1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5

Shown from Black's side. ECO D80.

Opening guide · an opening for Black

Grünfeld Defense

The Grünfeld Defense starts 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5. Black strikes at the centre at once instead of the slower ...d6 of the King's Indian. In the main line White gets a big pawn centre after 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3, and Black attacks it with ...c5 and the bishop on g7.

Games in our sample
5,020
White wins
47.7%
Draws
6.9%
Black wins
45.4%
Open this position on the analysis boardResults by rating

How the Grünfeld Defense 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 1000140.0%28.6%7.1%64.3%
1000 to 1199690.0%49.3%2.9%47.8%
1200 to 13991630.0%49.1%4.3%46.6%
1400 to 15993940.1%47.5%4.3%48.2%
1600 to 17999590.1%50.1%4.5%45.5%
1800 to 19991,4540.3%46.1%7.2%46.7%
2000 to 21991,2100.5%48.7%7.1%44.2%
2200 and over7570.7%46.5%11.1%42.4%
All ratings5,0200.2%47.7%6.9%45.4%

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 Grünfeld Defense that were played most in our sample, each with the position it reaches.

  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Exchange Variation, Modern Exchange Variation

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3

    700 games · White 45.4% · draws 8.6% · Black 46.0%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Exchange Variation

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5

    682 games · White 45.9% · draws 7.8% · Black 46.3%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Three Knights Variation, Burille Variation

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3

    508 games · White 48.8% · draws 6.5% · Black 44.7%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Three Knights Variation, Petrosian System

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bg5

    449 games · White 50.6% · draws 7.6% · Black 41.9%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Three Knights Variation

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3

    381 games · White 46.7% · draws 6.8% · Black 46.5%

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  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Stockholm Variation

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5

    375 games · White 47.5% · draws 6.9% · Black 45.6%

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Ideas for White

  • Support the d4 pawn with Nf3 or Ne2 and Be3. A passed d pawn is your long-term trump.

Ideas for Black

  • Pile up on d4 with ...c5, ...Nc6, ...Bg7 and often ...Qa5.

Questions

What are the moves of the Grünfeld Defense?
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5. In the ECO classification it is filed under D80.
How does the Grünfeld Defense score?
In 5,020 games with it in our sample, White won 47.7%, 6.9% were drawn and Black won 45.4%.
At which ratings is the Grünfeld Defense played most?
Among players rated 2200 and over it is 0.7% of all games in our sample, its highest share. Its lowest share, 0.0%, is among players rated under 1000.
Which line of the Grünfeld Defense is played most?
Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Modern Exchange Variation (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3), with 700 games in our sample.

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