with ECO code A06, reached after 1.Nf3 d5. It belongs to the Zukertort Opening family.
Is the Zukertort Opening good for White or for Black?
In 5,559 master games on this line White wins 41%, 34% are drawn and Black wins 25%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Zukertort Opening?
2.g3 — played in 2,104 of the master games on this line, which leads into King's Indian Attack.
Which grandmasters play the Zukertort Opening?
On the White side Nakamura,Hi (691), Keymer,Vincent (304), Giri,A (181); on the Black side Shirov,A (209), So,W (197), Nakamura,Hi (179).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
Try this line on the board
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