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King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack

94K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

54.1%

45%60%
Floor53.8%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 54.4%.

Measured over 94K games at this level and clock.

Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level

A strong choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

Draw 4.1 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 94K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
94K
Best context
59.7% at 2500+ Blitz
Worst context
50.2% at 1200-1399 Blitz
Average game length
36 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 · 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: 46.7% at 0-999, 56.6% 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, Bullet: 55.3% expected score (113 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 42.3% expected score (76 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 42.4% expected score (18 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 53.0% expected score (387 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 48.8% expected score (362 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 62.4% expected score (59 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 51.6% expected score (1,166 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 50.2% expected score (944 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 51.1% expected score (182 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 54.4% expected score (2,157 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.5% expected score (2,294 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.6% expected score (372 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 52.8% expected score (17 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 52.6% expected score (3,772 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.6% expected score (5,380 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 54.0% expected score (734 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 43.7% expected score (38 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.9% expected score (6,167 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (11,525 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 54.3% expected score (1,452 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 56.9% expected score (100 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.4% expected score (7,673 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.9% expected score (14,910 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 54.5% expected score (1,880 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 50.7% expected score (69 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 54.8% expected score (11,802 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 56.9% expected score (13,845 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 59.6% expected score (802 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 60.9% expected score (17 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 57.8% expected score (3,213 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 59.7% expected score (2,039 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 59.1% expected score (26 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (4 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: Steiner Attack PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack scores 54.1% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 53.8% and 54.4% — from 94K 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
94K+ 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: Steiner Attack win rate?

Playing the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack, White wins 52.0%, draws 4.1% and loses 43.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.1%. It rests on 94K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack perform best?

The King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 58.6% (5.3K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 54.0% in Blitz (51K games) against 54.8% in Rapid (5.5K games).

How sharp is the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack?

The King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack has a sharpness score of 95.9 (very decisive), meaning 95.9% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 47.7%, draws 3.1% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 207 Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 50.5%, draws 2.9% and loses 46.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.0%. It rests on 810 Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 49.9%, draws 2.1% and loses 48.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.0%. It rests on 2.3K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 51.5%, draws 2.5% and loses 46.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 4.8K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 50.5%, draws 3.2% and loses 46.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 9.9K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 51.4%, draws 3.3% and loses 45.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.1%. It rests on 19K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.9%, draws 4.4% and loses 44.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.1%. It rests on 25K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 53.6%, draws 4.9% and loses 41.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.1%. It rests on 26K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 55.5%, draws 6.0% and loses 38.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.6%. It rests on 5.3K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 52.5%, draws 3.0% and loses 44.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.1%. It rests on 36K Lichess games.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 51.6%, draws 4.7% and loses 43.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.0%. It rests on 51K Lichess games.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 52.0%, draws 5.5% and loses 42.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.8%. It rests on 5.5K Lichess games.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 48.3%, draws 9.9% and loses 41.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 246 Lichess games.

Is the King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack a good opening?

The King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 52.0% of its games and loses 43.9%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.