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Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line

28K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.4%

45%60%
Floor51.9%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 52.9%.

Measured over 28K games at this level and clock.

Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level

A strong choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

Draw 4.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 28K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
28K
Best context
56.4% at 1800-1999 Rapid
Worst context
47.4% at 2500+ Blitz
Average game length
37 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 · 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: 53.0% at 0-999, 56.7% 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: 41.5% expected score (51 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 53.9% expected score (76 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 63.6% expected score (17 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 45.1% expected score (200 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 61.1% expected score (250 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 56.0% expected score (57 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 47.6% expected score (349 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 52.7% expected score (625 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 55.1% expected score (126 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 73.1% expected score (5 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 53.3% expected score (737 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 53.2% expected score (1,255 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 54.2% expected score (297 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 63.4% expected score (6 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 53.4% expected score (1,218 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 52.7% expected score (2,693 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.6% expected score (525 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 30.5% expected score (19 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.5% expected score (1,665 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.4% expected score (5,074 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 56.4% expected score (898 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 63.9% expected score (38 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.4% expected score (1,563 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 53.2% expected score (4,143 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 56.3% expected score (680 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 54.4% expected score (10 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.9% expected score (1,487 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 50.9% expected score (2,536 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 56.8% expected score (207 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 50.3% expected score (330 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 47.4% expected score (604 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 72.3% expected score (3 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Old Indian Defense
49.1%
Variations (5)
Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nc3
48.7%
Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3
48.7%
Old Indian Defense: Ukrainian Variation
45.5%
Old Indian Defense: Two Knights Variation
52.1%
Old Indian Defense: Normal Variation
47.9%
Analyze Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line scores 52.4% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 51.9% and 52.9% — from 28K 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
28K+ 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 Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line win rate?

Playing the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line, White wins 50.2%, draws 4.4% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 28K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line perform best?

The Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line performs best for White at 2000-2199, with an Expected Score of 53.1% (6.4K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 52.5% in Blitz (17K games) against 54.9% in Rapid (2.8K games).

How sharp is the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line?

The Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line has a sharpness score of 95.6 (very decisive), meaning 95.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 37 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 49.8%, draws 1.7% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 144 Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 52.9%, draws 2.8% and loses 44.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.3%. It rests on 508 Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 50.1%, draws 2.8% and loses 47.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 1.1K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 52.4%, draws 2.1% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.5%. It rests on 2.3K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 50.9%, draws 3.1% and loses 46.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 4.5K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 50.4%, draws 4.1% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 7.7K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.7%, draws 4.8% and loses 44.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.1%. It rests on 6.4K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 48.4%, draws 6.3% and loses 45.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.6%. It rests on 4.2K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 43.6%, draws 9.7% and loses 46.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 937 Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 49.9%, draws 2.9% and loses 47.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.4%. It rests on 7.6K Lichess games.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 50.1%, draws 4.8% and loses 45.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 17K Lichess games.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 51.9%, draws 5.9% and loses 42.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.9%. It rests on 2.8K Lichess games.

Is the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line a good opening?

The Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Main Line is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 50.2% of its games and loses 45.4%. It performs best at 2000-2199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.