- ECO code
- A46
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3
- Family
- Indian Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 5,074
- Average game length
- 44 moves
- Years covered
- 1898–2026
Indian Defense: Knights Variation is the opening filed under ECO code A46, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3. It belongs to the Indian Defense family and is known as the Knights Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 5,074 games on this line — the 29th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1898 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 1,981 games. An average game here lasts 44 moves.
White wins 32% of those games, 35% end in a draw, and Black wins 33%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores better here by 5 percentage points.
From this position the most popular move is 2...g6, played in 1,714 games, followed by 2...e6 (1,490) and 2...d5 (1,213). 2...g6 leads into East Indian Defense. After 2...g6 White scores 32% and Black 34%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Aronian,L (144 games); on the Black side, Vachier Lagrave,M (199).
3 named variations branch off this position and have their own page here, among them East Indian Defense; King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation; Indian Defense: Przepiorka Variation.
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Results in master games
- White 32% (1,633)
- Draws 35% (1,754)
- Black 33% (1,687)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2...g6 | 1,714 | 32/34/34 | East Indian Defense |
| 2...e6 | 1,490 | 34/35/31 | — |
| 2...d5 | 1,213 | 31/39/30 | — |
| 2...b6 | 235 | 29/29/42 | — |
| 2...c5 | 219 | 32/26/42 | — |
| 2...d6 | 157 | 30/29/41 | — |
| 2...c6 | 23 | 48/22/30 | — |
| 2...b5 | 19 | 16/21/63 | — |
Variations from this position
- East Indian Defense · 2...g6 · 1,714 games
- King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation · 2...g6 3.c4 · 511 games
- Indian Defense: Przepiorka Variation · 2...g6 3.g3 · 368 games
How the position is reached
- Queen's Pawn Game · 1.d4 · 45,810 games
- Indian Defense · 1.d4 Nf6 · 29,631 games
Played most often by
As White
- Aronian,L 144
- Carlsen,M 131
- Smyslov, Vassily 131
As Black
- Vachier Lagrave,M 199
- Firouzja,Alireza 159
- Caruana,F 158
Games per decade
- 1890s 3
- 1900s 11
- 1910s 45
- 1920s 281
- 1930s 118
- 1940s 52
- 1950s 106
- 1960s 191
- 1970s 148
- 1980s 331
- 1990s 464
- 2000s 434
- 2010s 909
- 2020s 1,981
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murzin,Volodar | So,W | 0-1 | 2026 | Tata Steel India Blitz |
| Nakamura,Hi | Firouzja,Alireza | 0-1 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Maghsoodloo,Parham | Abdusattorov,Nodirbek | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 19th May 2026 |
| Lazavik,Denis | So,W | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 20th Jan 2026 |
| Gukesh,D | Vachier Lagrave,M | 0-1 | 2026 | GCT Super Rapid Poland |
| Eljanov,P | Nepomniachtchi,I | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Mar 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Indian Defense: Knights Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code A46, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3. It belongs to the Indian Defense family.
Is the Indian Defense: Knights Variation good for White or for Black?
In 5,074 master games on this line White wins 32%, 35% are drawn and Black wins 33%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is a slightly better bargain for Black than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Indian Defense: Knights Variation?
2...g6 — played in 1,714 of the master games on this line, which leads into East Indian Defense.
Which grandmasters play the Indian Defense: Knights Variation?
On the White side Aronian,L (144), Carlsen,M (131), Smyslov, Vassily (131); on the Black side Vachier Lagrave,M (199), Firouzja,Alireza (159), Caruana,F (158).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
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