Zukertort Opening: Wade Defense, Chigorin Plan
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Statistics from Lichess
2,021 games: White 47.3% / Draw 7.3% / Black 45.5%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 588588 | ||
| 421421 | ||
| 328328 | ||
| 223223 | ||
| 168168 | ||
| 125125 | ||
| 4040 | ||
| 3636 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 25, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.73 White is better
Best play: 5. Nc3 a6 6. e4 e5 7. Be3 Ngf6 8. Be2 exd4 9. Bxd4 Be7
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Zukertort Opening: Wade Defense, Chigorin Plan (ECO A41, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Wade Defense, reached after 1. d4 d6 2. Nf3 Bg4 3. c4 Nd7 4. Qb3 Rb8 (4 moves).
In 2,021 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.3%, Black 45.5% and 7.3% were drawn. White's most played move here is 5. h3, 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: Wade Defense, Chigorin Plan
5. Bf4 scores best for White: 55.6%, with White winning 52.0% and Black 40.8% of 125 games. The most played, 5. h3, scores 53.2% in 588 games, and 5. e4 scores lowest: 47.1%. Stockfish's first choice is 5. Nc3.
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: Wade Defense, Chigorin Plan (A41)”. Lichess data as of 25 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/zukertort-opening-wade-defense-chigorin-plan