1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b6 opens the Pseudo Queen's Indian Defense, ECO A47. With 998,498 games on record, the patterns below come from the largest practical sample available.
History and Notable Players
It arises from the Indian Game: 2.Nf3 Systems. On the White side, Carlos Enrique Guimard (21 games), Edgard Colle (16 games), Mark L Hebden (13 games) top the database. Notable Black exponents: Alexander Alekhine (32 games), Harry Golombek (27 games), Colin S Crouch (24 games).
Performance Across Rating Levels
The picture changes a lot as you climb the rating ladder. The 1200 bracket has 41,365 games (0.01% of all games at that level); White wins 50.5%, Black 46.1%, 3.3% are drawn. Move up to 1800 Elo and the share shifts to 0.03%, with White winning 49% versus Black's 45.8%. At 2500, 0.15% of games go into this opening; draws sit at 11% — the line is well-mapped at this level. White's edge erodes by 5.2pp from 1200 to 2500 Elo, suggesting Black's counterplay is easier to find with experience.
Time Control Patterns
The Pseudo Queen's Indian Defense skews toward blitz chess. In bullet, it appears in 0.02% of games (443,737); White wins 50.2%. Blitz shows 0.02% adoption across 848,794 games, White scoring 48.8%. In rapid, the share rises to 0.01% — 149,704 games, White 48.2%.
Move Diversity and Theory Depth
Move choice is far from uniform in the Pseudo Queen's Indian Defense. At 1200 Elo, the top reply is e3, played 22.7% of the time. There are 6 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 62.9% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 2.88. By 2500, c4 dominates at 28.7% of replies; only 5 viable alternatives remain and 71.1% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 2.57.
Historical Trends
Year-over-year data tells you whether this opening is a contemporary fixture or a fading one. Adoption peaked in 2018 at 0.03% (47,788 games). By 2025 it sits at 0.02% — a 22% shift overall, leaving the line on the rise.
Common Mistakes
- Neglecting development — Extra pawn moves in the opening are tempting, especially when you "know the moves". Developing a piece each turn is the simple correction.
- Letting White own the centre — Hypermodern openings concede central space on purpose, but only if you strike back in time. Delay the counter-blow and you end up squeezed.
Practice on Chessiverse
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