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King'sIndianDefenceWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

King'sIndianDefence
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

TheKing'sIndianDefenceisacommonchessopening.
Itarisesafterthemoves:
1.d4Nf6
2.c4g6
Blackintendstofollowupwith3...Bg7and4...d6.The
GrnfeldDefenceariseswhenBlackplays3...d5instead,
andisconsideredaseparateopening.White'smajorthird
moveoptionsare3.Nc3,3.Nf3or3.g3,withboththe
King'sIndianandGrnfeldplayableagainstthesemoves.
TheEncyclopaediaofChessOpenings(ECO)classifies
theKing'sIndianDefenceunderthecodesE60through
E99.

King'sIndianDefence
a

1
a

Moves

1.d4Nf62.c4g6

ECO

E60E99

Parent

IndianDefence

Synonym(s)

King'sIndian
KID

Contents
1Overview
2Variations
2.1ClassicalVariation:5.Nf3006.Be2e5
2.2SmischVariation:5.f3
2.3AverbakhVariation:5.Be2006.Bg5
2.4FourPawnsAttack:5.f4
2.5FianchettoVariation:3.Nf3Bg74.g3
3Sidelines
4Famousgames
5ECOcodes
6References
7Furtherreading
8Externallinks

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Overview
TheKing'sIndianisahypermodernopening,whereBlackdeliberatelyallowsWhitecontrolofthecentre
withhispawns,withtheviewtosubsequentlychallengeitwiththemoves...e5or...c5.Untilthemid
1930s,itwasgenerallyregardedashighlysuspect,buttheanalysisandplayofthreestrongUkrainian
playersinparticularAlexanderKonstantinopolsky,IsaacBoleslavsky,andDavidBronsteinhelpedto
makethedefencemuchmorerespectedandpopular.Itisadynamicopening,exceptionallycomplex,anda
favouriteofformerworldchampionsGarryKasparov,BobbyFischer,andMikhailTal,withprominent
grandmastersViktorKorchnoi,MiguelNajdorf,EfimGeller,JohnNunn,SvetozarGligori,Wolfgang
Uhlmann,IlyaSmirin,andTeimourRadjabovhavingalsocontributedmuchtothetheoryandpracticeof
thisopening.

Variations
ThemainvariationsoftheKing'sIndianare:

ClassicalVariation:5.Nf3006.Be2e5
TheClassicalVariationis3.Nc3Bg74.e4d65.Nf3006.Be2
e5.

