1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Bg5 c5 opens the King's Indian Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... c5, ECO E74. Across rating levels it shows up in 94,540 recorded games — enough data to map exactly where it succeeds and where it stalls.
History and Notable Players
It arises from the King's Indian Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 5.Be2. Among the most prolific White practitioners are Wolfgang Uhlmann (48 games), Ivan Farago (33 games), Ariel Sorin (23 games). Black-side regulars include Svetozar Gligoric (18 games), Ognjen Cvitan (13 games), Wlodzimierz Schmidt (13 games).
Performance Across Rating Levels
Popularity and results vary sharply by rating level. At 1200 Elo, the opening shows up in 0.00% of games (579 samples). White scores 47.3%, Black 48.2%, draws 4.5%. Move up to 1800 Elo and the share shifts to 0.00%, with White winning 51.1% versus Black's 44.1%. At the top end (2500+ Elo), popularity is 0.03% with 10.3% draws — a clear sign of how much theory rules the line at master level. Positions also become less sharp as level rises (sharpness 0.95 → 0.90).
Move Diversity and Theory Depth
Looking at move selection shows how forcing — or not — the position really is. At 1200 Elo, the top reply is d5, played 74% of the time. There are 4 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 90.3% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 1.41. By 2500, d5 dominates at 94.2% of replies; only 1 viable alternatives remain and 99.8% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 0.38. That entropy collapse is the signature of a line where preparation pays off: at the top, players know the best move and play it.
Main Lines and Variations
After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Bg5 c5, the established follow-ups are:
Each branch leads to a different middlegame character — the resulting pawn structure decides what kind of game you get.
Common Mistakes
- Drifting away from main theory — At 400 Elo, theory adherence sits at 92.3% — versus 99.3% at 2000. The most popular deviation is e5 (played 23.1% of the time at 400, much less so up top). It looks fine but quietly hands the better-prepared side an edge.
- Neglecting development — It can feel productive to make extra pawn moves early, but falling behind in piece development is what loses most amateur games — especially in open positions where active pieces find squares fast.
- 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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