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Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line

33K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

48.8%

45%55%
Floor48.4%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 49.3%.

Measured over 33K 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 7.1 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 33K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
33K
Best context
54.4% at 1600-1799 Bullet
Worst context
41.3% at 2500+ Blitz
Average game length
38 moves
Games that end decisively
92.9%
Draws
7.1%

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 · 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: 56.1% at 0-999, 45.0% 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: 53.2% expected score (30 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 54.0% expected score (49 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 42.9% expected score (146 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 43.8% expected score (217 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 47.7% expected score (41 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 51.3% expected score (353 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 52.7% expected score (770 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 51.4% expected score (181 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 59.1% expected score (4 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 47.9% expected score (607 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 48.3% expected score (1,577 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 51.2% expected score (540 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 40.4% expected score (14 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 54.4% expected score (696 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.7% expected score (1,994 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.4% expected score (751 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 55.7% expected score (43 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.5% expected score (1,016 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.1% expected score (2,698 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (881 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 59.3% expected score (74 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.5% expected score (1,536 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (4,501 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 50.5% expected score (783 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 32.9% expected score (54 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 48.5% expected score (2,730 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 48.3% expected score (6,510 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 45.7% expected score (773 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 43.4% expected score (21 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 47.1% expected score (1,733 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 41.3% expected score (1,906 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 47.0% expected score (129 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 44.6% expected score (17 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Queen's Indian Defense
47.9%
Variations (5)
Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov Variation
48.3%
Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Traditional Variation, Nimzowitsch Line
49.8%
Queen's Indian Defense: Spassky System
48.5%
Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Traditional Variation
50.0%
Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Traditional Line
52.6%
Analyze Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line scores 48.8% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 48.4% and 49.3% — from 33K 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
33K+ 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 Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line win rate?

Playing the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line, Black wins 45.3%, draws 7.1% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 33K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line perform best?

The Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line performs best for Black at 1200-1399, with an Expected Score of 52.2% (1.3K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 48.6% in Blitz (20K games) against 49.3% in Rapid (4.1K games).

How sharp is the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line?

The Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line has a sharpness score of 92.9 (decisive), meaning 92.9% of games end decisively. Average game length is 38 moves.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 42.0%, draws 3.6% and loses 54.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.8%. It rests on 404 Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 50.8%, draws 2.7% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 1.3K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 47.0%, draws 3.3% and loses 49.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.7%. It rests on 2.7K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 48.4%, draws 4.4% and loses 47.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.6%. It rests on 3.5K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 47.3%, draws 6.0% and loses 46.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 4.7K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 46.6%, draws 6.6% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 6.9K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 44.3%, draws 7.8% and loses 48.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.2%. It rests on 10K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 36.9%, draws 14.5% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.2%. It rests on 3.8K Lichess games, which average 47 moves.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 46.6%, draws 5.2% and loses 48.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.2%. It rests on 8.8K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 44.8%, draws 7.5% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 20K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 45.0%, draws 8.5% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 4.1K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 41.4%, draws 14.2% and loses 44.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 227 Lichess games.

Is the Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line a good opening?

The Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Main Line is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 45.3% of its games and loses 47.7%. It performs best at 1200-1399. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.