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Indian Defense: West Indian Defense

791K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

51.9%

45%55%
Floor51.8%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 52.0%.

Measured over 791K 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 Black

Draw 4.1 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 791K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
791K
Best context
58.3% at 1400-1599 Classical
Worst context
47.0% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Average game length
35 moves
Games that end decisively
95.9%
Draws
4.1%

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: 59.0% at 0-999, 48.5% 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, UltraBullet: 61.6% expected score (20 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 54.9% expected score (5,994 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 55.2% expected score (8,962 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 57.0% expected score (2,688 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 66.3% expected score (17 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 60.4% expected score (100 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 52.0% expected score (16,943 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 52.8% expected score (23,247 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 54.8% expected score (7,034 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 61.0% expected score (81 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 59.1% expected score (300 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 52.0% expected score (33,498 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 52.1% expected score (47,669 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 54.2% expected score (14,167 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 61.2% expected score (338 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 55.5% expected score (920 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 51.2% expected score (54,249 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.8% expected score (76,983 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 54.0% expected score (22,629 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 58.3% expected score (1,111 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 56.4% expected score (1,111 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 51.6% expected score (65,775 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.5% expected score (94,125 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 53.1% expected score (27,114 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 55.8% expected score (1,425 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 47.7% expected score (532 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (65,421 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 51.4% expected score (73,748 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 53.3% expected score (22,233 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 57.0% expected score (881 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 47.3% expected score (163 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.2% expected score (45,036 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.7% expected score (29,252 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.5% expected score (6,865 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 52.9% expected score (154 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 38.5% expected score (42 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (27,810 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 50.5% expected score (6,346 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 47.1% expected score (712 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 36.7% expected score (6 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (4,411 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 46.3% expected score (393 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 46.6% expected score (42 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 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: Knights Variation
50.9%
Indian Defense: Budapest Defense
48.1%
Analyze Indian Defense: West Indian Defense PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Indian Defense: West Indian Defense scores 51.9% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 51.8% and 52.0% — from 791K 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
791K+ 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: West Indian Defense win rate?

Playing the Indian Defense: West Indian Defense, Black wins 49.9%, draws 4.1% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.9%. It rests on 791K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Indian Defense: West Indian Defense perform best?

The Indian Defense: West Indian Defense performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 55.4% (18K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Indian Defense: West Indian Defense better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Indian Defense: West Indian Defense scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 51.8% in Blitz (361K games) against 53.6% in Rapid (103K games).

How sharp is the Indian Defense: West Indian Defense?

The Indian Defense: West Indian Defense has a sharpness score of 95.9 (very decisive), meaning 95.9% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.

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

At 0-999, Black wins 53.9%, draws 2.9% and loses 43.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.4%. It rests on 18K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, Black wins 51.4%, draws 2.9% and loses 45.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 47K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, Black wins 50.8%, draws 3.2% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 96K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, Black wins 50.2%, draws 3.5% and loses 46.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.0%. It rests on 156K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, Black wins 49.8%, draws 4.1% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.9%. It rests on 190K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, Black wins 49.1%, draws 4.8% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 163K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, Black wins 48.9%, draws 5.0% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.4%. It rests on 81K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, Black wins 48.3%, draws 5.2% and loses 46.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 35K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

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

At 2500+, Black wins 45.7%, draws 7.0% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.2%. It rests on 4.8K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the Indian Defense: West Indian Defense win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 53.4%, draws 2.0% and loses 44.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.4%. It rests on 3.2K Lichess games.

What is the Indian Defense: West Indian Defense win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 49.8%, draws 3.2% and loses 47.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.4%. It rests on 319K Lichess games.

What is the Indian Defense: West Indian Defense win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 49.5%, draws 4.6% and loses 45.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 361K Lichess games.

What is the Indian Defense: West Indian Defense win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 51.1%, draws 5.0% and loses 43.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.6%. It rests on 103K Lichess games.

What is the Indian Defense: West Indian Defense win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 54.2%, draws 6.1% and loses 39.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.2%. It rests on 4.0K Lichess games.

Is the Indian Defense: West Indian Defense a good opening?

The Indian Defense: West Indian Defense is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 49.9% of its games and loses 46.1%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.