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English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation

463K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

53.8%

45%60%
Floor53.6%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 53.9%.

Measured over 463K 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 5.6 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 463K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
463K
Best context
60.2% at 2500+ Rapid
Worst context
48.9% at 1400-1599 Classical
Average game length
37 moves
Games that end decisively
94.4%
Draws
5.6%

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: 50.6% at 0-999, 59.9% 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: 50.0% expected score (6 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 51.2% expected score (1,593 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 51.7% expected score (3,119 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 49.9% expected score (1,362 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (27 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 53.0% expected score (2,882 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 55.0% expected score (5,100 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 53.8% expected score (1,862 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 39.7% expected score (47 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 52.7% expected score (91 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 53.1% expected score (6,175 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 53.7% expected score (9,231 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 53.6% expected score (3,266 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 51.5% expected score (133 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 47.5% expected score (454 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 52.7% expected score (8,862 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 52.7% expected score (17,586 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 53.5% expected score (5,848 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 48.9% expected score (631 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 51.7% expected score (686 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 52.9% expected score (14,514 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (31,062 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 53.6% expected score (8,965 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 51.5% expected score (785 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.3% expected score (473 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.8% expected score (23,322 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (49,715 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 53.9% expected score (12,110 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 53.1% expected score (1,201 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 56.3% expected score (526 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.3% expected score (33,444 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 53.0% expected score (66,912 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 53.3% expected score (10,019 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 56.3% expected score (476 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 63.5% expected score (132 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 53.8% expected score (39,969 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 55.2% expected score (61,656 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 56.9% expected score (6,246 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 54.0% expected score (162 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 73.1% expected score (5 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 56.7% expected score (22,214 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 59.4% expected score (9,834 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 60.2% expected score (511 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (40 games)

Related Openings

Parent
English Opening
50.4%
Variations (5)
English Opening: King's English Variation
51.0%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense
50.2%
English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense
52.0%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian
52.2%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation
50.5%
Analyze English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation scores 53.8% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 53.6% and 53.9% — from 463K 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
463K+ 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 English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation win rate?

Playing the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation, White wins 51.0%, draws 5.6% and loses 43.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.8%. It rests on 463K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation perform best?

The English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 57.6% (33K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 53.7% in Blitz (254K games) against 54.0% in Rapid (50K games).

How sharp is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation?

The English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation has a sharpness score of 94.4 (decisive), meaning 94.4% of games end decisively. Average game length is 37 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 49.4%, draws 3.6% and loses 47.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 6.1K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 52.4%, draws 3.2% and loses 44.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.1%. It rests on 9.9K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 51.7%, draws 3.4% and loses 44.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.4%. It rests on 19K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 50.9%, draws 3.5% and loses 45.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.7%. It rests on 33K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 50.6%, draws 4.2% and loses 45.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.7%. It rests on 56K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 50.5%, draws 5.2% and loses 44.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.1%. It rests on 87K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.2%, draws 5.7% and loses 44.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.1%. It rests on 111K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 51.3%, draws 7.0% and loses 41.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.8%. It rests on 108K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 53.4%, draws 8.3% and loses 38.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.6%. It rests on 33K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 51.3%, draws 2.1% and loses 46.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 2.4K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 51.7%, draws 4.1% and loses 44.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.8%. It rests on 153K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 50.6%, draws 6.2% and loses 43.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.7%. It rests on 254K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 50.5%, draws 7.0% and loses 42.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.0%. It rests on 50K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 47.5%, draws 9.3% and loses 43.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 3.5K Lichess games.

Is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation a good opening?

The English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 51.0% of its games and loses 43.5%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.