a
8

h
8

TheMainLineorMardelPlataVariationcontinues7.0
7
7
0Nc68.d5Ne7.NowWhitehasawidevarietyofmoves,
6
6
including9.b4,9.Ne1,and9.Nd2,amongothers.
Typically,Whitewilltrytoattackonthequeensideby
5
5
preparingthepawnbreakc4c5,whileBlackwillattack
4
4
onthekingsidebytransferringhisknightfromf6tod7
(usuallybetterplacedthanate8,asithelpsslowWhite's
3
3
queensideplaywithc4c5),andstartingakingsidepawn
2
2
stormwithf7f5f4andg6g5.9.b4,introducedby
Korchnoiinthe1970s,usedtoputtopplayersoffplaying
1
1
thisline,butithasrecentlybeenrevivedbyRadjabov.
a b
c d
e
f
g h
7.00Nbd7istheOldMainLine,andisplayable,though
ClassicalVariation
lesscommonnowadaysthan7...Nc6.
7.00exd48.Nxd4isalsopossible,althoughWhite'sextra
spaceusuallyisofgreatervaluethanBlack'scounterplayagainstWhite'scentre.Madepopularinthe
mid1990sbytheRussianGrandmasterIgorGlek,newideaswerefoundforWhiteyetsomeofthe
bestlinesforWhitewerelaterrefuted.Whitestillhasanadvantageinmostlines.
7.00Na6hasseensomepopularityrecently.Thepurposeofthisawkwardlookingmoveistomove
theknighttoc5afteraneventuald5,whileguardingc7ifBlackshouldplay...Qe8.Playcommonly
continues8.Be3Ng49.Bg5Qe8!butWhitehasalsotried:
8.dxe5dxe59.Qxd8Rxd8withevenchances
8.d5Nc59.Qc2a5maytransposeintothePetrosianSystem(seebelow)
8.Bg5h69.Bh4Qe810.Bxf6Bxf611.c5!,whichisnottotallyreliableforBlack.
7.d5isthePetrosianSystem,sonamedforthe196369worldchampion,whooftenessayedtheline
inthe1960s,withVladimirKramnikplayingthisvariationextensivelyinthe1990s.Theplansfor
bothsidesareroughlythesameasinthemainvariation.After7...a5Whiteplays8.Bg5topinthe
knight,makingitharderforBlacktoachievethef7f5break.Intheearlydaysofthesystem,Black
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woulddrivethebishopbackwith...h6and...g5,thoughplayerssubsequentlyswitchedtoideas
involving...Na6,...Qe8and...Bd7,makingWhite'sc4c5breakmoredifficult,onlythenplayingfor
kingsideactivity.JoeGallagher[1]hasrecommendedtheflexible7...Na6whichhassimilarideasto
7...a5.
7.Be3isoftenknownastheGligoricSystem,aftertheWorldChampionshipCandidate,whohas
contributedmuchtoKing'sIndiantheoryandpracticewithbothcolours.Recently,otherstrong
playerssuchasKorchnoi,AnatolyKarpov,andKasparovhaveplayedthisline.Themainideabehind
thismoveistoavoidthetheoreticallinesthatariseafter7.00Nc6.ThismoveallowsWhiteto
maintain,forthemoment,thetensioninthecentre.IfBlackplaysmechanicallywith7...Nc6,8.d5
Ne79.Nd2!isafavourablesetup,soBlackmostoftenrespondsbycrossinghisopponent'splanswith
7...Ng48.Bg5f69.Bh4Nc6,butothermovesarealsoseen,suchas:
7...Na68.00transposingintothemodern.
7...h6!?isafavouriteofJohnNunn.Themainlineruns8.00Ng49.Bc1Nc610.d5Ne7
11.Ne1f512.Bxg4fxg4.Inthissubvariation,Black'skingsideplayisofadifferenttypethan
normalKIDlines,asitlacksthestandardpawnbreaks,sohewillnowplayg6g5andNg6f4,
ofteninvestingmaterialinapieceattackintheffileagainstthewhiteking,whileWhiteplays
fortheusualqueensidebreakthroughwithc4c5.
7...exd4immediatelysurrendersthecentre,withaviewtoplayingaquickc7c6andd6d5.
Forexample,8.Nxd4Re89.f3c610.Qd2(10.Bf2!?)10...d511.exd5cxd512.00Nc613.c5
and13...Rxe3!?(whichwasfirstseeningame11ofthe1990WorldChessChampionship
betweenKasparovandKarpov).
IntheExchangeVariation(7.dxe5dxe58.Qxd8Rxd8),Whiteexchangesqueensandiscontentto
playforasmall,safeadvantageintherelativelyquietpositionswhichwillensueinthisqueenless
middlegame.ThelineisoftenplayedbyWhiteplayershopingforanearlydraw,butthereisstillalot
ofplayleftintheposition.Whitetriestoexploitd6withmovessuchasb4,c5,Nf3d2c4d6,etc.,
whileBlackwillplaytocontroltheholeond4.Inpractice,itiseasiertoexploitd4,andchancesare
balanced.IfBlackisabletoplay...Nd4,hewilloftenhaveatleastanequalposition,evenwhenthis
involvesthesacrificeofapawntoeliminateWhite'sdarksquaredbishop.

SmischVariation:5.f3
TheSmischVariationis3.Nc3Bg74.e4d65.f3.ItisnamedafterFriedrichSmisch,whodevelopedthe
systeminthe1920s.Thisoftenleadstoverysharpplaywiththeplayerscastlingonoppositewingsand
attackingeachother'skings,asintheBagirovGufeldgamegivenbelow,thoughitmayalsogiveriseto
heavyweightpositionalstruggles.Blackhasavarietyofpawnbreaks,suchas...e5,...c5and...b5(prepared
by...c6and/or...a6).ThiscantransposetotheModernBenoniafter5...006.Bg5c57.d5e6.World
championsMikhailBotvinnik,MikhailTal,TigranPetrosian,BorisSpassky,AnatolyKarpovandGarry
Kasparovhaveallplayedthisvariation.Thislinedefendsthee4pawntocreateasecurecentreandenables
WhitetobeginanattackkingsidewithBe3,Qd2,Bh6,g2g4andh2h4.Itallowsplacementofabishop
one3withoutallowing...Ng4however,itsdrawbackisthatitdeprivestheknightong1ofitsmostnatural
square,thusimpedingdevelopmentofthekingside.Blackcanstrikeforthecentreaspreviouslymentioned
ordelaywith6...Nc6,7...a6and8...Rb8sothatBlackcanplay...b7b5toopenlinesonthequeenside.
TheClassicalDefencetotheSmischis5...006.Be3e5,whenWhitehasachoicebetweenclosingthe
centrewith7.d5,ormaintainingthetensionwith7.Nge2.Kasparovwasamajorproponentofthis
defence.[2]

