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Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line

742K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
9.cxd5
Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.4%

45%60%
Floor52.3%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 52.5%.

Measured over 742K games at this level and clock.

Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level

A strong choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

Draw 3.2 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 742K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
742K
Best context
58.9% at 2500+ Blitz
Worst context
49.2% at 1000-1199 Bullet
Average game length
36 moves
Games that end decisively
96.8%
Draws
3.2%

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.

Extra Analysis

Deep-dive datasets for this opening

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 8.2% · UltraBullet best · Classical worst

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, 59.2% 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: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (887 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (526 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 58.2% expected score (66 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 46.6% expected score (13 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 49.2% expected score (4,343 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 53.0% expected score (2,703 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 59.4% expected score (387 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 35.7% expected score (2 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 47.3% expected score (91 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 51.6% expected score (13,326 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 51.7% expected score (10,357 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 54.8% expected score (1,427 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 62.9% expected score (18 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 54.1% expected score (632 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 51.8% expected score (33,972 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 52.4% expected score (31,086 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 52.8% expected score (4,352 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 45.7% expected score (161 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 59.7% expected score (448 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 52.1% expected score (60,324 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.4% expected score (61,837 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 51.2% expected score (9,997 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 58.1% expected score (428 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 57.2% expected score (390 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.5% expected score (86,979 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.8% expected score (95,836 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 51.2% expected score (15,503 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.2% expected score (577 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 68.3% expected score (411 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.4% expected score (88,213 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (78,951 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 49.9% expected score (11,336 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 51.2% expected score (339 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 55.7% expected score (367 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 54.0% expected score (69,249 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 54.3% expected score (34,469 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 54.3% expected score (3,244 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 56.8% expected score (50 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 61.1% expected score (30 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 55.3% expected score (15,922 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 58.9% expected score (2,438 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 61.6% expected score (76 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: Hromádka System
49.2%
Benoni Defense: Modern Variation
49.7%
Continuations (3)
Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line, with Bg5
52.5%
Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line, with Nge2
51.2%
Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line, with Be3
47.4%
Analyze Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line scores 52.4% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 52.3% and 52.5% — from 742K 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
742K+ 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: King's Pawn Line win rate?

Playing the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line, White wins 50.7%, draws 3.2% and loses 46.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 742K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line perform best?

The Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 55.8% (18K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 51.8% in Blitz (318K games) against 51.5% in Rapid (46K games).

How sharp is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line?

The Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line has a sharpness score of 96.8 (very decisive), meaning 96.8% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 49.4%, draws 1.6% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 1.5K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 50.2%, draws 1.7% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 7.4K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 50.8%, draws 2.0% and loses 47.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 25K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 51.0%, draws 2.3% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 70K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 50.4%, draws 2.6% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 133K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 50.1%, draws 3.1% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.6%. It rests on 199K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.7%, draws 3.6% and loses 45.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 179K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 51.9%, draws 4.4% and loses 43.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.1%. It rests on 107K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 53.1%, draws 5.5% and loses 41.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.8%. It rests on 18K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 57.0%, draws 2.1% and loses 40.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.1%. It rests on 2.4K Lichess games.

What is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 51.7%, draws 2.4% and loses 45.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 373K Lichess games.

What is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 49.8%, draws 3.9% and loses 46.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 318K Lichess games.

What is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 49.1%, draws 4.8% and loses 46.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 46K Lichess games.

What is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 48.8%, draws 7.2% and loses 44.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 1.6K Lichess games.

Is the Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line a good opening?

The Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 50.7% of its games and loses 46.0%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.