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 Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 7.0-0, 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 Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... c5. 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 Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 7.0-0 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 Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 7.0-0 year over year shows a clear story. Adoption peaked in 2020 at 0.01% (61,835 games). By 2025 it sits at 0.01% — a 136% shift overall, leaving the line on the rise.
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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