ECO B00 · St. George Defense

St. George Defense

1. e4 a6

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

2. d4+0.59

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the St. George Defense (B00), reached after 1. e4 a6, Stockfish 18 recommends 2. d4 for White. White is slightly better (+0.59).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.592. d4 e6 3. Bd3 d5 4. Nc3 c5 5. dxc5 Bxc5 6. exd5 Nf6
  2. +0.442. Nf3 c5 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Be2 Nf6 6. O-O Nc6
  3. +0.402. Be2 c5 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Bf3 Qd8 6. Ne2 Nc6

All St. George Defense variations (3)

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the St. George Defense?
After 1. e4 a6, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 2. d4 for White, continuing e6 3. Bd3 d5 4. Nc3 c5 5. dxc5 Bxc5 6. exd5 Nf6. White is slightly better (+0.59). The next best moves are 2. Nf3 (+0.44) and 2. Be2 (+0.40).
Is the St. George Defense a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.59: white is slightly better. 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 St. George Defense?
B00. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; B is the volume for semi-open games (other than the French).

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