Grünfeld Defense: Makogonov Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. b4
The Grünfeld Defense: Makogonov Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO D94, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. b4. It is a line of the Grünfeld Defense. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 10 times by this move order. White won 40%, 10% were drawn and Black won 50%. The most popular continuation is 6… a5 (60% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.16 (Stockfish, depth 48; best line 6… Be6 7. c5 Nbd7 8. a3 Bg4 9. Be2)
- ECO
- D94
- Moves
- 11 plies
- FEN
rnbq1rk1/ppp1ppbp/5np1/3p4/1PPP4/2N1PN2/P4PPP/R1BQKB1R b KQ - 0 6- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. b4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2000+ | 10 | |
| All | 10 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6… a5 | 6 (60%) | |
| 6… c6 | 2 (20%) | |
| 6… dxc4 | 1 (10%) | |
| 6… c5 | 1 (10%) |
Master games
89 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 36%, draw 38%, Black 26%). The strongest:
- GM Alexander Moiseenko (2699) – GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2717) 1/2-1/2 · Breisacher Memorial · 2013-07-24
- GM Vasyl Ivanchuk (2678) – GM Peter Svidler (2723) 1-0 · Legends of Chess Prelim · 2020-07-26
- GM Alexander Moiseenko (2707) – GM Andrei Volokitin (2638) 0-1 · FIDE World Rapid 2014 · 2014-06-17
- GM Gabriel Sargissian (2671) – GM Vasif Durarbayli (2580) 0-1 · Bronstein Mem Open A 2014 · 2014-02-13
- GM Yago De Moura Santiago (2500) – GM Sanan Sjugirov (2675) 0-1 · Titled Tue 18th Aug · 2020-08-18
Search all games of the Grünfeld Defense: Makogonov Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM Lector118 (2541) – Cuni_chess (2555) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- WSB (2408) – Keshmaster (2283) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 2s
- goyenechesaladillo (2227) – ajrem (2309) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Grünfeld Defense: Three Knights Variation, Burille Variation 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3
More Grünfeld Defense lines (all)
- Grünfeld Defense: Three Knights Variation, Burille Variation, Reversed Tarrasch A56
- Grünfeld Defense D80
- Grünfeld Defense: Gibbon Gambit D80
- Grünfeld Defense: Lundin Variation D80
- Grünfeld Defense: Lutikov Variation D80
- Grünfeld Defense: Lutikov Variation, Murrey Attack D80
- Grünfeld Defense: Stockholm Variation D80
- Grünfeld Defense: Zaitsev Gambit D80
- Grünfeld Defense: Russian Variation, Accelerated Variation D81
- Grünfeld Defense: Brinckmann Attack D82
- Grünfeld Defense: Brinckmann Attack, Grünfeld Gambit D83
- Grünfeld Defense: Brinckmann Attack, Grünfeld Gambit, Botvinnik Variation D83
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.