- ECO code
- A04
- Moves
- 1.Nf3 c5
- Family
- Zukertort Opening
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 1,523
- Average game length
- 45 moves
- Years covered
- 1905–2026
Zukertort Opening: Sicilian Invitation is the opening filed under ECO code A04, reached after 1.Nf3 c5. It belongs to the Zukertort Opening family and is known as the Sicilian Invitation; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 1,523 games on this line — the 79th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1905 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 610 games. An average game here lasts 45 moves.
White wins 36% of those games, 35% end in a draw, and Black wins 29%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%).
From this position the most popular move is 2.c4, played in 813 games, followed by 2.g3 (237) and 2.e4 (226). After 2.c4 White scores 30% and Black 26%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Nakamura,Hi (123 games); on the Black side, Vachier Lagrave,M (148).
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Results in master games
- White 36% (548)
- Draws 35% (540)
- Black 29% (435)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.c4 | 813 | 30/44/26 | — |
| 2.g3 | 237 | 32/30/38 | — |
| 2.e4 | 226 | 50/19/31 | — |
| 2.b3 | 141 | 55/22/23 | — |
| 2.e3 | 75 | 40/32/28 | — |
| 2.c3 | 26 | 23/39/38 | — |
| 2.d4 | 3 | 67/0/33 | — |
| 2.a3 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
How the position is reached
- Zukertort Opening · 1.Nf3 · 14,933 games
Played most often by
As White
- Nakamura,Hi 123
- Keymer,Vincent 63
- Kramnik,V 53
As Black
- Vachier Lagrave,M 148
- Nepomniachtchi,I 92
- Grischuk,A 68
Games per decade
- 1900s 1
- 1920s 7
- 1930s 2
- 1950s 19
- 1960s 34
- 1970s 47
- 1980s 82
- 1990s 122
- 2000s 131
- 2010s 468
- 2020s 610
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Taher,Yoseph Theolifus | 1-0 | 2026 | 3rd 3-0 Thu 26th Feb 2026 |
| Arca,Christian Gian Karlo | Nepomniachtchi,I | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 3rd Feb 2026 |
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Ahmad,Khagan | 1-0 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 26th Mar 2026 |
| Dau Khuong Duy | Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 21st Apr 2026 |
| Nakamura,Hi | Bjerre,Jonas Buhl | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 9th Jun 2026 |
| So,W | Duda,J | 1-0 | 2026 | GCT Super Blitz Poland |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Zukertort Opening: Sicilian Invitation?
It is the opening with ECO code A04, reached after 1.Nf3 c5. It belongs to the Zukertort Opening family.
Is the Zukertort Opening: Sicilian Invitation good for White or for Black?
In 1,523 master games on this line White wins 36%, 35% are drawn and Black wins 29%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is a slightly better bargain for Black than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Zukertort Opening: Sicilian Invitation?
2.c4 — played in 813 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Zukertort Opening: Sicilian Invitation?
On the White side Nakamura,Hi (123), Keymer,Vincent (63), Kramnik,V (53); on the Black side Vachier Lagrave,M (148), Nepomniachtchi,I (92), Grischuk,A (68).
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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