Indian Defense: Omega Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
775,141 games: White 43.8% / Draw 3.8% / Black 52.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 448,680449K | ||
| Pirc Defense | 115,137115K | |
| French Defense: Mediterranean Defense | 82,98183K | |
| Modern Defense: Norwegian Defense | 52,17352K | |
| 38,54439K | ||
| 12,38612K | ||
| 12,36012K | ||
| 4,5334,533 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.71 Black is better
Best play: 2... Nxe4 3. Nf3 g6 4. Bd3 Nf6 5. c4 Bg7 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Bg5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
The stronger the players, the better this line does for White: White scores 44% under 1400, 47% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 652K | |
| 1400–1799 | 616K | |
| 1800–2199 | 420K | |
| 2200 and up | 44K | |
| Masters, over the board | 10 |
Master games
- De Firmian, N. E. – Fedorowicz, J. P.
- Kravtsiv, M. – Gusain, H.
- Magem Badals, J. – Peralta, F.
- Averin, N. – Khismatullin, D.
- Gonzaga Grego, L. – Alvarez Montoya, J.
Rated blitz, rapid and classical Lichess games by rating band, and over-the-board games of players rated 2200+ from the Lichess masters database, updated Sep 27, 2026
Overview
Indian Defense: Omega Gambit (ECO A45, Flank Openings) is a gambit in the Indian Defense, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. e4 (2 moves).
In 775,141 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 43.8%, Black 52.4% and 3.8% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 2…Nxe4, in 58% of those games.
It continues into one named variation, Indian Defense: Omega Gambit, Arafat Gambit.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Indian Defense: Omega Gambit
The most played answer, 2…Nxe4, also scores best for Black: 58.2%, with Black winning 56.3% and White 39.9% of 449K games. Of the main answers, 2…e6 scores lowest: 48.1%. Stockfish's first choice is also 2…Nxe4.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Popularity by year
The Indian Defense: Omega Gambit has gained ground since 2016: 0.032% of Lichess games in 2025, up from 0.023%.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.023% | 8,323 |
| 2017 | 0.023% | 12,570 |
| 2018 | 0.025% | 19,564 |
| 2019 | 0.027% | 33,690 |
| 2020 | 0.029% | 83,994 |
| 2021 | 0.03% | 116,714 |
| 2022 | 0.031% | 116,099 |
| 2023 | 0.03% | 111,885 |
| 2024 | 0.032% | 115,022 |
| 2025 | 0.032% | 111,723 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.031% | 33,542 |
Share of rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500 (blitz, rapid and classical) that reach this position, by year; 2026: January to April. Which openings are rising and falling
Variations (1)
Transpositions
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Indian Defense: Omega Gambit (A45)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/indian-defense-omega-gambit