Chess Openings Lab
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King's Indian Defense: Exchange Variation

The Exchange Variation is 7.dxe5 after the Classical setup with Nf3, Be2 and ...e5. White trades in the center to reach a simple, symmetrical position with a possible queen trade, while Black must recapture correctly and then use the d4 square.

Moves
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.dxe5
ECO
E92
Engine
+0.02 · level (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
150 games in our lichess sample
White scores
56.0%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • After ...dxe5, Be3 and h3 stop ...Ng4 and keep the bishop on the c5 and a7 squares.
  • Push c5 later, as the engine line shows, to gain queenside space and fix Black's pawns.
  • A queen trade with Qxd8 Rxd8 is possible, aiming for Bg5 and Nd5 pressure on f6.
  • Punish mistakes: after ...Ne8 or ...Nh5, exd6 wins a pawn at once.

Black

  • Recapture with ...dxe5. It is the only good move and keeps the pawn structure even.
  • Put a knight on c6 and aim it at d4, the hole White left by taking on e5.
  • ...b6 holds c5, and ...Qe7 connects the rooks while keeping an eye on the d-file.
  • Do not try ...Ne8 or ...Nh5: exd6 opens the long diagonal and Black loses material.

Plans and pawn structure

After ...dxe5, both sides have one central pawn on e4 or e5, and the d-file is open. White looks at d5 for a knight and c5 to cramp the queenside. Black wants ...Nc6-d4 and a knight landing there, backed by ...c6 or ...Be6. The g7 bishop is blunted by e5, so Black often plays ...h6 and reroutes it later. With queens off, the game is about the d-file and those outposts; with queens on, it is about who uses d4 or d5 first.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.02: level. Its three top choices for Black:

  1. +0.02 7...dxe5 8.Be3 Nc6 9.h3 b6 10.c5
  2. +1.61 7...Ne8 8.exd6 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Nxd6 10.e5
  3. +1.90 7...Nh5 8.exd6 Qxd6 9.Qxd6 cxd6 10.Nb5

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

150 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 56.0%.

1600–199961.5%
2000 and up55.0%

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

How to play against it

As Black, answer 7.dxe5 with ...dxe5 and keep calm. If queens come off, play ...Rxd8 and meet Bg5 with ...Re8 or ...c6. Fight for d4 with ...Nc6 rather than drifting. The knight moves to e8 or h5 lose a pawn after exd6.

Questions

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

The King's Indian Defense: Exchange Variation starts 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.dxe5. Its ECO code is E92.

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

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.02 at depth 20, which is level. A good choice for White players who want a quiet endgame-style game, but Black reaches equality if the recapture and the ...Nc6-d4 plan are known.

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

White trades the d-pawn for the e-pawn to open the d-file and steer toward a calm, symmetrical position. Black must recapture with ...dxe5, then aim pieces at the d4 hole while White uses d5 and c5.

What should Black play next?

The engine's first choice is dxe5, with Ne8 and Nh5 close behind. ...dxe5 is the natural recapture: it keeps material level, holds the center and opens d4 for a black knight later.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.