Skip to content
TrueEloPlay what wins.
Score a position

King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation

469K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
6.Be2
Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

50.4%

45%55%
Floor50.3%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 50.6%.

Measured over 469K 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 4.5 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 469K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
469K
Best context
57.7% at 2500+ Blitz
Worst context
43.0% at 1400-1599 UltraBullet
Average game length
38 moves
Games that end decisively
95.5%
Draws
4.5%

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: 45.8% at 0-999, 56.5% 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: 50.0% expected score (14 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 49.1% expected score (1,519 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 51.2% expected score (1,204 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 48.6% expected score (209 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 46.1% expected score (50 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (6,705 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 48.5% expected score (5,356 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 47.9% expected score (767 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 42.2% expected score (146 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.7% expected score (17,932 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (13,930 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 49.1% expected score (2,760 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 46.0% expected score (36 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 43.0% expected score (607 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.2% expected score (31,736 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 50.2% expected score (26,675 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 48.2% expected score (5,698 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 47.4% expected score (189 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 51.0% expected score (1,454 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.8% expected score (50,089 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.8% expected score (37,263 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.7% expected score (7,730 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 49.3% expected score (431 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.5% expected score (979 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (56,011 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.8% expected score (34,759 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.3% expected score (7,210 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.5% expected score (338 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 53.9% expected score (539 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.9% expected score (54,205 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.1% expected score (22,201 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 51.8% expected score (3,140 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 53.7% expected score (106 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 54.4% expected score (171 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 50.8% expected score (49,013 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (11,946 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 55.8% expected score (670 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 35.4% expected score (19 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 62.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (14,378 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 57.7% expected score (1,072 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 61.6% expected score (76 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (5 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: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation
48.1%
King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation
49.9%
King's Indian Defense: Smyslov Variation
48.7%
Continuations (4)
King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation, Hollywood Variation
47.9%
King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation, Benoni Variation
48.5%
King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation, Exchange Variation
44.7%
King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation, Queenside Storm Line
48.6%
Analyze King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation scores 50.4% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 50.3% and 50.6% — from 469K 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
469K+ 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: Semi-Classical Variation win rate?

Playing the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation, White wins 48.1%, draws 4.5% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.4%. It rests on 469K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation perform best?

The King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation performs best for White at 2000-2199, with an Expected Score of 51.3% (80K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 50.9% in Blitz (154K games) against 49.8% in Rapid (28K games).

How sharp is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation?

The King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation has a sharpness score of 95.5 (very decisive), meaning 95.5% of games end decisively. Average game length is 38 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 48.6%, draws 2.7% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 2.9K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 47.7%, draws 3.0% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.2%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 48.1%, draws 3.1% and loses 48.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 35K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 47.7%, draws 3.6% and loses 48.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.5%. It rests on 65K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 48.0%, draws 4.3% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 97K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 47.9%, draws 4.7% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 99K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 48.7%, draws 5.1% and loses 46.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 80K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 48.5%, draws 5.4% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 62K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 48.1%, draws 7.0% and loses 44.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.6%. It rests on 16K Lichess games, which average 45 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 48.4%, draws 2.8% and loses 48.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 4.0K Lichess games.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 48.3%, draws 3.8% and loses 47.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 282K Lichess games.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 48.1%, draws 5.5% and loses 46.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 154K Lichess games.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 46.7%, draws 6.2% and loses 47.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 28K Lichess games.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 45.5%, draws 7.7% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.4%. It rests on 1.1K Lichess games.

Is the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation a good opening?

The King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 48.1% of its games and loses 47.3%. It performs best at 2000-2199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.