Zukertort Opening: The Potato

Zukertort Opening: The Potato is a chess opening with the ECO code A06, part of the Zukertort Opening family. It goes 1. Nf3 d5 2. a4. White opens with 1. Nf3 (the Zukertort/Réti knight move) and Black answers 1... d5. After 3 moves it is Black to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.

The moves

• 1. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
• 1... d5 – Black plays the pawn to d5
• 2. a4 – White plays the pawn to a4

About the Zukertort Opening

White starts with 1.Nf3, a flexible move that develops and controls e5 and d4. White can later go into many different openings.

• It stops ...e5 for now and keeps d4 or c4 options open.
• Common follow-ups are g3, Bg2, O-O (a King's Indian Attack style).
• Black can take the centre with ...d5 and ...c5; react calmly.

Related openings

• It extends: Zukertort Opening (1. Nf3 d5)
• Related line: Zukertort Opening: Tennison Gambit, Brigg's Trap (1. e4 d5 2. Nf3 dxe4 3. Ng5 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bf5 5. Qe2 Qd4)
• Related line: Zukertort Opening: Reversed Grünfeld (1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. d4)
• Related line: Zukertort Opening: Tennison Gambit (1. e4 d5 2. Nf3)
• Related line: Zukertort Opening: Reversed Grünfeld (1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. d4 Nf6)
• Related line: Zukertort Opening: Santasiere's Folly (1. b4 d5 2. Nf3)
• Related line: Zukertort Opening: Reversed Grünfeld (1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. d4 Nf6 5. O-O)

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