The King's Indian Defense comes from 1. 2. 3. . Your opponent parks the bishop on the long diagonal, plays and lets you grab the center with 4., planning to hit back later with . According to Lichess (September 2026, N = 118,030 public games), you score 50.6% against it as White.
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.
109 named lines in this family; 1 with their own page.
The opening's share in each Lichess rating band.
At your level, after 3. your opponent plays in 84 of every 100 games, while turns up in 11. Against , club players push 4. in about 51 of every 100 games and go 4. in 23. Among players rated 2200+ online, 4. climbs to 86 in 100. After 4. , club players lean toward 5. (42 in 100) and 5. (12). Strong players split evenly between 5. and 5., 26 in 100 each, yet 5. doesn't even make the top six in public games.
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 83.9% | 50.9% | 67.6% | 77.3% | |
| 10.6% | 47.9% | 29.0% | 22.7% | |
| 4.3% | 50.2% | 2.5% | no data | |
| 0.5% | 57.7% | 0.0% | no data | |
| 0.3% | 52.6% | no data | no data | |
| 0.3% | 43.6% | 0.8% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50.8% | 51.8% | 86.3% | 91.8% | |
| 23.4% | 50.6% | 8.5% | 6.1% | |
| 9.4% | 52.0% | 1.1% | no data | |
| 6.3% | 48.7% | 1.0% | no data | |
| 6.2% | 49.1% | 0.5% | no data | |
| 1.5% | 54.4% | 2.0% | 2.1% |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 74.5% | 51.0% | 75.0% | 97.2% | |
| 21.6% | 53.2% | 24.7% | 2.8% | |
| 1.0% | 59.7% | no data | no data | |
| 0.9% | 56.5% | no data | no data | |
| 0.8% | 54.9% | 0.1% | no data | |
| 0.5% | 57.6% | 0.0% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 0.2% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42.1% | 50.3% | 26.0% | 34.0% | |
| 12.0% | 53.2% | 10.1% | 2.2% | |
| 8.2% | 53.5% | 12.8% | 16.8% | |
| 7.9% | 50.3% | 2.7% | 2.2% | |
| 7.5% | 50.6% | no data | no data | |
| 5.7% | 52.9% | 17.5% | 10.4% | |
| no data | no data | 26.0% | 32.3% |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91.0% | 51.8% | 95.8% | 100.0% | |
| 5.2% | 58.9% | 1.5% | no data | |
| 2.5% | 56.6% | 0.4% | no data | |
| 1.4% | 69.0% | 1.0% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 0.5% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 0.4% | no data |
Your opponent doesn't fight for the center with pawns early on. The bishop goes to g7, on the diagonal that runs through d4, and the e7 pawn waits until the king has castled. Your job is to build the center with pawns on c4, d4 and e4, develop the kingside and castle before you commit the d4 pawn. The strong players' line is 4. 5. 6. 7..
With 4. you take the square your opponent left alone by not playing : none of their pawns hits e4. Only the f6 knight looks at it, and your c3 knight covers it. The reply , chosen in 75 of every 100 public games, controls e5. Push 5. and that pawn simply trades it off. The d6 pawn will also back up whatever pawn later lands on e5.
With 5. the bishop comes out before the knight. That way, once 6. arrives, an enemy bishop on g4 can't pin the knight to your queen, because the e2 bishop blocks the line. After , the choice of 96 in 100 strong players, 6. guards d4 and keeps an eye on e5.
Now comes the break . The pawn attacks d4, which your f3 knight and queen defend. The g7 bishop isn't in the fight: the f6 knight and your opponent's own e5 pawn block its diagonal. You don't need to settle the tension right away: 7., played by 57 in 100 strong players, gets your king safe with d4 still well covered. The alternatives are 7., which locks the center and leaves the g7 bishop blocked by its own e5 pawn, and 7., which opens the d-file.
At club level the break usually doesn't come at that point. After 6. in this line, only 16 in 100 public opponents play , against 59 in 100 strong players. If it doesn't come, nothing changes for you: finish developing and castle.
| Move | Strong games | Chosen by |
|---|---|---|
| 29,025 | 67.9% | |
| 20,252 | 86.4% | |
| 17,759 | 75.7% | |
| 17,619 | 26.2% | |
| 4,521 | 95.9% | |
| 4,999 | 32.2% | |
| 10,995 | 58.7% | |
| 6,123 | 56.9% |
A mistake. After , 5. puts the pawn on a square the d6 pawn attacks. Then 6. 7. : with queens off, the knight clears the diagonal and the g7 bishop hits e5, which nothing defends. You prop it up with 8., but the h5 knight attacks that pawn. You score 41 in 100; with 5., 54.
