- ECO code
- A49
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3
- Family
- Indian Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 368
- Average game length
- 43 moves
- Years covered
- 1923–2026
Indian Defense: Przepiorka Variation is the opening filed under ECO code A49, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3. It belongs to the Indian Defense family and is known as the Przepiorka Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 368 games on this line — the 264th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1923 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 110 games. An average game here lasts 43 moves.
White wins 30% of those games, 38% end in a draw, and Black wins 32%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores better here by 4 percentage points.
From this position the most popular move is 3...Bg7, played in 326 games, followed by 3...c5 (18) and 3...d5 (11). After 3...Bg7 White scores 32% and Black 31%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Smyslov, Vassily (24 games); on the Black side, Vachier Lagrave,M (25).
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Results in master games
- White 30% (110)
- Draws 38% (141)
- Black 32% (117)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3...Bg7 | 326 | 32/37/31 | — |
| 3...c5 | 18 | 11/39/50 | — |
| 3...d5 | 11 | 18/73/9 | — |
| 3...b6 | 7 | 0/43/57 | — |
| 3...b5 | 4 | 25/25/50 | — |
| 3...c6 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
| 3...d6 | 1 | 0/0/100 | — |
How the position is reached
- Queen's Pawn Game · 1.d4 · 45,810 games
- Indian Defense · 1.d4 Nf6 · 29,631 games
- Indian Defense: Knights Variation · 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 · 5,074 games
- East Indian Defense · 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 · 1,714 games
Played most often by
As White
- Smyslov, Vassily 24
- Mamedyarov,S 19
- Spassky, Boris V 14
As Black
- Vachier Lagrave,M 25
- Firouzja,Alireza 22
- Grischuk,A 15
Games per decade
- 1920s 3
- 1930s 1
- 1940s 3
- 1950s 20
- 1960s 31
- 1970s 5
- 1980s 23
- 1990s 59
- 2000s 41
- 2010s 72
- 2020s 110
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eljanov,P | Caruana,F | 0-1 | 2026 | 2nd 3-0 Thu 12th Mar 2026 |
| Tsydypov,Z | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 30th Jun 2026 |
| Pidluznij,Gleb | Caruana,F | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 28th Apr 2026 |
| Carlsen,M | Sargsyan,Shant | 1-0 | 2026 | Chess.com Open Playoffs |
| Agibileg,Uurtsaikh | Vachier Lagrave,M | 1-0 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
| Zouaghi,Amir | Grischuk,A | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 14th Apr 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Indian Defense: Przepiorka Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code A49, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3. It belongs to the Indian Defense family.
Is the Indian Defense: Przepiorka Variation good for White or for Black?
In 368 master games on this line White wins 30%, 38% are drawn and Black wins 32%. 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: Przepiorka Variation?
3...Bg7 — played in 326 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Indian Defense: Przepiorka Variation?
On the White side Smyslov, Vassily (24), Mamedyarov,S (19), Spassky, Boris V (14); on the Black side Vachier Lagrave,M (25), Firouzja,Alireza (22), Grischuk,A (15).
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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