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Train this openingAbout this opening
White develops a piece and takes e5 away without committing a single pawn, which keeps every plan open and gives you almost nothing to react against. It transposes into the Queen's Gambit, the Reti, the King's Indian Attack and much else, so treat it as a move order rather than an opening in its own right. d5 is the most played reply here and it is the most direct, staking a claim in the center before White decides on a structure. Nf6 mirrors White and keeps things flexible. The practical advice is simple: take the center while it is available and let White transpose to you.
Plans
- Play d5 to take the center before White commits.
- Play Nf6 and mirror the flexible setup.
- Develop the bishop outside the pawn chain before playing e6.
- Watch for a transposition and treat the position by structure.
Where the pieces belong
- Pawn: d5, the center claimed early
- Knight: f6, covering d5 and e4
- Bishop: f5 or g4, outside the chain before you play e6
- Pawn: c5, the break against a queenside setup
- King: castled short by move eight
Almost anything, because this move order transposes widely. Judge the position by its pawn structure rather than by the name of the opening you started in.
Variations
Zukertort Defense: Kingside Variation
Nh6 2. d4 g6
Zukertort Defense: Sicilian Knight Variation
Na6 2. e4 c5
Zukertort Opening: Drunken Cavalry Variation
Na6 2. e4 Nh6