2 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.5 pawns of advantage. It scores 41.4%; scores 53.5%.
An inaccuracy. After , 4. stops attacking d5 and locks the queenside for nothing. After 5. , the knight hits your bishop and opens the g7 bishop's diagonal toward d4, which only your queen defends. With 6. 7. your bishop has moved three times, chased by knight and pawn. You score 43 in 100; with 4., 50.
4 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.7 pawns of advantage. It scores 42.5%; scores 49.7%.
An inaccuracy. After , 4. puts the pawn where the d5 pawn and the f6 knight both attack it, with only your c3 knight to defend it. After 5. 6. 7. your pieces are out, but you are a pawn down. You score 44 in 100; with 4., 50.
2 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.9 pawns of advantage. It scores 44.0%; scores 49.7%.
A mistake. After the rare , there is no pawn on d6 yet, so 5. kicks the f6 knight and nothing can hit e5. With 5. you give your opponent time: 6. 7. 8., the usual structure. At your level opponents often let it slide: you score 55 in 100; with 5., 63.
38 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.4 pawns of advantage. It scores 55.0%; scores 62.9%.
An inaccuracy. After 4. , 5. hits c7 together with the bishop, and only the queen guards that pawn. But blocks the bishop's diagonal, and after 6. the knight heads back with 7.: two moves spent for nothing. You score 39 in 100; with 5., 49.
4 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1 pawn of advantage. It scores 38.5%; scores 49.0%.
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 82,568 | ||
| Not castled | 18,523 | |
| 11,749 | ||
| Not castled | Not castled | 1,803 |
| Not castled | 1,632 | |
| Not castled | 677 |
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 896 | ||
| Not castled | 126 | |
| 118 | ||
| Not castled | 13 | |
| Not castled | 12 | |
| Not castled | Not castled | 10 |
1. 2. 3. 4. · 43,787 amateur games · 179 over the board
With 4. you take the center against : 43,787 public games.
1. 2. 3. 4. · 8,117 amateur games · 311 over the board
You develop 3. and meet with 4., heading for your own bishop on g2.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · 7,178 amateur games · 261 over the board
After 5. , 6. gets you ready to castle with all three center pawns standing.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · 6,994 amateur games · 1 over the board
After 5. , 6. hits the f6 knight, which the e7 pawn and the bishop defend.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · 6,190 amateur games · 5 over the board
With 4. 5. you go after the f6 knight before pushing to e4.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · 5,196 amateur games · 13 over the board
With 5. you add a fourth pawn up front and cover e5: 5,196 public games.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · 4,416 amateur games · 7 over the board
With 4. 5. 6. you keep the pawn on e3 and get ready to castle.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · 3,354 amateur games · 77 over the board
With 5. you back up e4 with a pawn, though your g1 knight can no longer use f3.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · E71
3,042 amateur games · White's score: 53.8%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · E70
2,886 amateur games · White's score: 51.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · E90
2,785 amateur games · White's score: 48.4%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · E71
684 amateur games · White's score: 51.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · E73
541 amateur games · White's score: 57.2%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · E92
536 amateur games · White's score: 46.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · E73
463 amateur games · White's score: 51.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · E81
310 amateur games · White's score: 52.4%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · E92
218 amateur games · White's score: 48.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · E70
218 amateur games · White's score: 55.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · E73
154 amateur games · White's score: 56.2%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · E92
141 amateur games · White's score: 37.2%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · E73
98 amateur games · White's score: 60.2%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · E93
84 amateur games · White's score: 47.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · E73
63 amateur games · White's score: 51.6%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · E74
61 amateur games · White's score: 55.7%
1. 2. 3. 4. · E60
60 amateur games · White's score: 42.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · E91
57 amateur games · White's score: 57.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · E74
46 amateur games · White's score: 56.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · E72
43 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · E73
11 amateur games · White's score: 45.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · E75
8 amateur games · White's score: 62.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · E74
4 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · E73
2 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · E73
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. · E93
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. · E77
From White's side it is an even fight at every level. As White you score 51 in 100 at 900–1100, 50 in 100 at 1100–1300 and 51 in 100 at 1300–1700. You meet it more often as your rating climbs: it is rarer at 900–1100 than at 1500–1700. As Black, you give up the center early and must know when to strike with .
Black plays , , and , then castles short and breaks with against d4. The strong players' line runs 4. 5. 6. 7.. Among strong players, 96 in 100 castle right after 5., so the setup barely changes from game to game.
Both start 1. 2. 3.. The King's Indian goes and lets you play 4.; the Grünfeld goes and challenges the center at once, so 4. would drop a pawn. Club players choose in 11 of every 100 games, strong online players in 29. As White you score 51 in 100 against and 48 in 100 against .