- ECO code
- E11
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Nbd2
- Family
- Bogo-Indian Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 301
- Average game length
- 44 moves
- Years covered
- 1926–2026
Bogo-Indian Defense: Grünfeld Variation is the opening filed under ECO code E11, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Nbd2. It belongs to the Bogo-Indian Defense family and is known as the Grünfeld Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 301 games on this line — the 308th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1926 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 107 games. An average game here lasts 44 moves.
White wins 43% of those games, 35% end in a draw, and Black wins 22%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 6 percentage points.
From this position the most popular move is 4...O-O, played in 121 games, followed by 4...b6 (92) and 4...d5 (46). After 4...O-O White scores 44% and Black 19%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Grischuk,A (16 games); on the Black side, Carlsen,M (16).
Reading about an opening is not the same as knowing it. Play this line against the Katuranga bot, then let the engine mark your brilliant moves, mistakes and blunders in Analysis — the fastest way to find out which of these moves you actually understand.
Results in master games
- White 43% (130)
- Draws 35% (106)
- Black 22% (65)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4...O-O | 121 | 44/37/19 | — |
| 4...b6 | 92 | 47/30/23 | — |
| 4...d5 | 46 | 37/28/35 | — |
| 4...c5 | 21 | 38/48/14 | — |
| 4...a5 | 11 | 27/55/18 | — |
| 4...d6 | 4 | 75/25/0 | — |
| 4...Be7 | 2 | 50/50/0 | — |
| 4...Bxd2+ | 1 | 0/100/0 | — |
How the position is reached
- Queen's Pawn Game · 1.d4 · 45,810 games
- Indian Defense · 1.d4 Nf6 · 29,631 games
- Indian Defense: Normal Variation · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 · 22,243 games
- Indian Defense: Anti-Nimzo-Indian · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 · 7,325 games
- Bogo-Indian Defense · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ · 704 games
Played most often by
As White
- Grischuk,A 16
- Shirov,A 15
- Ding Liren 13
As Black
- Carlsen,M 16
- Kortschnoj, Viktor 16
- Praggnanandhaa,R 15
Games per decade
- 1920s 3
- 1930s 3
- 1940s 1
- 1950s 1
- 1960s 13
- 1970s 6
- 1980s 22
- 1990s 33
- 2000s 46
- 2010s 66
- 2020s 107
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firouzja,Alireza | Praggnanandhaa,R | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | FIDE World Bl Team Final |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Carlsen,M | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Mitrabha,G | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 30th Jun 2026 |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Carlsen,M | 0-1 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Carlsen,M | 0-1 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Carlsen,M | 0-1 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Bogo-Indian Defense: Grünfeld Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code E11, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Nbd2. It belongs to the Bogo-Indian Defense family.
Is the Bogo-Indian Defense: Grünfeld Variation good for White or for Black?
In 301 master games on this line White wins 43%, 35% are drawn and Black wins 22%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Bogo-Indian Defense: Grünfeld Variation?
4...O-O — played in 121 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Bogo-Indian Defense: Grünfeld Variation?
On the White side Grischuk,A (16), Shirov,A (15), Ding Liren (13); on the Black side Carlsen,M (16), Kortschnoj, Viktor (16), Praggnanandhaa,R (15).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
Try this line on the board
Play this opening against the Katuranga bot, then review the game — the engine marks every brilliant move, mistake and blunder.