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Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense

416K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

48.0%

40%55%
Floor47.9%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 48.2%.

Measured over 416K games at this level and clock.

Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level

Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.

Outcomes for Black

Draw 3.8 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 416K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
416K
Best context
50.6% at 1800-1999 Blitz
Worst context
43.3% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Average game length
34 moves
Games that end decisively
96.2%
Draws
3.8%

Best and worst are the strongest and weakest squares with at least 500 games behind them. The table further down shows every square, including thinner ones.

Where it holds · Black score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for Black, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 53.4% at 0-999, 43.3% at 2500+.

RatingUBBulleBlitzRapidClass
0-999
1000-1199
1200-1399
1400-1599
1600-1799
1800-1999
2000-2199
2200-2499
2500+—

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

  • 0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 48.3% expected score (1,530 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 49.0% expected score (2,826 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 49.7% expected score (618 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.8% expected score (4,077 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 47.3% expected score (8,828 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 44.9% expected score (2,432 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 61.4% expected score (25 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 19.0% expected score (13 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.4% expected score (7,995 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.0% expected score (19,933 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 45.8% expected score (6,624 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 43.8% expected score (143 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 52.1% expected score (117 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.9% expected score (11,126 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 48.1% expected score (30,738 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 47.5% expected score (12,508 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 46.8% expected score (499 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 55.8% expected score (199 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.1% expected score (14,993 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.7% expected score (36,028 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 48.3% expected score (14,042 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 45.2% expected score (735 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 44.5% expected score (436 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 49.9% expected score (20,348 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (37,855 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 47.9% expected score (9,992 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 43.9% expected score (435 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 44.8% expected score (399 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (27,397 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 48.1% expected score (37,503 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 48.2% expected score (5,597 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 47.0% expected score (148 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 45.5% expected score (319 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 47.7% expected score (41,754 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 45.7% expected score (28,358 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 43.3% expected score (1,899 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 32.5% expected score (27 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 45.3% expected score (62 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 43.6% expected score (23,723 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 43.7% expected score (3,800 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 40.7% expected score (89 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Benoni Defense
47.5%
Variations (5)
Benoni Defense: Old Benoni
48.4%
Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit Accepted
47.4%
Benoni Defense: French Benoni
50.8%
Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line
50.7%
Benoni Defense: Hromádka System
49.2%
Continuations (1)
Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order
49.0%
Analyze Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense scores 48.0% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 47.9% and 48.2% — from 416K Lichess games. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.

How the figures are made
Whose games these are
416K+ rated games played on Lichess (2023-12 to 2025-11). The games are Lichess’s and free for anyone to use. What is ours is the reading of them. Last rebuilt January 2026.
Which games we count
  • Rated games only — nothing casual.
  • Both players within 200 rating points of each other. A mismatch tells you about the gap, not about the opening.
  • At least 2 moves played.
  • A game is filed under White’s rating.
Why every number comes with a range
A number off a few hundred games is a guess. The same number off millions is a fact. The range is what tells them apart, and it is what the lists rank on — so an opening cannot reach the top on a lucky run of forty games. The more games behind a figure, the narrower its range.
How much we need before we say anything
An opening page needs 100 games. A gambit needs 50 games at a rating before we will say whether it pays there. The chaos and trap lists need 500 games overall and 250 games at one rating or clock.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense win rate?

Playing the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Black wins 46.1%, draws 3.8% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.0%. It rests on 416K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense perform best?

The Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense performs best for Black at 1800-1999, with an Expected Score of 49.9% (69K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 48.2% in Blitz (206K games) against 47.4% in Rapid (54K games).

How sharp is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense?

The Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense has a sharpness score of 96.2 (very decisive), meaning 96.2% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 47.6%, draws 2.5% and loses 49.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 5.0K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 46.1%, draws 2.3% and loses 51.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.3%. It rests on 15K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 46.5%, draws 2.6% and loses 50.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 35K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 46.6%, draws 2.9% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 55K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 47.4%, draws 3.1% and loses 49.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 66K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 48.1%, draws 3.7% and loses 48.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 69K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 46.5%, draws 4.1% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 71K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 44.4%, draws 4.7% and loses 50.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 72K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 40.4%, draws 6.4% and loses 53.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.6%. It rests on 28K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 45.2%, draws 2.8% and loses 52.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.6%. It rests on 1.5K Lichess games.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 46.5%, draws 3.1% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 153K Lichess games.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 46.1%, draws 4.2% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.2%. It rests on 206K Lichess games.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 45.3%, draws 4.1% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 54K Lichess games.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 42.9%, draws 4.7% and loses 52.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.3%. It rests on 2.0K Lichess games.

Is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense a good opening?

The Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 46.1% of its games and loses 50.1%. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.