King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Ukrainian Defense
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O a5
The King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation, Ukrainian Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO E94, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O a5. It is a line of the King's Indian Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 8 times by this move order. White won 50%, 12% were drawn and Black won 38%. The most popular continuation is 8. Be3 (38% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.58 (Stockfish, depth 38; best line 8. Be3 Bg4 9. dxe5 Bxf3 10. exf6 Bxe2)
- ECO
- E94
- Moves
- 14 plies
- FEN
rnbq1rk1/1pp2pbp/3p1np1/p3p3/2PPP3/2N2N2/PP2BPPP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 8- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O a5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 3 | |
| 2000+ | 5 | |
| All | 8 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 8. Be3 | 3 (38%) | |
| 8. dxe5 | 2 (25%) | |
| 8. d5 | 1 (13%) | |
| 8. a4 | 1 (13%) | |
| 8. Re1 | 1 (13%) |
Master games
23 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 61%, draw 9%, Black 30%). The strongest:
- GM Andrey Sumets (2566) – GM Andrei Shchekachev (2538) 1/2-1/2 · TCh-FRA Top 12 2017 · 2017-05-19
- GM Kazybek Nogerbek (2527) – IM Arystanbek Urazayev (2470) 1/2-1/2 · ch-KAZ 2024 · 2024-12-10
- FM Cristian-Stefan Serban (2332) – IM Arystanbek Urazayev (2467) 0-1 · Titled Tue 1st Apr Early · 2025-04-01
- IM Ivan Excender Soriano Quispe (2271) – IM Benjamin Haldorsen (2427) 0-1 · 10th Floripa Open 2024 · 2024-01-25
- Anthony Muller (2269) – FM Tymon Czernek (2351) 1-0 · Euro Online Blitz Quali · 2020-12-18
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM kabanosi (2409) – Nightrain20 (2439) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 2s
- MarkusAgrippa (2326) – elro07 (2270) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 2s
- NM Z__chess (2276) – elro07 (2222) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation (6… e5 7. O-O) 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O
More King's Indian Defense lines (all)
- King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation E60
- King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Immediate Fianchetto E60
- King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation E60
- King's Indian Defense: Santasiere Variation E60
- King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation, Benoni Variation E60
- King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation, Hollywood Variation E60
- King's Indian Defense E61
- King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Benjamin Defense E61
- King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation E61
- King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation, Exchange Variation E61
- King's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical Variation, Queenside Storm Line E61
- King's Indian Defense: Smyslov Variation E61
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.