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Zukertort Opening: Santasiere's Folly as White
After 1.b4 d5 2.Nf3, you are in a flexible opening that asks Black an immediate question about the centre and your queenside play. The position is already balanced, so your job is not to force a tactic on move three. Instead, learn how to meet Black’s most natural replies and keep the game in a shape you understand. Use the drill below to test whether you can stay calm, develop cleanly, and play the opening as White without drifting into passivity.
Play the Zukertort Opening: Santasiere's Folly against the engine
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Create a free account →What this opening is aiming for
The Zukertort Opening: Santasiere's Folly is about claiming space on the queenside while keeping your setup flexible. With 1.b4 and 2.Nf3, White has not committed too early in the centre, so your plans often depend on how Black responds. That makes this a useful opening for players who want a less forced game and are happy to learn typical ideas rather than memorise long forcing lines. The practical challenge is simple: stay coordinated, watch the centre, and be ready to react when Black chooses an active setup.
What the engine says here
Stockfish rates this -0.09, a tiny edge for Black. That means you are essentially level here. This is not an opening where White starts with a big advantage, so your goal is to play accurately and avoid handing Black easy activity. In practice, that means treating the position as equal territory: develop sensibly, keep your pieces active, and do not overreach just because the opening looks unusual.
Black’s main choices
The database shows that Black has several common ways to continue from this exact position, so you should get used to a range of structures. The most-played reply is Nf6, and other frequent choices include e6, Nc6, Bg4, Bf5, and c6. This tells you something important: Black often aims for normal development rather than an immediate tactical fight. Your drill should focus on staying comfortable against these setups, because you are more likely to face one of them than a rare sideline.
The move to know in the drill
The engine’s best move here is e5. That is a direct central challenge, and it shows the kind of response Black is likely to value against your opening. In the engine line given here, play continues with e5 Nxe5 Bxb4 Bb2. You do not need to memorise more than that to benefit from the lesson: recognise that the centre can open quickly, and be ready to meet active central play with calm development and good piece placement.
How the position scores in practice
Across 69,773 games at this exact position, White wins 50.2%, draws 3.9%, and Black wins 45.9%. Those numbers suggest a roughly balanced battleground rather than a sharp refutation or a guaranteed advantage. For you, that means the opening is playable, but not forgiving if you drift. If you understand the early plans and answer Black’s common setups well, you can reach a middlegame where the game is still very much alive.
Results across 69,773 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Nf6 | 15,697 | 48.1% |
| e6 | 13,780 | 51.6% |
| Nc6 | 10,846 | 52.6% |
| Bg4 | 6,514 | 48.4% |
| Bf5 | 6,279 | 49.2% |
| c6 | 2,768 | 48.7% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Zukertort Opening: Santasiere's Folly good for White?
It is playable and roughly balanced here, but it does not give White a clear edge. Stockfish rates the position -0.09, so the opening is essentially equal. That makes it a practical choice if you want a flexible start and are comfortable playing from a level position.
What should I do after 1.b4 d5 2.Nf3?
Your main job is to stay coordinated and respond well to Black’s central and development moves. The position is already dead level, so good piece placement matters more than trying to force something. Use the drill to learn how to handle the common replies cleanly.
What is Black’s most common reply in this position?
The most-played continuation is Nf6, with other common replies including e6, Nc6, Bg4, Bf5, and c6. That means you should expect normal development from Black more often than a tactical surprise. Knowing the common replies helps you get into the middlegame confidently.
What is the engine move to study here?
The engine’s best move here is e5. In the line provided, the play continues e5 Nxe5 Bxb4 Bb2. Studying that idea helps you understand how quickly Black can challenge the centre.
How many games feature the Zukertort Opening: Santasiere's Folly?
Over 69K Lichess games have reached the Zukertort Opening: Santasiere's Folly position. White wins 50.2%, Black wins 45.9%, with 3.9% draws — based on real rated games.