Chess Openings Lab
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King's Indian Defense: Accelerated Averbakh Variation

The Accelerated Averbakh is 5.Bg5, pinning the f6 knight before White has castled or developed the king's knight. White wants to restrain ...e5 and ...c5 with the bishop's pressure, while Black aims to kick it with ...h6 and strike back with ...c5.

Moves
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Bg5
ECO
E70
Engine
+0.24 · level (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
445 games in our lichess sample
White scores
47.6%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • Keep the bishop flexible: after ...h6, the engine retreats it to c1, keeping it ready for e3 or a later Bxh6 idea.
  • Continue with Be2 and Nf3, castling short only after Black has shown where the c-pawn goes.
  • Answer ...c5 with d5, gaining space and making Black's fianchetto bishop bite on a closed long diagonal.
  • Qd2 lines up queen and bishop on the c1-h6 diagonal, hinting at a later Bh6 trade.

Black

  • Play ...h6 first to ask the bishop where it is going before committing the king.
  • Then castle and hit the center with ...c5; after Nf3, ...e6 opens the e-file against White's king.
  • If White plays d5, take on d5 with ...exd5 and use the half-open e-file and a queenside majority.
  • Avoid ...e5 while the bishop on g5 still pins f6, since dxe5 dxe5 leaves the knight awkward.

Plans and pawn structure

Because White has not played Nf3 or Be2, the bishop on g5 is the only developed minor piece, so Black gets time. The engine's ...h6, ...O-O, ...c5 and ...e6 plan opens the center before White has castled. White usually closes with d5 and fights for a Benoni-type structure: e4 and d5 against ...c5 and ...d6. Black's queenside majority and the e-file then matter more than kingside attacks.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.24: level. Its three top choices for Black:

  1. +0.24 5...h6 6.Bc1 O-O 7.Be2 c5 8.Nf3
  2. +0.32 5...O-O 6.Nf3 h6 7.Bd2 c5 8.d5
  3. +0.45 5...c5 6.d5 e6 7.Nf3 exd5 8.cxd5

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

445 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 47.6%.

1200–159948.0%
1600–199946.7%
2000 and up54.3%

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

How to play against it

As Black, start with ...h6 to clarify the bishop, then castle and play ...c5. Do not rush ...e5 into the pin, because dxe5 dxe5 leaves the f6 knight tied down. If White pushes d5, add ...e6 and open the e-file before White completes Nf3, Be2 and O-O.

Questions

What are the moves of the King's Indian Defense: Accelerated Averbakh Variation?

The King's Indian Defense: Accelerated Averbakh Variation starts 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Bg5. Its ECO code is E70.

Is the King's Indian Defense: Accelerated Averbakh Variation good for White?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.24 at depth 20, which is level. In 445 lichess games from our sample, White scored 47.6%. A quirky but sound choice for White players who want to avoid main-line theory, while Black does well by staying calm and hitting the center with ...c5.

What is the main idea of the King's Indian Defense: Accelerated Averbakh Variation?

White puts the bishop on g5 early to discourage ...e5 and slow Black's play. Black replies with ...h6, castles and breaks with ...c5, using the time White spent on the bishop.

What should Black play next?

The engine's first choice is h6, with O-O and c5 close behind. ...h6 questions the g5 bishop straight away and lets Black castle and play ...c5 without worrying about the pin.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.