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| Moves | 1.Nf3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ECO | A04–A09 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Named after | Johannes Zukertort | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TheZukertort Opening is achess opening named afterJohannes Zukertort that begins with the move:
Aflank opening, it is the third most popular of the twenty legal opening moves White has, behind only1.e4 and1.d4.[1][2][3] Sometimes the name "Réti Opening" is used for the opening move 1.Nf3,[4] although most sources define theRéti more narrowly as the sequence 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4,[5] which happens to be the most common independent variation of the Zukertort. By playing 1.Nf3, White prevents Black from playing 1...e5, and keeps future move options open. It has been described byEdmar Mednis as a "perfect and flexible opening"[6] and by others such asAron Nimzowitsch as "certainly the most solid move, whereas moves such as 1.e4 and 1.d4 are both 'committal' and 'compromising'."[7]
The opening is very often used as atranspositional device into openings that usually start with1.e4,1.d4, or1.c4, where White delays certain committal moves until having more knowledge of Black's plans, usually with the goal of avoiding certain lines possible with a different move order. For example, after 1.Nf3 c5, White can play 2.e4, leading to the mainlineSicilian Defense, or alternatively 2.c4, leading to the Symmetrical Variation of theEnglish Opening. The most common transpositions are to theQueen's Gambit Declined (after e.g. 1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4), theCatalan Opening (after e.g. 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 e6 4.0-0 Be7 5.c4), and the English.[6]
The main independent lines that usually start with 1.Nf3 are theRéti Opening (1.Nf3 d5 2.c4), theKing's Indian Attack (where White plays g3, Bg2, e4, d3, and O-O), and theNimzowitsch–Larsen Attack (where White plays b3, Bb2, and e3). In these lines, White allows Black to control the center, intending to later undermine that control, inhypermodern style.
In theEncyclopedia of Chess Openings, the opening is found in the series A04–A09. 1...d5 is under A06–A09, 1...Nf6 is under A05, and any other Black move is under A04.
The Black responses which are given one or more chapters in theEncyclopedia of Chess Openings are given below, ranked in order of popularity.[8]
Like White's move, Black's move is non-committal as to opening. 2.d4 is identical to 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 (seeQueen's Pawn Game). 2.c4 is a common start for theEnglish Opening or it may be brought back to theQueen's Gambit Declined. 2.g3 is a common start for theKing's Indian Attack.
Black stakes a claim to the center. White has many transpositional options, such as:
Black invites White to play 2.e4, transitioning into theSicilian Defense, or 2.c4, the Symmetrical Defense of theEnglish Opening.
White can play 2.c4 for theEnglish Opening, 2.e4 for theSicilian Defense, 2.g3 for theKing's Indian Attack, or 2.d4 for theKing's Indian Defense.
Like White's move, Black's move is non-committal as to opening. White can play 2.c4 for theEnglish Opening or 2.e4 for theFrench Defense (if Black plays 2...d5) or theSicilian Defense (if Black plays 2...c5). Another non-committal move for White is 2.d4, which can lead to theSicilian Defense, theQueen's Gambit Declined, theDutch Defense, theIndian Defenses, theKing's Indian Attack, or theLondon System, depending on Black's reply.
After 1...f5, 2.d4 is theDutch Defense. 2.e4 borrows ideas from theStaunton Gambit.
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