Openings 1.d4 Nf6: Indian defenses
Grünfeld Defense: Exchange, Russian, 4.Bf4 and Stats by Rating
3...d5 lets White build a big pawn center and then attacks it. After 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 White has pawns on c3, d4 and e4, and Black hits d4 with the g7 bishop, ...c5 and ...Nc6. It is sharp, deeply analyzed and a top-level favorite.
D80Grünfeld Defense
Games from this position (1600–1999): 9,128
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
| Move | Played | Games | White · Draw · Black |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38% | 3,487 | ||
| 23% | 2,065 | ||
| 12% | 1,139 | ||
| 11% | 1,040 | ||
| 7% | 633 | ||
| 3% | 267 | ||
| 2% | 181 | ||
| 0.9% | 78 | ||
| 0.8% | 72 | ||
| 0.7% | 63 | ||
| 0.6% | 58 | ||
| 0.2% | 17 |
Plans for both sides
White
- The Exchange Variation (4.cxd5 and 5.e4) takes the center; support d4 with Nf3 and Be3, or with Bc4 and Ne2.
- 4.Nf3 with Qb3 (the Russian), Bg5 or Bf4 keeps more tension and avoids the main Exchange theory.
- Hold d4 at all costs: if it falls, Black’s g7 bishop takes over the long diagonal.
Black
- Attack d4 with ...Bg7, ...c5, ...Nc6, ...Bg4 and ...Qa5.
- Castle quickly; the g7 bishop is both your best attacker and your king’s guard.
- Against 4.Bg5, 4...Ne4 hits the bishop at once and is the most common answer at 2000+.
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Grünfeld Defense at each rating
How often the position after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 comes up in rated Lichess games, how it scores and what players answer next.
| Rating | Games (Share of games) | White · Draw · Black | Top next move |
|---|---|---|---|
| <1200 | 184<0.1% | 4.Nf334% | |
| 1200–1599 | 1,785<0.1% | 4.cxd528% | |
| 1600–1999 | 9,1280.1% | 4.cxd538% | |
| 2000+ | 7,8140.4% | 4.cxd550% | |
| All | 19k0.1% | 4.cxd542% |
What usually comes next
The most played moves from here, all ratings together. Thicker line = played more often.
Main variations
White develops the knight to f3 and supports d4 with Be3 and Rc1.
337 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 44%, 9% were drawn, Black won 47%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Be3The bishop on c4 and the knight on e2 leave f3 free for the f-pawn. At 2000+ 7.Bc4 is the most common seventh move.
173 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 43%, 10% were drawn, Black won 47%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 O-O 10.O-OWhite pressures d5 and gets a big center after ...dxc4 Qxc4; Black hits back with ...a6 and ...b5, ...Nc6 or ...Bg4.
123 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 46%, 8% were drawn, Black won 46%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 O-O 7.e4White eyes c7 and plays e3. Black often lets the c7 pawn go for fast play, and White scores only about 47% after 5...O-O here.
278 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 42%, 6% were drawn, Black won 51%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.e3 O-OBlack hits the bishop at once. Below 2000 most players take with 5.Nxe4; at 2000+ 5.Bh4 is just as common.
598 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 42%, 8% were drawn, Black won 50%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Ne4The Grünfeld idea against a fianchetto: Black plays ...d5 before White has Nc3 in.
162 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 52%, 5% were drawn, Black won 43%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 d5
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At club level
At 2000+ half of White players answer 3...d5 with 4.cxd5 and the big center, while below 1200 4.Nf3 is more common. The Grünfeld is about three in ten 3.Nc3 games at 2000+ (3...d5 at 28% against 3...Bg7 at 68%), and White scores only about 50% after it.
Practice it
The trainer answers with the replies people at your rating choose, in the same proportions, and brings back your mistakes on a schedule.
Related openings
- Indian Defense: 1.d4 Nf6
1.d4 Nf6
- King’s Indian Defense
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6
- Nimzo-Indian Defense
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4
- Old Indian Defense
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6
- Trompowsky Attack
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5
- Budapest Gambit
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5