1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.Nf3 d6 5.g3 0-0 6.Bg2 c5 7.0-0 opens the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, ECO E65. Lichess records 411,342 games in this line, which gives us a reliable view of how it actually performs in practice.
History and Notable Players
It arises from the King's Indian Defense: Averbakh Variation, Benoni Defense. Among the most prolific White practitioners are Milan Vukic (14 games), Nino Kirov (9 games), Gyozo V Forintos (8 games). Black-side regulars include Svetozar Gligoric (21 games), Ariel Sorin (15 games), Diego Flores (10 games).
Performance Across Rating Levels
How well the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation works depends on what level you're playing at. At 1200 Elo, the opening shows up in 0.00% of games (4,217 samples). White scores 51.8%, Black 44%, draws 4.2%. At 1800 the opening surfaces in 0.01% of games; White wins 53.4%, Black 41.1%, draws 5.4%. Among 2500-rated players the line appears in 0.09% of games and draws spike to 11.1%, indicating tight preparation. Positions also become less sharp as level rises (sharpness 0.96 → 0.89).
Time Control Patterns
Time control matters here: bullet players reach for this opening more than others. In bullet, it appears in 0.02% of games (426,593); White wins 51.4%. Blitz shows 0.01% adoption across 375,084 games, White scoring 51.7%. In rapid, the share rises to 0.00% — 35,358 games, White 53.1%.
Move Diversity and Theory Depth
What players actually play after the opening moves depends heavily on rating. At 1200 Elo, the top reply is cxd4, played 54.7% of the time. There are 4 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 81% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 2.19. By 2500, Nc6 dominates at 70.2% of replies; only 2 viable alternatives remain and 98% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 1.13. That entropy collapse is the signature of a line where preparation pays off: at the top, players know the best move and play it.
Historical Trends
Tracking the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation year over year shows a clear story. Adoption peaked in 2020 at 0.011% (61,835 games). By 2025 it sits at 0.009%, 21% below the peak but still 136% above its 2013 level, so the line is up over the full period despite easing from the high.
Main Lines and Variations
After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.Nf3 d6 5.g3 0-0 6.Bg2 c5 7.0-0, 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 70% — versus 90.3% at 2000. The most popular deviation is b6 (played 8.8% 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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