8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3

Shown from White's side. ECO A07.

Opening guide · an opening for White

King's Indian Attack

The King's Indian Attack is a setup for White: Nf3, g3, Bg2, castling, d3 and Nbd2, usually followed by e4. It is the King's Indian Defense played with an extra move, and it can be used against many Black setups, especially the French Defense and the Sicilian Defense with ...e6.

Games in our sample
9,887
White wins
50.7%
Draws
5.5%
Black wins
43.8%
Open this position on the analysis boardResults by rating

How the King's Indian Attack scores at each rating

Each row is one rating band. The share is how much of all the games in that band started with this opening.

RatingGamesShareWhite winsDrawsBlack wins
under 10003810.2%49.9%5.2%44.9%
1000 to 11995770.2%49.6%4.7%45.8%
1200 to 13999480.2%49.1%4.6%46.3%
1400 to 15991,3650.2%50.1%4.1%45.8%
1600 to 17991,5300.2%49.3%4.9%45.8%
1800 to 19991,9400.4%54.2%4.5%41.3%
2000 to 21991,6950.6%52.5%5.8%41.7%
2200 and over1,4511.3%47.8%9.5%42.7%
All ratings9,8870.3%50.7%5.5%43.8%

Counted from 3,156,949 rated blitz, rapid and classical games played on Lichess from 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-02 (the first 5,000,000 games of the month's public file; bullet and unrated games left out). The rating is the average of the two players' Lichess ratings. Source: the Lichess open database (public domain).

Main lines

The named lines of the King's Indian Attack that were played most in our sample, each with the position it reaches.

  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Symmetrical Defense

    1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6

    1,264 games · White 48.3% · draws 7.0% · Black 44.7%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Sicilian Variation

    1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5

    987 games · White 53.2% · draws 4.5% · Black 42.4%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    French Variation

    1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nc6

    949 games · White 50.4% · draws 5.1% · Black 44.6%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Keres Variation

    1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Bg4

    591 games · White 48.9% · draws 5.4% · Black 45.7%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Yugoslav Variation

    1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 c6 4. O-O Bg4

    317 games · White 42.9% · draws 8.2% · Black 48.9%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Wahls Defense

    1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. O-O O-O 5. d3 d5

    313 games · White 51.8% · draws 6.4% · Black 41.9%

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Ideas for White

  • After e4 and e5 the attack goes to the kingside with h4, Nf1 and Bf4.

Ideas for Black

  • Take space on the queenside with ...c5 and ...b5 while White attacks on the other wing.

Questions

What are the moves of the King's Indian Attack?
1. Nf3 d5 2. g3. In the ECO classification it is filed under A07.
How does the King's Indian Attack score?
In 9,887 games with it in our sample, White won 50.7%, 5.5% were drawn and Black won 43.8%.
At which ratings is the King's Indian Attack played most?
Among players rated 2200 and over it is 1.3% of all games in our sample, its highest share. Its lowest share, 0.2%, is among players rated under 1000.
Which line of the King's Indian Attack is played most?
King's Indian Attack: Symmetrical Defense (1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6), with 1,264 games in our sample.

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