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Indian Defense: Knights Variation

1.8M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

53.4%

45%60%
Floor53.3%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. Its best is the same figure — the band is too tight to plot.

Measured over 1.8M 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 4.9 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 1.8M games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
1.8M
Best context
56.6% at 2500+ Blitz
Worst context
46.8% at 1400-1599 UltraBullet
Average game length
36 moves
Games that end decisively
95.1%
Draws
4.9%

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: 51.3% at 0-999, 57.2% 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: 45.2% expected score (101 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 52.2% expected score (19,361 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (44,224 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 51.3% expected score (22,853 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 55.9% expected score (227 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 47.8% expected score (433 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 53.3% expected score (28,959 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 53.7% expected score (52,452 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 52.8% expected score (24,925 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 47.8% expected score (653 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 47.8% expected score (1,279 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 53.1% expected score (45,779 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 53.7% expected score (68,646 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 53.2% expected score (28,471 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 49.3% expected score (1,459 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 46.8% expected score (3,422 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 52.5% expected score (63,908 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (92,405 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 51.8% expected score (33,867 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 48.4% expected score (2,784 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 49.9% expected score (6,378 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 53.1% expected score (88,167 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 53.0% expected score (114,528 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 52.7% expected score (34,264 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 51.6% expected score (2,391 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 54.2% expected score (6,101 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.9% expected score (116,932 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 53.3% expected score (146,805 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 53.0% expected score (31,509 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 53.8% expected score (1,515 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 56.4% expected score (3,085 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.3% expected score (147,197 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 54.1% expected score (149,513 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 54.2% expected score (17,935 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 55.2% expected score (681 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 53.2% expected score (828 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 53.8% expected score (179,999 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 54.2% expected score (97,298 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 56.3% expected score (6,961 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 58.2% expected score (194 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 53.5% expected score (56 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 55.6% expected score (75,473 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 56.6% expected score (10,973 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 60.0% expected score (408 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 60.5% expected score (27 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Indian Defense
49.6%
Variations (5)
Indian Defense: Wade-Tartakower Defense
49.2%
Indian Defense: Normal Variation
50.3%
Indian Defense: London System
50.8%
Indian Defense: Budapest Defense
48.1%
Indian Defense: Anti-Nimzo-Indian
50.6%
Continuations (1)
Indian Defense: Knights Variation, Alburt-Miles Variation
51.9%
Analyze Indian Defense: Knights Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Indian Defense: Knights Variation scores 53.4% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 53.3% and 53.4% — from 1.8M 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
1.8M+ 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 Indian Defense: Knights Variation win rate?

Playing the Indian Defense: Knights Variation, White wins 50.9%, draws 4.9% and loses 44.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.4%. It rests on 1.8M rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Indian Defense: Knights Variation perform best?

The Indian Defense: Knights Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 55.7% (87K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Indian Defense: Knights Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Indian Defense: Knights Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 53.5% in Blitz (777K games) against 52.8% in Rapid (201K games).

How sharp is the Indian Defense: Knights Variation?

The Indian Defense: Knights Variation has a sharpness score of 95.1 (very decisive), meaning 95.1% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.

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

At 0-999, White wins 49.7%, draws 4.1% and loses 46.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 87K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, White wins 51.5%, draws 3.6% and loses 44.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 107K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, White wins 51.6%, draws 3.3% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 146K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, 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 196K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, White wins 50.9%, draws 4.0% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 246K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, White wins 50.8%, draws 4.7% and loses 44.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.2%. It rests on 303K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, 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 318K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, White wins 50.8%, draws 6.4% and loses 42.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.0%. It rests on 285K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the Indian Defense: Knights Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 51.7%, draws 7.9% and loses 40.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.7%. It rests on 87K Lichess games, which average 43 moves.

What is the Indian Defense: Knights Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 50.4%, draws 2.1% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 22K Lichess games.

What is the Indian Defense: Knights Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 51.4%, draws 4.0% and loses 44.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.4%. It rests on 766K Lichess games.

What is the Indian Defense: Knights Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 50.7%, draws 5.6% and loses 43.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.5%. It rests on 777K Lichess games.

What is the Indian Defense: Knights Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 49.9%, draws 5.7% and loses 44.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 201K Lichess games.

What is the Indian Defense: Knights Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 47.5%, draws 6.8% and loses 45.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 9.9K Lichess games.

Is the Indian Defense: Knights Variation a good opening?

The Indian Defense: Knights Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 50.9% of its games and loses 44.2%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.