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King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation

1.4M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

50.5%

45%55%
Floor50.4%

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

Measured over 1.4M 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 · 1.4M games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
1.4M
Best context
60.1% at 2500+ Rapid
Worst context
43.1% at 1400-1599 UltraBullet
Average game length
36 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: 35.3% at 0-999, 49.4% 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: 24.4% expected score (18 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 47.2% expected score (5,542 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 47.7% expected score (7,798 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 46.5% expected score (2,466 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 10.9% expected score (10 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 46.0% expected score (73 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.8% expected score (16,758 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 48.8% expected score (21,820 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 48.6% expected score (6,916 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 45.1% expected score (90 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 42.1% expected score (391 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (33,136 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 49.1% expected score (46,727 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 49.2% expected score (14,755 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (418 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 43.1% expected score (948 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (55,274 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.4% expected score (83,283 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 49.4% expected score (27,311 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 45.4% expected score (1,310 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 49.7% expected score (2,575 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (79,276 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (119,366 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.2% expected score (36,832 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 48.0% expected score (2,228 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 55.5% expected score (2,034 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.1% expected score (102,453 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (153,400 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 49.6% expected score (39,730 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 47.8% expected score (2,179 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 56.4% expected score (568 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.6% expected score (112,771 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (145,959 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 50.7% expected score (28,210 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 54.5% expected score (917 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 49.6% expected score (101 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.4% expected score (128,323 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.6% expected score (89,003 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 55.4% expected score (9,683 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 55.3% expected score (253 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 8.9% expected score (7 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 53.7% expected score (44,573 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 56.6% expected score (9,971 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 60.1% expected score (527 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 67.8% expected score (21 games)

Related Openings

Parent
King's Indian Defense
48.1%
Variations (5)
King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation
48.9%
King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Rare Defenses
47.5%
King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation
49.9%
King's Indian Defense: Smyslov Variation
48.7%
King's Indian Defense: Four Pawns Attack
50.0%
Analyze King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation scores 50.5% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 50.4% and 50.5% — from 1.4M 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
1.4M+ 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 King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation win rate?

Playing the King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation, White wins 48.1%, draws 4.7% and loses 47.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 1.4M rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation perform best?

The King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 54.3% (55K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 50.6% in Blitz (677K games) against 49.9% in Rapid (166K games).

How sharp is the King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation?

The King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation has a sharpness score of 95.3 (very decisive), meaning 95.3% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.

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

At 0-999, White wins 45.8%, draws 2.8% and loses 51.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.2%. It rests on 16K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, White wins 47.3%, draws 2.9% and loses 49.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 46K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, White wins 47.5%, draws 3.2% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.1%. It rests on 95K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, White wins 47.5%, draws 3.6% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 168K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, White wins 47.6%, draws 4.1% and loses 48.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 240K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, White wins 47.6%, draws 4.7% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 300K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, White wins 48.2%, draws 5.3% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 288K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, White wins 49.4%, draws 6.0% and loses 44.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 227K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 50.5%, draws 7.7% and loses 41.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.3%. It rests on 55K Lichess games, which average 43 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 49.1%, draws 2.8% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 6.7K Lichess games.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 48.6%, draws 3.8% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 578K Lichess games.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 47.9%, draws 5.3% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.6%. It rests on 677K Lichess games.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 47.0%, draws 5.7% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 166K Lichess games.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 44.8%, draws 7.7% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.7%. It rests on 7.4K Lichess games.

Is the King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation a good opening?

The King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 48.1% of its games and loses 47.2%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.