Playing White in the Indian Defense: Anti-Grünfeld, Advance Variation

This opening is all about the central tension created by 3.d5. You've staked a claim in the centre without allowing ...d5 from Black. Stockfish gives the position +0.02 — dead level. That means you are neither better nor worse; the opening has done its job of creating an unbalanced, playable struggle. From your perspective as White, you get a solid pawn on d5 that cramps Black's queenside and restricts their knight on f6. The downside? You've spent a tempo pushing a pawn, and Black will rapidly develop their kingside with ...Bg7 and ...d6. The engine's best continuation — d6 Nc3 Bg7 e4 — shows that Black typically aims for a Modern Defence or Pirc-like structure, with you enjoying a comfortable space advantage.

Black has several reasonable options, and your response depends on which they choose. The overwhelming favourite is Bg7 (123,757 games), when you can continue with Nc3 and then decide whether to play e4 or keep the tension. After d6 (31,048 games), Black signals a slower setup — follow with Nc3, then e4 to seize a big centre. The replies c6 (10,143 games) and e6 (2,007 games) both challenge your d5 pawn directly; here you should be ready to either push or trade depending on the follow-up. e5 (433 games) is rare but possible, locking the centre in Black's favour — you'll want to consider c5 or f4 breaks later.

The statistics flag one clear blunder to watch for. c5 (1,897 games) is classified as an inaccuracy that loses roughly 0.7 pawns of advantage. After 3.d5 c5, you can simply recapture with your e-pawn or develop with tempo — the key is that Black has weakened their d5-square and blocked their own bishop. The engine suggests that Na6 would have been a better move instead of c5. If Black plays c5 against you, calmly take the space and remember you've already improved your position. It's a small edge, but in a position that starts dead level, any concession from Black matters.

Here's the honest picture from 170,230 games played at this position: White wins only 43.1%, Black wins 53.2%, and draws are rare at 3.7%. That Black scoring rate is uncomfortably high — it tells you this is a challenging opening to play as White at club level. The best White scoring lines come after e6 (46.2%) and c5 (46.1%), though those are far less common. The most popular reply Bg7 yields a 42.8% White score. Don't let these numbers scare you — they mean most players struggle to handle the position correctly. Use the drill below to practice the right plans, and you can beat the average.