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Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order

229K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

51.4%

45%55%
Floor51.2%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 51.6%.

Measured over 229K games at this level and clock.

Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level

Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.

Outcomes for White

Draw 4.7 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 229K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
229K
Best context
57.4% at 2500+ Blitz
Worst context
47.5% at 1600-1799 Bullet
Average game length
37 moves
Games that end decisively
95.3%
Draws
4.7%

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 · White score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for White, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It gets better as the rating rises: 45.0% at 0-999, 55.5% 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, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (201 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 51.0% expected score (245 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 49.1% expected score (52 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 16.7% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 53.8% expected score (654 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (818 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 54.3% expected score (208 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 27.2% expected score (16 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 51.3% expected score (1,647 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 53.6% expected score (2,484 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 53.3% expected score (570 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 37.1% expected score (14 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 46.0% expected score (48 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.8% expected score (3,465 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.3% expected score (5,578 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 53.6% expected score (1,495 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 49.3% expected score (73 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 43.7% expected score (78 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 47.5% expected score (6,520 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.2% expected score (11,927 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 50.3% expected score (2,989 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 56.3% expected score (190 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 53.2% expected score (171 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 49.0% expected score (11,666 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 48.9% expected score (26,455 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 49.5% expected score (4,345 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 53.4% expected score (233 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 55.4% expected score (204 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 49.7% expected score (18,746 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (41,050 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.4% expected score (4,344 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 61.0% expected score (158 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 54.7% expected score (84 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.7% expected score (27,935 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 54.4% expected score (34,476 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 56.3% expected score (2,340 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 64.7% expected score (53 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 27.0% expected score (5 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 55.3% expected score (12,739 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 57.4% expected score (4,225 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 70.2% expected score (110 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 67.7% expected score (24 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%
Analyze Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order scores 51.4% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 51.2% and 51.6% — from 229K 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
229K+ 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, Kingside Move Order win rate?

Playing the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order, White wins 49.0%, draws 4.7% and loses 46.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.4%. It rests on 229K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order perform best?

The Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 55.9% (17K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 51.6% in Blitz (127K games) against 52.1% in Rapid (16K games).

How sharp is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order?

The Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order has a sharpness score of 95.3 (very decisive), meaning 95.3% of games end decisively. Average game length is 37 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 48.9%, draws 2.9% and loses 48.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 499 Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 52.2%, draws 2.3% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.4%. It rests on 1.7K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 51.4%, draws 2.4% and loses 46.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 4.7K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 49.8%, draws 2.6% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 47.7%, draws 3.3% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.4%. It rests on 22K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 47.1%, draws 4.0% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.1%. It rests on 43K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 48.0%, draws 4.9% and loses 47.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 65K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 50.5%, draws 5.6% and loses 43.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 65K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 52.6%, draws 6.6% and loses 40.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.9%. It rests on 17K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 50.0%, draws 2.0% and loses 47.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 609 Lichess games.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 49.2%, draws 3.6% and loses 47.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.0%. It rests on 84K Lichess games.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 48.9%, draws 5.3% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.6%. It rests on 127K Lichess games.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 49.2%, draws 5.8% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 16K Lichess games.

What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 51.6%, draws 9.4% and loses 39.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.3%. It rests on 748 Lichess games.

Is the Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order a good opening?

The Benoni Defense: Benoni-Indian Defense, Kingside Move Order is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 49.0% of its games and loses 46.2%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.