Zaire Defense
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Statistics from Lichess
4,459 games: White 60.0% / Draw 3.7% / Black 36.3%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 1,2611,261 | ||
| 1,1051,105 | ||
| 1,0641,064 | ||
| 496496 | ||
| 247247 | ||
| 7777 | ||
| 3535 | ||
| 3131 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 8, 2026
Engine evaluation
+2.14 White is clearly better
Best play: 5. Nf3 c6 6. d6 exd6 7. exd6 Qf6 8. Qe2+ Qe6 9. Bf4 b6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Zaire Defense (ECO A40, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Montevideo Defense, reached after 1. d4 Nc6 2. d5 Nb8 3. e4 Nf6 4. e5 Ng8 (4 moves).
In 4,459 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 60.0%, Black 36.3% and 3.7% were drawn. White's most played move here is 5. Nf3, in 28% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Zaire Defense
5. Nc3 scores best for White: 66.8%, with White winning 64.7% and Black 31.0% of 496 games. The most played, 5. Nf3, scores 64.0% in 1,261 games, and 5. c4 scores lowest: 58.7%. Stockfish's first choice is 5. Nf3.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Zaire Defense (A40)”. Lichess data as of 8 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/zaire-defense