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Zukertort Opening: St. George Defense: what should Black play?
Best move
Bg7+0.81
By playing Bg7, you complete the "fianchetto" of your g7. This places your bishop on the longest diagonal on the board, exerting immediate pressure on the center and eyeing the d4…
- Games played
- 51K
- To move
- Black
- Evaluation
- +0.81
- Depth
- 22
Game counts: Lichess opening book. Move ranking and evaluation: Stockfish. How this page is built
Why Bg7 is the best move
Bg7! — Excellent Choice!
✅ One of 2 top moves — you found the most precise way to continue!
Why this move is excellent:
By playing Bg7, you complete the "fianchetto" of your g7. This places your bishop on the longest diagonal on the board, exerting immediate pressure on the center and eyeing the d4 pawn. It is the most natural and active development for your pieces.
Multiple Valid Strategies
| Move | Eval | Style / Strategic Idea |
|---|---|---|
| Bg7 | +0.81 | Active Development: Prioritizes piece activity and pressure on the long diagonal. |
| d6 | +0.83 | Solid Foundation: Controls the center and prepares to develop the queenside pieces. |
Different paths, same destination:
Both moves are essentially two sides of the same coin. While Bg7 is the more popular human choice (found by 57% of players), d6 is a slightly more patient approach that prevents White from pushing pawns to e5. Both moves lead to a Modern or Pirc-style setup where you allow White the center now to strike back at it later.
Your Continuation
After Bg7:
Nc3 d6 Be3 b5 Bd3
What Made This Move Good
You correctly saw: The need to develop your kingside quickly to prepare for castling. By placing the g7 here, you ensure that White cannot easily expand in the center without accounting for the heat coming from your bishop.
📚 Takeaway: In positions with multiple good moves, trust your style! Whether you prefer the immediate pressure of the bishop or the solid structure of the pawn, both paths keep the game balanced.
What else gets played here
Move choices from 51K games in the opening book, with the engine's evaluation of each.
| Move | Evaluation | Played | Games | White score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bg7Engine pick | +0.81 | 41K | 51% | |
| d6 | +0.83 | 5.7K | 54% | |
| e6 | +1.08 | 2.2K | 57% | |
| c6 | +1.00 | 1.1K | 56% | |
| h6 | +1.20 | 1.1K | 57% |
More positions in the Zukertort Opening
- Best moved4Pawn d2 → d4Zukertort Opening: Kingside Fianchetto31M games
- Best moveNg5Knight f3 → g5Zukertort Opening: Tennison Gambit30M games
- Best movec4Pawn c2 → c4Zukertort Opening28M games
- Best moveBf5Bishop c8 → f5Zukertort Opening: Tennison Gambit17M games
- Best moveNf6Knight g8 → f6Zukertort Opening: Kingside Fianchetto17M games
- Best moved4Pawn d2 → d4Zukertort Opening: Black Mustang Defense13M games
Frequently asked questions
What is the best move for Black in the Zukertort Opening: St. George Defense?
Bg7 (+0.81). By playing Bg7, you complete the "fianchetto" of your g7. This places your bishop on the longest diagonal on the board, exerting immediate pressure on the center and eyeing the d4…
Why is Bg7 the best move here?
By playing Bg7, you complete the "fianchetto" of your g7. This places your bishop on the longest diagonal on the board, exerting immediate pressure on the center and eyeing the d4 pawn. It is the most natural and active development for your pieces.
How often does this position occur?
This position has been reached 51K times in the opening book.