The Grünfeld Defense arises after 1. 2. 3. . You let White set up pawns on c3, d4 and e4, then strike at that center with your bishop on g7 and a pawn on c5. According to Lichess (September 2026, N = 16,753 public games), you take 50.1% of the points with it as Black.
Lichess games from September 2026 (30,577,162 rated 900 to 1700) and 31,791 over-the-board games rated 2300+ from the last 12 months. Data updated: October 14, 2026.
51 named lines in this family; 1 with their own page.
The opening's share in each Lichess rating band.
Against , club players spread their choices: 4. comes up in 28 of every 100 public games, 4. in 25 of every 100, 4. in 18 and 4. in 12. Players rated 2200+ online pick 4. in 53 of every 100. After the trade you recapture with in 97 of every 100 public games. Then 5. hits your knight in 8 of every 10 games, at club level and among strong players alike, and you answer in 98 of every 100. Of every 100 public games that reach , about 20 go all the way to 6..
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28.3% | 49.7% | 53.3% | 53.0% | |
| 25.1% | 49.6% | 27.5% | 35.7% | |
| 17.7% | 49.9% | 6.0% | 8.1% | |
| 12.4% | 46.7% | 3.9% | no data | |
| 7.7% | 50.7% | 4.8% | 3.2% | |
| 3.6% | 42.5% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 1.4% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97.1% | 49.4% | 100.0% | 100.0% | |
| 2.9% | 53.7% | no data | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79.5% | 48.9% | 79.6% | 82.1% | |
| 10.6% | 47.2% | no data | no data | |
| 7.0% | 52.7% | 5.1% | no data | |
| 1.1% | 60.0% | 1.0% | no data | |
| 0.9% | 52.1% | 10.5% | 17.9% | |
| 0.9% | 50.0% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 1.5% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 0.9% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97.8% | 48.8% | 99.3% | 100.0% | |
| 1.1% | 63.0% | no data | no data | |
| 1.1% | 45.5% | 0.7% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100.0% | 48.9% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
The Grünfeld idea is to let White build a pawn center and then attack it from a distance. Everything revolves around your dark-squared bishop: it goes to g7 and looks down the long diagonal, through d4 and c3 to a1. Among strong players, the bishop ends up on g7 in 98 of every 100 games with this structure.
The strong players' line starts with 4. . Your knight sits in the center, but only the queen on d8 defends it, and 5. attacks it with a pawn. So you trade it with : after 6. White has pawns on c3, d4 and e4, and the b-file is half-open. That center gains space, but the c3 and d4 pawns stand right on your bishop's diagonal.
Now you play , which already hits d4. Your queen eyes it too, down the d-file that opened when your d5 pawn left. White holds it with the c3 pawn and the queen on d1, and adds 7., the choice of 41 of every 100 strong players. With you bring a third attacker: the c5 pawn, the bishop and the queen against the c3 pawn, the knight and White's queen. The order makes sense: with the bishop already on g7, the pawn reaches c5 with two pieces behind it aiming at d4.
Among strong players, 26 of every 100 answer 8.. The rook steps off a1, the square where your bishop's diagonal ends, and attacks the b7 pawn, which only the c8 bishop defends. Keep that in mind before you develop that bishop. In public games almost nobody plays 8..
If White plays 4. instead of trading, don't take on c4. The plan is still and castling: your d5 pawn holds, because the c4 pawn and the c3 knight attack it and your f6 knight and queen defend it. After 5., castle with before you move the c8 bishop or the c7 pawn.
At club level you will also run into 4.: 18 of every 100 public games, but only 6 of every 100 among strong players. The bishop attacks your f6 knight, which the e7 pawn defends. With the knight jumps forward and hits both the g5 bishop, which nothing protects, and the c3 knight. Your d5 pawn keeps it supported on e4.
Plan played in 97% of the 215 over-the-board games rated 2300+ with this structure.
