ECO D02 · Queen's Pawn Game

Queen's Pawn Game: Zukertort Variation

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3

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Black to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

2… Nf6+0.25

The position is roughly equal. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Pawn Game: Zukertort Variation (D02), reached after 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3, Stockfish 18 recommends 2… Nf6 for Black. The position is roughly equal (+0.25).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.252… Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4
  2. +0.272… Bf5 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. g3 Bb4 6. Nh4 Be4 7. f3
  3. +0.302… c6 3. Bf4 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Bd3 Bxd3 6. Qxd3 Nbd7 7. c4

Other move orders

  • 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 c5 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nbd2 e6 5. b3

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Pawn Game: Zukertort Variation?
After 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 2… Nf6 for Black, continuing 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4. The position is roughly equal (+0.25). The next best moves are 2… Bf5 (+0.27) and 2… c6 (+0.30).
Is the Queen's Pawn Game: Zukertort Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.25: the position is roughly equal. Evaluations this early in the game are small, so practical results depend far more on knowing the plans and typical structures than on the engine's number.
What is the ECO code of the Queen's Pawn Game: Zukertort Variation?
D02. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; D is the volume for closed and semi-closed games.

Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).