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King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation, Benoni Variation

82K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

49.3%

45%55%
Floor49.0%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 49.6%.

Measured over 82K 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 4.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 82K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
82K
Best context
52.9% at 2000-2199 Rapid
Worst context
46.1% at 2200-2499 Blitz
Average game length
39 moves
Games that end decisively
95.6%
Draws
4.4%

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 · 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: 56.3% at 0-999, 39.2% 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: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 46.6% expected score (157 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 58.7% expected score (108 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (18 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 49.2% expected score (716 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 52.7% expected score (575 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 51.9% expected score (77 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 58.2% expected score (17 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (1,750 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 51.8% expected score (1,745 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 49.6% expected score (272 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (6 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (68 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 50.5% expected score (3,748 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.2% expected score (3,541 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 51.6% expected score (705 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 48.8% expected score (37 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 51.5% expected score (207 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.1% expected score (7,433 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.1% expected score (6,346 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 50.3% expected score (1,211 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 58.3% expected score (71 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 51.7% expected score (122 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (9,534 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 49.1% expected score (7,242 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 51.4% expected score (1,174 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 45.5% expected score (43 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 48.9% expected score (85 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (11,187 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 48.1% expected score (4,950 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.9% expected score (532 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 45.7% expected score (10 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 62.9% expected score (49 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 48.8% expected score (12,747 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 46.1% expected score (2,054 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 46.0% expected score (87 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 47.8% expected score (3,137 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 34.1% expected score (121 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 44.8% expected score (8 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%
Analyze King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation, Benoni 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, Benoni Variation scores 49.3% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 49.0% and 49.6% — from 82K 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
82K+ 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, Benoni Variation win rate?

Playing the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation, Benoni Variation, Black wins 47.1%, draws 4.4% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 82K rated games from Lichess.

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

The King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation, Benoni Variation performs best for Black at 1600-1799, with an Expected Score of 50.2% (15K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For Black, the King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation, Benoni Variation scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 49.1% in Blitz (27K games) against 51.1% in Rapid (4.1K games).

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

The King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation, Benoni Variation has a sharpness score of 95.6 (very decisive), meaning 95.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 39 moves.

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

At 0-999, Black wins 51.0%, draws 1.2% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.6%. It rests on 284 Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, Black wins 49.3%, draws 3.1% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 1.4K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, Black wins 49.2%, draws 2.8% and loses 48.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.6%. It rests on 3.8K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, Black wins 48.2%, draws 3.7% and loses 48.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 8.1K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, Black wins 48.2%, draws 4.0% and loses 47.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 15K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, Black wins 47.2%, draws 4.3% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 18K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, Black wins 46.7%, draws 4.6% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.0%. It rests on 17K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, Black wins 45.8%, draws 5.2% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.4%. It rests on 15K Lichess games, which average 43 moves.

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

At 2500+, Black wins 44.0%, draws 6.5% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.3%. It rests on 3.3K Lichess games, which average 45 moves.

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

In UltraBullet, Black wins 50.9%, draws 2.6% and loses 46.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 553 Lichess games.

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

In Bullet, Black wins 47.4%, 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 50K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, Black wins 46.4%, draws 5.4% and loses 48.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.1%. It rests on 27K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, Black wins 47.8%, draws 6.5% and loses 45.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 4.1K Lichess games.

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

In Classical, Black wins 48.4%, draws 6.8% and loses 44.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 167 Lichess games.

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

The King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation, Benoni Variation is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 47.1% of its games and loses 48.5%. It performs best at 1600-1799. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.