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TheSmischGambitarisesafter5...006.Be3c5.Thisisapawn
sacrifice,andwasonceconsidereddubious.AsBlack'splayhasbeen
workedout,thisevaluationhaschanged,andthegambitnowenjoysa
goodreputation.Apracticaldrawback,however,isthatawell
preparedbutunambitiousWhiteplayercanoftenenterlinesleading
toaforceddraw.[2]ThelinewhereWhiteacceptsthegambitruns
5...006.Be3c57.dxc5dxc58.Qxd8(8.e5Nfd79.f4f610.exf6is
alsopossiblehere,thoughlessoftenseen)Rxd89.Bxc5Nc6.Black's
activityisbelievedtogivesufficientcompensation.White'smost
frequentplayistodeclinethegambit,andinsteadplay7.Nge2,and
headforBenonitypepositionsafterad4d5advance.
5...006.Be3Nc67.Nge2a68.Qd2Rb8leadstothePanno
VariationoftheSmisch.Blackpreparestorespondappropriately
dependingonWhite'schoiceofplan.IfWhiteplays000andgoes
forakingsideattack,then7...a6prepares...b7b5witha
counterattackagainstWhite'scastledposition.IfinsteadWhiteplays
morecautiously,thenBlackchallengesWhite'scentrewith...e5.

1
a

TheSmischGambit.Blackhas
sacrificedapawnfortemporary
advantages.

AverbakhVariation:5.Be2006.Bg5
TheAverbakhVariationis3.Nc3Bg74.e4d65.Be2006.Bg5(namedforYuriAverbakh),which
preventstheimmediate6...e5.Blackusuallyrepelsthebishopwith...h6givinghimtheoptionofalaterg5,
thoughinpracticethisisaweakeningmove.Whitehasvariouswaystodevelop,suchasQd2,Nf3,f4or
evenh4.However,Blackobtainsgoodplayagainstallofthesedevelopmentschemes.Theoldmainlinein
thisbeginswith6...c5,though6...Nbd7and6...Na6(JuditPolgr'smove)arealsoseen.

FourPawnsAttack:5.f4
TheFourPawnsAttackcontinueswith3.Nc3Bg74.e4d65.f400
6.Nf3.ThisisthemostaggressivemethodforWhite,andwasoften
seeninthe1920s.Withhisfifthmove,Whiteerectsamassivecentre
atthepriceoffallingbehindindevelopment.IfBlackcanopenthe
position,Whitemaywellfindhimselfoverextended.Fromthis6...c5
isthemainline.

6...c57.d5e68.Be2exd59.cxd5
1
1
9...Bg4hasbeenasolidlineforBlack.
a b c d e f g h
9...Re8canbejustifiedwithsolidplay.
9...b5isknowntoleadtosharp,dangerousplay.
FourPawnsAttack
6...Na6isknownastheModernVariation.Thisisamove
anticipatingplaying...Nc5withcounterplay.Hasworkedwith
successofneutralmovesmadefromWhite,suchas7.Bd3.Ontheotherhand,7.e5isthemost
aggressiveplan.

FianchettoVariation:3.Nf3Bg74.g3

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TheFianchettoVariation1.d4Nf62.c4g63.Nf3Bg74.g300
5.Bg2d66.00,isnamedforWhite'sdevelopmentofhislight
squaredbishoptog2,andisoneofthemostpopularlinesatthe
grandmasterlevel,withKorchnoionceitsmostnotablepractitioner.
Thismethodofdevelopmentisoncompletelydifferentlinesthan
otherKing'sIndianvariations.Here,Black'snormalplanofattack
canhardlysucceed,asWhite'skingsideismoresolidlydefendedthan
inmostKIDvariations.Themostcommonresponsesare:

2
2
6...Nbd7with8...exd4.Blackintendstoclaimthecentrewith
...e7e5.7.Nc3e58.e4exd49.Nxd4Re810.h3a6.Preparation
1
1
hasbeenmadefor11...Rb8,with...c7c5and...b7b5,and
a b c d e f g h
sometimeswith...Ne5first.ThisisknownastheGallagher
FianchettoVariation
VariationoftheFianchettoVariation.
8...c6and8...a6arealternatives.
6...Nc67.Nc3a68.d5Na5.Thisvariationgoesagainstancientdogmawhichstatesthatknightsare
notwellplacedontherimhowever,extrapressureisbroughttobearagainsttheAchillesHeelofthe
fianchettolinestheweaknessatc4.Hundredsofmastergameshavecontinuedwith9.Nd2c5
10.Qc2Rb811.b3b512.Bb2bxc413.bxc4Bh614.f4(14.e3Bf5isatrapthatnumbersMark
Taimanovamongitsvictims[3]whitemustnowlosematerial,ashehasnogoodinterposition)e5!