Online, 2200+: 97.9% of 11,722. Over the board, 2300+: 97.2% of 215; the alternative, : 0.0% and 0.0%; the alternative, : 0.0% and 0.0%; the alternative, : 0.0% and 0.0%; the alternative, : 0.0% and 0.0%.
| Move | Strong games | Chosen by |
|---|---|---|
| 8,416 | 53.3% | |
| 4,531 | 100.0% | |
| 4,541 | 79.7% | |
| 3,613 | 99.3% | |
| 3,585 | 100.0% | |
| 3,590 | 91.2% | |
| 3,203 | 40.6% | |
| 2,216 | 77.8% |
A mistake. After 4., leaves the pawn alone and White props it up with 5.. After 6. 7. material is level, but the d4 and e4 pawns still stand and no knights have been traded. 3 in 100 players choose it, and you score 46 points in 100; with , 51.
3 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.9 pawns of advantage. It scores 46.3%; scores 50.6%.
A mistake. After 4., gives up the center: 5. takes e4, 6. wins the pawn back, and after , 7. sends your knight to . The d4 pawn and the f3 knight protect e5. At your level it does get punished: you score 38 points in 100, against 50 with .
3 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1 pawn of advantage. It scores 38.2%; scores 50.3%.
An inaccuracy. After 4. 5., gives up a pawn: 6.. You go after it with , eyeing c5, and after 7. 8. the d4 knight hits your e6 bishop. At your level opponents rarely make it count: you score 57 points in 100, more than the 52 after .
5 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.6 pawns of advantage. It scores 56.9%; scores 52.4%.
An inaccuracy. After 5., takes the bishop off c8 and leaves b7 undefended. 6. hits it. After 7. , 8. grabs the pawn and threatens the a8 rook, and you have already given up the bishop for a knight. You score 47 points in 100, against 52 with .
4 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.7 pawns of advantage. It scores 46.5%; scores 52.4%.
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 11,412 | ||
| Not castled | 2,947 | |
| Not castled | Not castled | 833 |
| 760 | ||
| Not castled | 492 | |
| 138 |
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 150 | ||
| Not castled | 40 | |
| Not castled | Not castled | 9 |
| 9 | ||
| Not castled | 2 | |
| Not castled | 2 |
1. 2. 3. 4. · 8,521 amateur games · 48 over the board
With 4. White develops the knight before deciding what to do about d5: 8,521 public games.
1. 2. 3. 4. · 3,623 amateur games · 114 over the board
After 4. White gets ready for 5. to chase your knight: 3,623 public games.
1. 2. 3. 4. · D80
1,531 amateur games · White's score: 49.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. · D82
765 amateur games · White's score: 49.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · D83
255 amateur games · White's score: 50.2%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · D94
205 amateur games · White's score: 52.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · D94
160 amateur games · White's score: 54.4%
1. 2. 3. 4. · D80
104 amateur games · White's score: 54.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. · E60
94 amateur games · White's score: 50.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · D96
83 amateur games · White's score: 52.4%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · D94
38 amateur games · White's score: 59.2%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · D95
27 amateur games · White's score: 25.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. · D81
27 amateur games · White's score: 40.7%
1. 2. 3. 4. · D80
22 amateur games · White's score: 43.2%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. · D84
12 amateur games · White's score: 58.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · D97
9 amateur games · White's score: 55.6%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · D90
6 amateur games · White's score: 66.7%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · D94
4 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. · D95
3 amateur games · White's score: 66.7%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · D83
2 amateur games · White's score: 100.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · D97
2 amateur games · White's score: 25.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · D98
2 amateur games · White's score: 0.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · D80
1 amateur game · White's score: 100.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · D83
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · D83
1. 2. 3. 4. · D80
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · D80
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · D97
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. · D98
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · D97
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · D97
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. · D99
It is a defense to 1. where, after 2. 3., you play . In the main line, 4. 5. 6. 7. , White gets pawns on c3, d4 and e4, and you go after d4 with the c5 pawn, the g7 bishop and your queen. You give White the center on purpose and attack it with pieces.
In public Lichess games you score 50 points in 100 with it, and that barely moves with rating: 48 in 100 at 900–1100 and 50 in 100 at 1500–1700. Against players rated 2200+ online it drops to 47 in 100. In over-the-board games between players rated 2300+, it is 46 in 100. It holds up at your level, as long as you meet 4. with .
After , expect 4. or 4.: together they cover about half of public games. Against the trade, recapture and meet 5. with . Against 4., play and castle before you touch the c8 bishop, because that bishop is what guards b7. If the trade comes, the knight swap on c3 is what puts White's pawns on your bishop's diagonal.