Zukertort Opening: Basman Defense
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Statistics from Lichess
139,842 games: White 53.7% / Draw 4.7% / Black 41.7%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 43,86144K | ||
| 27,93428K | ||
| 24,72925K | ||
| 16,58117K | ||
| 7,4577,457 | ||
| 5,6325,632 | ||
| 4,4034,403 | ||
| 4,2124,212 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.72 White is better
Best play: 2. e4 e6 3. d4 d5 4. e5 c5 5. c3 Nc6 6. Bd3 Bd7
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Zukertort Opening: Basman Defense (ECO A04, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Zukertort Opening, reached after 1. Nf3 h6 (1 move).
In 139,842 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 53.7%, Black 41.7% and 4.7% were drawn. White's most played move here is 2. d4, in 31% 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 Zukertort Opening: Basman Defense
2. b3 scores best for White: 57.1%, with White winning 54.5% and Black 40.3% of 7,457 games. The most played, 2. d4, scores 56.1% in 44K games, and 2. g3 scores lowest: 56.0%. Stockfish's first choice is 2. e4.
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. “Zukertort Opening: Basman Defense (A04)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/zukertort-opening-basman-defense