Chess opening · ECO E91
King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation
The King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation starts 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2. It ranks #148 of the 174 openings on this site by how often rated players on Lichess reach it.
Move by move
- 1. d4White pushes the d-pawn two squares to d4, staking a claim in the center.
- 1... Nf6Black develops the kingside knight to f6.
- 2. c4White pushes the c-pawn two squares to c4.
- 2... g6Black advances the g-pawn to g6.
- 3. Nc3White develops the queenside knight to c3.
- 3... Bg7Black develops the dark-squared bishop to g7.
- 4. e4White pushes the e-pawn two squares to e4, staking a claim in the center.
- 4... d6Black advances the d-pawn to d6.
- 5. Nf3White develops the kingside knight to f3.
- 5... O-OBlack castles kingside, moving the king off the center file and bringing the rook into play.
- 6. Be2White develops the light-squared bishop to e2.
What players choose next, by rating
The three most common Black moves from this position in rated Lichess games, grouped by the rating of the player making the move. e5 is the most popular next move in every rating band.
| Rating | Most common | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1400–1599 | e5 27% | Nbd7 23% | Bg4 11% |
| 1600–1799 | e5 25% | Nbd7 19% | c5 13% |
| 1800–1999 | e5 42% | Nbd7 18% | c5 13% |
| 2000 and up | e5 54% | Nbd7 13% | Na6 9% |
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