Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Grinberg Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
7,316 games: White 47.4% / Draw 4.4% / Black 48.3%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 3,4093,409 | ||
| 2,4132,413 | ||
| 1,0681,068 | ||
| 167167 | ||
| 8282 | ||
| 5151 | ||
| 4141 | ||
| 2222 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Sep 26, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.41 White is slightly better
Best play: 4... Bxe4 5. Nxe4 Nxe4 6. Qb3 Qc8 7. g4 c6 8. Bg2 Nf6 9. g5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Grinberg Gambit (ECO A53, Flank Openings) is a gambit in the Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 Bf5 4. e4 (4 moves).
In 7,316 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.4%, Black 48.3% and 4.4% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…Nxe4, in 47% 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 Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Grinberg Gambit
4…Bxe4 scores best for Black: 54.6%, with Black winning 52.4% and White 43.2% of 1,068 games. The most played, 4…Nxe4, scores 54.5% in 3,409 games, and 4…Bg6 scores lowest: 45.9%. Stockfish's first choice is also 4…Bxe4.
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
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation, Grinberg Gambit (A53)”. Lichess data as of 26 Sep 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/old-indian-defense-janowski-variation-grinberg-gambit