- ECO code
- E60
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6
- Family
- Indian Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 6,337
- Average game length
- 43 moves
- Years covered
- 1922–2026
Indian Defense: West Indian Defense is the opening filed under ECO code E60, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6. It belongs to the Indian Defense family and is known as the West Indian Defense; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 6,337 games on this line — the 22nd most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1922 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2010s, with 1,858 games. An average game here lasts 43 moves.
White wins 34% of those games, 40% end in a draw, and Black wins 26%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%). Draws are more common here than usual, by 5 points.
From this position the most popular move is 3.Nc3, played in 4,545 games, followed by 3.g3 (870) and 3.Nf3 (613). 3.Nc3 leads into King's Indian Defense. After 3.Nc3 White scores 34% and Black 27%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Mamedyarov,S (314 games); on the Black side, Vachier Lagrave,M (511).
18 named variations branch off this position and have their own page here, among them King's Indian Defense; Grünfeld Defense; King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation.
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Results in master games
- White 34% (2,146)
- Draws 40% (2,520)
- Black 26% (1,671)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.Nc3 | 4,545 | 34/39/27 | King's Indian Defense |
| 3.g3 | 870 | 35/41/24 | King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Immediate Fianchetto |
| 3.Nf3 | 613 | 30/42/28 | — |
| 3.f3 | 231 | 37/35/28 | — |
| 3.h4 | 44 | 43/32/25 | — |
| 3.Bg5 | 25 | 40/40/20 | — |
| 3.d5 | 4 | 25/50/25 | — |
| 3.Qc2 | 2 | 50/50/0 | — |
Variations from this position
- King's Indian Defense · 3.Nc3 · 4,545 games
- Grünfeld Defense · 3.Nc3 d5 · 2,262 games
- King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation · 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 · 2,024 games
- King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation · 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 · 1,879 games
- Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation · 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 · 1,163 games
- King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Immediate Fianchetto · 3.g3 · 870 games
- Grünfeld Defense: Three Knights Variation · 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 · 678 games
- Grünfeld Defense: Three Knights Variation · 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 · 678 games
- King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Rare Defenses · 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 · 636 games
- King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation · 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 · 553 games
- King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Standard Development · 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 · 486 games
- King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation · 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 · 470 games
- King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation · 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 · 452 games
- King's Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation · 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 · 433 games
- King's Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Normal Defense · 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 O-O · 356 games
- Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Classical Variation · 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 · 348 games
- King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation · 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O · 328 games
- Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation, Modern Exchange Variation · 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 · 310 games
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
Played most often by
As White
- Mamedyarov,S 314
- Kortschnoj, Viktor 201
- Carlsen,M 143
As Black
- Vachier Lagrave,M 511
- Nepomniachtchi,I 321
- Grischuk,A 278
Games per decade
- 1920s 48
- 1930s 71
- 1940s 76
- 1950s 292
- 1960s 316
- 1970s 154
- 1980s 239
- 1990s 743
- 2000s 813
- 2010s 1,858
- 2020s 1,727
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Klukin,Kirill | Carlsen,M | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 13th Jan 2026 |
| Praggnanandhaa,R | Vachier Lagrave,M | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | GCT Super ROM Classic |
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Grischuk,A | 1-0 | 2026 | FIDE World Bl Team Final |
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Carlsen,M | 1-0 | 2026 | FIDE World Bl Team 5-8th |
| Rustemov,A | So,W | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 14th Apr 2026 |
| Moeller,Maurin | Caruana,F | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 30th Jun 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Indian Defense: West Indian Defense?
It is the opening with ECO code E60, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6. It belongs to the Indian Defense family.
Is the Indian Defense: West Indian Defense good for White or for Black?
In 6,337 master games on this line White wins 34%, 40% are drawn and Black wins 26%. 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 Indian Defense: West Indian Defense?
3.Nc3 — played in 4,545 of the master games on this line, which leads into King's Indian Defense.
Which grandmasters play the Indian Defense: West Indian Defense?
On the White side Mamedyarov,S (314), Kortschnoj, Viktor (201), Carlsen,M (143); on the Black side Vachier Lagrave,M (511), Nepomniachtchi,I (321), Grischuk,A (278).
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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