Döry Defense
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Statistics from Lichess
25,675 games: White 55.5% / Draw 4.5% / Black 40.0%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 6,0066,006 | ||
| 5,2055,205 | ||
| 4,9484,948 | ||
| 2,6882,688 | ||
| 2,3432,343 | ||
| 1,1391,139 | ||
| 1,0601,060 | ||
| 870870 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 20, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.64 White is slightly better
Best play: 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 d5 5. c4 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Nxc3
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Döry Defense (ECO A46, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Indian Defense: Knights Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 Ne4 (2 moves).
In 25,675 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 55.5%, Black 40.0% and 4.5% were drawn. White's most played move here is 3. Bf4, in 23% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Döry Defense
3. g3 scores best for White: 59.0%, with White winning 56.8% and Black 38.7% of 2,343 games. The most played, 3. Bf4, scores 59.0% in 6,006 games, and 3. Nbd2 scores lowest: 56.0%. Stockfish's first choice is 3. e3.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Döry Defense (A46)”. Lichess data as of 20 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/dory-defense