ECO A04 · Zukertort Opening

Zukertort Opening: Wade Defense

1. Nf3 d6 2. e4 Bg4

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

3. d4+0.80

White is clearly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Zukertort Opening: Wade Defense (A04), reached after 1. Nf3 d6 2. e4 Bg4, Stockfish 18 recommends 3. d4 for White. White is clearly better (+0.80).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.803. d4 c6 4. h3 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 e6 6. Nc3 Qb6 7. Qe3 Nf6
  2. +0.603. h3 Bxf3 4. Qxf3 c5 5. Bb5+ Nd7 6. O-O e6 7. Rd1 a6
  3. +0.543. Be2 c5 4. h3 Bd7 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Nf6 7. Nc3 g6

Variations

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Zukertort Opening: Wade Defense?
After 1. Nf3 d6 2. e4 Bg4, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 3. d4 for White, continuing c6 4. h3 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 e6 6. Nc3 Qb6 7. Qe3 Nf6. White is clearly better (+0.80). The next best moves are 3. h3 (+0.60) and 3. Be2 (+0.54).
Is the Zukertort Opening: Wade Defense a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.80: white is clearly 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 Zukertort Opening: Wade Defense?
A04. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; A is the volume for flank openings.

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