King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack
4.9K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
White expected score · All ratings · All speeds
59.7%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 60.9%.
Measured over 4.9K games at this level and clock.
A strong choice for White at this level and clock.
Outcomes for White
Draw 6.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 4.9K games
- Rank among the families White can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 4.9K
- Best context
- 59.8% at 2000-2199 Blitz
- Average game length
- 43 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 93.6%
- Draws
- 6.4%
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 falls away as the rating rises: 83.5% at 1400-1599, 67.3% at 2500+.
| Rating | UB | Bulle | Blitz | Rapid | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 88.5% expected score (5 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 55.3% expected score (8 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 36.5% expected score (17 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 54.6% expected score (120 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 60.0% expected score (144 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 32.4% expected score (7 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (1 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 54.2% expected score (297 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 59.8% expected score (815 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 63.4% expected score (77 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 57.6% expected score (374 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 59.8% expected score (1,981 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 57.5% expected score (178 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 73.1% expected score (5 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 67.8% expected score (451 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 57.8% expected score (409 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 76.3% expected score (8 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack scores 59.7% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 58.5% and 60.9% — from 4.9K 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
- 4.9K+ 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: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack win rate?
Playing the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack, White wins 56.5%, draws 6.4% and loses 37.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.7%. It rests on 4.9K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack perform best?
The King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 63.3% (868 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack better in blitz or rapid?
For White, the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 59.5% in Blitz (3.4K games) against 59.7% in Rapid (273 games).
How sharp is the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack?
The King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack has a sharpness score of 93.6 (decisive), meaning 93.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 43 moves.
What is the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, White wins 54.3%, draws 4.9% and loses 40.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.8%. It rests on 272 Lichess games, which average 39 moves.
What is the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, White wins 55.3%, draws 6.5% and loses 38.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.6%. It rests on 1.2K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.
What is the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, White wins 56.1%, draws 6.5% and loses 37.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.4%. It rests on 2.5K Lichess games, which average 44 moves.
What is the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, White wins 60.0%, draws 6.5% and loses 33.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 63.3%. It rests on 868 Lichess games, which average 46 moves.
What is the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, White wins 57.9%, draws 4.6% and loses 37.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 60.2%. It rests on 1.3K Lichess games.
What is the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, White wins 55.9%, draws 7.1% and loses 37.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.5%. It rests on 3.4K Lichess games.
What is the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, White wins 57.4%, draws 4.6% and loses 38.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.7%. It rests on 273 Lichess games.
Is the King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack a good opening?
The King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Classical System, Benko Attack is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 56.5% of its games and loses 37.1%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.