The King's Indian Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... e5 begins with 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 (ECO E92). With 1,908,226 games on record, the patterns below come from the largest practical sample available.
History and Notable Players
It arises from the King's Indian Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 6.Be2. On the White side, Lubomir Ftacnik (143 games), Loek Van Wely (131 games), Zdenko Kozul (108 games) top the database. Notable Black exponents: Ilia Smirin (141 games), Wolfgang Uhlmann (139 games), Joseph G Gallagher (122 games).
Performance Across Rating Levels
The picture changes a lot as you climb the rating ladder. Among 1200-rated players, it appears in 0.00% of games — 13,146 of them on record — with White winning 47.4% and Black 48.4%. Move up to 1800 Elo and the share shifts to 0.04%, with White winning 48% versus Black's 46.8%. At 2500, 0.69% of games go into this opening; draws sit at 9.4% — the line is well-mapped at this level. Positions also become less sharp as level rises (sharpness 0.96 → 0.91).
Time Control Patterns
Time control matters here: blitz players reach for this opening more than others. In bullet, it appears in 0.02% of games (652,606); White wins 50.3%. Blitz shows 0.05% adoption across 1,687,173 games, White scoring 49.4%. In rapid, the share rises to 0.02% — 217,828 games, White 47.1%. White's score swings 3.2pp across formats, so time control isn't just a stylistic choice here — it shifts the actual results.
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 52.9% of the time. There are 3 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 92.7% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 1.81. By 2500, O-O dominates at 55.7% of replies; only 4 viable alternatives remain and 92% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 1.67.
Historical Trends
Tracking the King's Indian Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... e5 year over year shows a clear story. Adoption peaked in 2017 at 0.06% (69,351 games). By 2025 it sits at 0.03% — a 39% shift overall, leaving the line on the rise.
Main Lines and Variations
The main branches off 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 include:
Each branch leads to a different middlegame character — the resulting pawn structure decides what kind of game you get.
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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