- ECO code
- E60
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4
- Family
- King's Indian Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 511
- Average game length
- 42 moves
- Years covered
- 1922–2026
King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation is the opening filed under ECO code E60, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4. It belongs to the King's Indian Defense family and is known as the Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 511 games on this line — the 209th 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 2020s, with 142 games. An average game here lasts 42 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 3...Bg7, played in 492 games, followed by 3...c5 (11) and 3...d6 (6). After 3...Bg7 White scores 31% and Black 33%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Bronstein, David I (15 games); on the Black side, Polgar, Judit (33).
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Results in master games
- White 32% (162)
- Draws 35% (179)
- Black 33% (170)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3...Bg7 | 492 | 31/36/33 | — |
| 3...c5 | 11 | 64/18/18 | — |
| 3...d6 | 6 | 33/17/50 | — |
| 3...b6 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
| 3...d5 | 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
- Bronstein, David I 15
- Gelfand, Boris 13
- Grischuk,A 13
As Black
- Polgar, Judit 33
- Vachier Lagrave,M 33
- Firouzja,Alireza 18
Games per decade
- 1920s 21
- 1930s 4
- 1940s 8
- 1950s 14
- 1960s 13
- 1970s 16
- 1980s 43
- 1990s 111
- 2000s 61
- 2010s 78
- 2020s 142
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nakamura,Hi | Firouzja,Alireza | 0-1 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Martinez Ramirez,L | So,W | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 27th Jan 2026 |
| Klukin,Kirill | Caruana,F | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 9th Jun 2026 |
| So,W | Yakubboev,Nodirbek | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Chess.com Open PlayIn3 |
| Nakamura,Hi | Lazavik,Denis | 0-1 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 12th Feb 2026 |
| Damjanovic,Vuk | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 6th Jan 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code E60, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4. It belongs to the King's Indian Defense family.
Is the King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation good for White or for Black?
In 511 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 King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation?
3...Bg7 — played in 492 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation?
On the White side Bronstein, David I (15), Gelfand, Boris (13), Grischuk,A (13); on the Black side Polgar, Judit (33), Vachier Lagrave,M (33), Firouzja,Alireza (18).
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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