Chessy
Play the Zukertort Opening: Old Indian Attack with Bg4 (as White)
After 1.Nf3 d5 2.d3 Bg4, Black pins your knight before it can move. You strike back with 3.c4 — but is that enough? Over 1,336 games at this position, the database tells a sobering story: Black wins 50.4% of the time, White 44.4%, with only 5.2% draws. Stockfish rates the position +0.01, which is dead level with a slight practical edge for Black. This page shows you what to do next: which move the engine wants, which replies you can punish, and why grabbing on d5 is your cleanest path to equality.
Play the Zukertort Opening: Old Indian Attack: Bg4 against the engine
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Put this knowledge into practice. Play the position from White's side against an adapting engine and see if you can outscore the database average.
Create a free account →The Critical Crossroads After 3.c4
Black has several ways to handle your pawn thrust, and how you respond to each matters. The engine's top choice is dxc4 — Black captures your c-pawn, and after your reply 4.d4, the line continues 4...Bxf3 5.gxf3. This trade brings Black's bishop to f3, doubling your pawns, but you get a strong centre and the bishop pair. Across 394 games where Black plays dxc4, White scores 44.7% — solid, if unspectacular. The key is not to fear the doubled f-pawns: your d4-centre and two bishops give you plenty of compensation.
Punishing Black's Most Common Mistakes
You can gain a real edge if Black misplays this position. Two moves the engine flags as inaccuracies are d4 and c6: - d4 (71 games, White scores 38.0%): This loses about 0.7 pawns of advantage for Black. Instead of defending d5 passively, Black advances it — but you can now capture or undermine the centre. The correct reply was dxc4. - c6 (45 games, White scores only 40.0%): This loses about 0.6 pawns. Black protects d5 but neglects development. You should answer with your best continuation; the engine recommends Bxf3 as a better alternative for Black. When your opponent makes these inaccuracies, you can turn the tables and seize a comfortable plus.
What to Do Against Black's Most Popular Reply: Bxf3
Black's most frequent choice is Bxf3 (627 games, 46.9% of all games from this position). By immediately trading bishop for knight, Black removes your developed piece and leaves you recapturing with either pawn or bishop. While White scores only 43.1% here, you have a simple guiding principle: don't panic. The engine considers Bxf3 a reasonable move — it is, in fact, what it suggests after dxc4. If Black trades on f3 early, your doubled pawns are not a weakness; they support a later e4 break and give you active piece play. Focus on completing development and contesting the centre.
The Practical Reality: You Are Dead Level
Stockfish gives this position +0.01, which means you are neither better nor worse — the evaluation is dead equal. That is the honest truth: you have not achieved an advantage out of the opening, but you are also not in any danger. The statistics back this up: across 1,336 games, Black outscores you 50.4% to 44.4%, a modest practical edge for the second player. Your job is to recognise that this is not a trap or a refutation — it is a balanced middlegame where the better player will win. Play natural developing moves, keep your eye on the centre, and trust your chess.
Results across 1,336 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Bxf3 | 627 | 43.1% |
| dxc4 | 394 | 44.7% |
| e6 | 106 | 50.9% |
| d4 | 71 | 38.0% |
| Nf6 | 57 | 50.9% |
| c6 | 45 | 40.0% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Zukertort Opening Old Indian Attack Bg4 good for White?
Stockfish evaluates it at +0.01, which is completely equal. In practice, Black wins more often than White (50.4% vs 44.4%), so you are not getting an edge from the opening — but you are also not worse. It is a fully sound, balanced position.
What is the best move for Black after 1.Nf3 d5 2.d3 Bg4 3.c4?
The engine recommends dxc4, leading to 4.d4 Bxf3 5.gxf3. This is Black's most principled line, giving White doubled pawns but a strong centre. It is played in 394 games and is the engine's top choice.
What if Black plays d4 in this position?
The move d4 is an inaccuracy that loses about 0.7 pawns for Black. It has been played 71 times (White scores 38.0%). You should be happy to see it — the engine says Black should have taken on c4 instead.
What happens if Black trades bishop for knight with Bxf3?
That is Black's most common response, played in 627 games. You recapture (usually with the pawn), doubling your f-pawns. The engine considers it a normal move — your doubled pawns are not a real weakness and you get good central control in return. White scores 43.1% here, so the position remains playable.