Chess Openings Lab
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Hungarian Opening: Indian Defense

The Indian Defense against the Hungarian Opening is 1.g3 Nf6, a flexible knight move that keeps every pawn setup open. White chooses between c4 for an English shape and Nf3 with short castling, while Black waits for White to commit before picking ...d5, ...e5 or ...c5.

Moves
1.g3 Nf6
ECO
A00
Engine
+0.27 · level (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
2,411 games in our lichess sample
White scores
49.0%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • 2.c4 heads for an English; if Black answers ...e5, Bg2 and d4 open the center for the fianchetto bishop.
  • 2.Nf3 and Bg2 with quick O-O keep things compact, and d4 follows once Black has committed to ...c5.
  • After ...e5 and ...exd4, recapture with the queen on d4 only when Black cannot gain time with ...Nc6.

Black

  • Meet 2.c4 with ...e5 and ...c6, preparing ...d5 so you build a full pawn center before White settles.
  • Against Nf3 and Bg2, set up ...d5, ...c5 and ...e6, then trade with ...cxd4 to open the c-file.
  • Keep the f6 knight flexible: it can drop back to d7 or jump to e4 depending on White's pawn moves.

Plans and pawn structure

Very little is fixed yet, so plans come from the pawn choices. If White plays c4, Black's ...e5 and ...c6 aim for ...d5 and a broad center, and White's d4 break opens lines for the g2 bishop. If White castles first with Nf3 and Bg2, Black takes space with ...d5 and ...c5, and White strikes back with d4. In both cases the g2 bishop sets White's long-term target: the b7 pawn and the a8 rook on the long diagonal.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.27: level. Its three top choices for White:

  1. +0.27 2.c4 e5 3.Bg2 c6 4.d4 exd4
  2. +0.19 2.Nf3 d5 3.Bg2 c5 4.O-O e6
  3. +0.18 2.Bg2 d5 3.Nf3 c5 4.O-O e6

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

2,411 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 49.0%.

under 120050.2%
1200–159951.5%
1600–199948.6%
2000 and up46.1%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

How to play against it

As White, do not hurry. Choose 2.c4 if you know English structures, or Nf3 with Bg2 and O-O if you want a calm King's Indian Attack style setup. Avoid an early e4, which lets Black hit the pawn with the knight and follow with ...d5.

Questions

What are the moves of the Hungarian Opening: Indian Defense?

The Hungarian Opening: Indian Defense starts 1.g3 Nf6. Its ECO code is A00.

Is the Hungarian Opening: Indian Defense good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.27 at depth 20, which is level. In 2,411 lichess games from our sample, White scored 49.0%. A low-risk reply for Black that suits players comfortable in English and reversed King's Indian structures.

What is the main idea of the Hungarian Opening: Indian Defense?

Black develops first and lets White reveal a plan. Against c4, Black plays ...e5 and ...c6 for a big center; against Nf3 and Bg2, ...d5 and ...c5 claim space before White strikes with d4.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is c4, with Nf3 and Bg2 close behind. 2.c4 grabs space on d5 and turns the game into an English, where Bg2 and d4 can follow.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.