Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Taimanov Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
2,348 games: White 55.1% / Draw 6.4% / Black 38.5%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 1,1131,113 | ||
| 378378 | ||
| 221221 | ||
| 150150 | ||
| 9999 | ||
| 9797 | ||
| 6868 | ||
| 5959 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 1, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.07 The position is about equal
Best play: 8... Nc6 9. cxd5 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 Bc5 11. Qd3 c6 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bxf6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Taimanov Gambit (ECO E17, Indian Defenses) is a gambit in the Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. d5 exd5 8. Nd4 (8 moves).
In 2,348 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 55.1%, Black 38.5% and 6.4% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 8…c6, 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 Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Taimanov Gambit
8…Nc6 scores best for Black: 50.2%, with Black winning 47.5% and White 47.1% of 221 games. The most played, 8…c6, scores 44.4% in 1,113 games, and 8…c5 scores lowest: 34.7%. Stockfish's first choice is also 8…Nc6.
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. “Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Taimanov Gambit (E17)”. Lichess data as of 1 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/queens-indian-defense-classical-variation-taimanov-gambit