Zukertort Defense

2 variations · 20K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

No move sequence recorded for this opening

White expected score · Overall

59.8%

45%65%

Floor59.2%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 60.4%.

Measured over 20K games at this level and clock.

Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level

A strong opening choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

57.8%3.9%38.3%

Win

Draw

Loss

Draw 3.9 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 20K games

Rank among the families White can choose here: not ranked — under 500 games here
Games in this context: 20K
Best context: 74.4% at 1200-1399 Rapid
Worst context: 46.1% at 2000-2199 Bullet
Variations measured: 2
Average game length: 31 moves

Best and worst are the strongest and weakest squares with at least 500 games behind them. The table further down shows every square, including thinner ones.

What to play from here

White · Overall · limited data

Not enough games here yet to rank what comes next. Pick another rating or time control above.

These are the moves players actually choose from here, ranked by how they score. A higher score is a better bet on the numbers alone — familiarity and playstyle still matter.

Where it holds · White score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for White, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 58.6% at 0-999, 43.6% at 2500+.

Rating	Rapid	Class
0-999
1000-1199
1200-1399
1400-1599
1600-1799
1800-1999
2000-2199
2200-2499		—
2500+	—	—

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 29.0% expected score (8 games)
0-999 rating, Bullet: 61.9% expected score (1,144 games)
0-999 rating, Blitz: 63.1% expected score (1,797 games)
0-999 rating, Rapid: 67.3% expected score (1,049 games)
0-999 rating, Classical: 71.8% expected score (26 games)
1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 66.0% expected score (11 games)
1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 66.1% expected score (846 games)
1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 65.8% expected score (1,025 games)
1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 67.2% expected score (565 games)
1000-1199 rating, Classical: 71.1% expected score (53 games)
1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 44.7% expected score (36 games)
1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 63.0% expected score (613 games)
1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 67.5% expected score (875 games)
1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 74.4% expected score (509 games)
1200-1399 rating, Classical: 76.3% expected score (48 games)
1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 52.0% expected score (75 games)
1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 57.3% expected score (1,053 games)
1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 60.9% expected score (968 games)
1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 71.3% expected score (496 games)
1400-1599 rating, Classical: 87.0% expected score (89 games)
1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 60.2% expected score (77 games)
1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 55.6% expected score (1,022 games)
1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 56.7% expected score (913 games)
1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 65.6% expected score (320 games)
1600-1799 rating, Classical: 63.7% expected score (35 games)
1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 59.1% expected score (65 games)
1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (943 games)
1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 54.1% expected score (1,279 games)
1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 52.5% expected score (201 games)
1800-1999 rating, Classical: 58.7% expected score (10 games)
2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 60.2% expected score (33 games)
2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 46.1% expected score (1,030 games)
2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 49.0% expected score (960 games)
2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 60.8% expected score (110 games)
2000-2199 rating, Classical: 63.4% expected score (6 games)
2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.0% expected score (745 games)
2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 55.7% expected score (414 games)
2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 80.3% expected score (20 games)
2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
2500+ rating, Bullet: 45.8% expected score (176 games)
2500+ rating, Blitz: 55.0% expected score (39 games)

2 variations · ranked by floor

Floor — the worst score you would still get, 90% confident.

Zukertort Defense: Sicilian Knight Variation12K games

Winning65.3%Floor 64.6%

Zukertort Defense: Kingside Variation7.5K games

Balanced50.7%Floor 49.8%

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Zukertort Defense family scores 59.8% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 59.2% and 60.4% — from 20K Lichess games across 2 variations. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.

How the figures are made

Whose games these are: 20K+ rated games played on Lichess (2023-12 to 2025-11). The games are Lichess’s and free for anyone to use. What is ours is the reading of them. Last rebuilt January 2026.
Which games we count: Rated games only — nothing casual.
Both players within 200 rating points of each other. A mismatch tells you about the gap, not about the opening.
At least 2 moves played.
A game is filed under White’s rating.
Why every number comes with a range: A number off a few hundred games is a guess. The same number off millions is a fact. The range is what tells them apart, and it is what the lists rank on — so an opening cannot reach the top on a lucky run of forty games. The more games behind a figure, the narrower its range.
How much we need before we say anything: An opening page needs 100 games. A gambit needs 50 games at a rating before we will say whether it pays there. The chaos and trap lists need 500 games overall and 250 games at one rating or clock.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Zukertort Defense win rate?

Across the Zukertort Defense's 2 variations, White wins 57.8%, draws 3.9% and loses 38.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.8%. It rests on 20K rated games from Lichess.

How many Zukertort Defense variations are there?

2 Zukertort Defense variations have a page of their own, each broken down by rating and by clock.

At what rating does the Zukertort Defense perform best?

The Zukertort Defense family performs best for White at 1200-1399, with an Expected Score of 67.7% (2.1K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read. Performance may vary by specific variation.

Is the Zukertort Defense better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Zukertort Defense scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 59.5% in Blitz (8.3K games) against 67.9% in Rapid (3.3K games).

How sharp is the Zukertort Defense?

Zukertort Defense games are 96.1% decisive (non-draws), with an average length of 31 moves. Sharpness varies by specific variation.

Is the Zukertort Defense a good opening family?

The Zukertort Defense family is good for White overall. Across its games, White wins 57.8% and loses 38.3%. Results differ between its 2 variations, so open the one you play for its own figures.