Neo-Grünfeld Defense: with Nf3
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 d5
The Neo-Grünfeld Defense: with Nf3 is a chess opening classified as ECO D70, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 d5. It is a line of the Neo-Grünfeld Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 529 times by this move order. White won 46%, 7% were drawn and Black won 47%. The most popular continuation is 4. Nc3 (31% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.65 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 4. cxd5 Bg7 5. Qa4+ c6 6. dxc6 Nxc6)
- ECO
- D70
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/ppp1pp1p/5np1/3p4/2PP4/5N2/PP2PPPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 d5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 41 | |
| 1500-1999 | 298 | |
| 2000+ | 190 | |
| All | 529 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Nc3 | 165 (31%) | |
| 4. g3 | 131 (25%) | |
| 4. cxd5 | 117 (22%) | |
| 4. e3 | 61 (12%) | |
| 4. Bg5 | 17 (3%) | |
| 4. c5 | 13 (2%) | |
| 4. Bf4 | 13 (2%) | |
| 4. Nbd2 | 3 (1%) |
Master games
171 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 57%, draw 13%, Black 30%). The strongest:
- GM Denis Lazavik (2553) – GM Alireza Firouzja (2777) 1-0 · Bullet Chess Winners 2023 · 2023-07-17
- GM Jan Krejci (2570) – GM Martin Petr (2485) 1-0 · ch-CZE Blitz 2017 · 2017-12-30
- IM Humberto L. Blanco Ronquillo (2442) – IM Mika Karttunen (2480) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 25th May · 2021-05-25
- GM Ferenc Berkes (2658) – Robert-Paul Nastase (2265) 1-0 · 7th Arad Open 2014 · 2014-08-07
- IM Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (2494) – IM Roman Lovkov (2419) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 18th May · 2021-05-18
Search all games of the Neo-Grünfeld Defense: with Nf3 and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- GM tjychess (2830) – nuitet868688 (2711) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- shoprrrw (2642) – The_Iceberg (2491) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- DTimofey (2557) – FM NorthernHawk (2544) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Indian Defense: West Indian Defense 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6
More Neo-Grünfeld Defense lines (all)
- Neo-Grünfeld Defense: Goglidze Attack D70
- Neo-Grünfeld Defense: with g3 (3. g3 d5) D70
- Neo-Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation (5. cxd5 Nxd5) D71
- Neo-Grünfeld Defense: Exchange Variation (5… Nxd5 6. Nf3) D71
- Neo-Grünfeld Defense: with g3 (6… Nb6 7. Ne2) D72
- Neo-Grünfeld Defense: with g3 (4… Bg7 5. Nf3) D73
- Neo-Grünfeld Defense: Delayed Exchange Variation (6… Nxd5 7. O-O) D74
- Neo-Grünfeld Defense: Delayed Exchange Variation (7… c5 8. O-O) D75
- Neo-Grünfeld Defense: Delayed Exchange Variation (7… c5 8. dxc5) D75
- Neo-Grünfeld Defense: Delayed Exchange Variation (7. O-O Nb6) D76
- Neo-Grünfeld Defense: Classical Variation D77
- Neo-Grünfeld Defense: Classical Variation, Modern Defense D77
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.