Zukertort Opening: Polish Defense
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Statistics from Lichess
148,268 games: White 50.4% / Draw 5.6% / Black 44.0%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 42,44442K | ||
| 33,86434K | ||
| 31,04731K | ||
| 12,90213K | ||
| 6,9176,917 | ||
| 6,1986,198 | ||
| 4,6714,671 | ||
| 3,9823,982 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.71 White is better
Best play: 2. e4 Bb7 3. Bxb5 Bxe4 4. d4 e6 5. O-O c6 6. Ba4 Bxf3
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Zukertort Opening: Polish Defense (ECO A04, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Zukertort Opening, reached after 1. Nf3 b5 (1 move).
In 148,268 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 50.4%, Black 44.0% and 5.6% were drawn. White's most played move here is 2. g3, in 29% 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: Polish Defense
The most played answer, 2. g3, also scores best for White: 54.2%, with White winning 51.2% and Black 42.7% of 42K games. Of the main answers, 2. d4 scores lowest: 52.8%. 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: Polish Defense (A04)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/zukertort-opening-polish-defense