Sidelines
Finally,Whitehasothersetups,suchasNf3andh3andNge2(withorwithoutBd3),butthesearecurrently
notaspopularatthegrandmasterlevel.1.d4Nf62.c4g63.Nc3Bg74.e4d65.Nge2followedby6.Ng3is
calledtheHungarianAttack.

Famousgames
ThemovesareshownforoneofthemostfamousKing'sIndiangames,abrilliancybythelateUkrainian
AmericangrandmasterEduardGufeld,whocalledithis"MonaLisa":
VladimirBagirovEduardGufeld,USSRchampionship1973
1.d4g62.c4Bg73.Nc3d64.e4Nf65.f3006.Be3Nc67.Nge2Rb88.Qd2a69.Bh6b510.h4e5
11.Bxg7Kxg712.h5Kh813.Nd5bxc414.hxg6fxg615.Qh6Nh516.g4Rxb217.gxh5g518.Rg1g4
19.000Rxa220.Nef4exf421.Nxf4Rxf422.Qxf4c323.Bc4Ra324.fxg4Nb425.Kb1Be6
26.Bxe6Nd327.Qf7Qb8+28.Bb3Rxb3+29.Kc2Nb4+30.Kxb3Nd5+31.Kc2Qb2+32.Kd3Qb5+
01

ECOcodes
TheEncyclopaediaofChessOpenings(ECO)classificationofvariationsoftheKing'sIndianare:
E60King'sIndianDefence
E61King'sIndianDefence,3.Nc3
E62King'sIndian,FianchettoVariation
E63King'sIndian,Fianchetto,PannoVariation
E64King'sIndian,Fianchetto,Yugoslavsystem
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E65King'sIndian,Yugoslav,7.00
E66King'sIndian,Fianchetto,YugoslavPanno
E67King'sIndian,Fianchettowith...Nbd7
E68King'sIndian,Fianchetto,ClassicalVariation,8.e4
E69King'sIndian,Fianchetto,ClassicalMainline
E70King'sIndian,4.e4
E71King'sIndian,Makogonovsystem(5.h3)
E72King'sIndianwithe4&g3
E73King'sIndian,5.Be2
E74King'sIndian,Averbakh,6...c5
E75King'sIndian,Averbakh,Mainline
E76King'sIndian,FourPawnsAttack
E77King'sIndian,FourPawnsAttack,6.Be2
E78King'sIndian,FourPawnsAttack,withBe2andNf3
E79King'sIndian,FourPawnsAttack,Mainline
E80King'sIndian,SmischVariation
E81King'sIndian,Smisch,5...00
E82King'sIndian,Smisch,6...b6
E83King'sIndian,Smisch,6...Nc6
E84King'sIndian,Smisch,PannoMainline
E85King'sIndian,Smisch,OrthodoxVariation
E86King'sIndian,Smisch,Orthodox,7.Nge2c6
E87King'sIndian,Smisch,Orthodox,7.d5
E88King'sIndian,Smisch,Orthodox,7.d5c6
E89King'sIndian,Smisch,OrthodoxMainline
E90King'sIndian,5.Nf3
E91King'sIndian,6.Be2
E92King'sIndian,ClassicalVariation
E93King'sIndian,Petrosiansystem,Mainline
E94King'sIndian,OrthodoxVariation
E95King'sIndian,Orthodox,7...Nbd7,8.Re1
E96King'sIndian,Orthodox,7...Nbd7,Mainline
E97King'sIndian,Orthodox,AroninTaimanovVariation(YugoslavAttack/MardelPlata
Variation)
E98King'sIndian,Orthodox,AroninTaimanov,9.Ne1
E99King'sIndian,Orthodox,AroninTaimanov,Main

References
1. Gallagher,Joe(2004).PlaytheKing'sIndian.EverymanChess.ISBN9781857443240.
2. Cherniaev,AlexanderProkuronov,Eduard(February12,2008).TheSmischKing'sIndianUncovered.
EverymanChess.
3. http://www.365chess.com/view_game.php?g=2427799

Furtherreading
Burgess,Graham(1993).TheKing'sIndianfortheAttackingPlayer.Batsford.ISBN0805029362.
Nesis,GennadyShulman,LeonidGesthuysen,Malcolm(Translator)(1993).TacticsintheKing's
Indian.HenryHolt&Co.ISBN9780805026399.
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Gallagher,Joe(1995).TheSamischKing'sIndian.HenryHolt.ISBN0805039023.
Petursson,Margeir(1996).King'sIndianDefense:AverbakhVariation.CadoganBooks.
ISBN9781857441185.
Gligori,Svetozar(2003).King'sIndianDefenceMarDelPlataVariation.Batsford.ISBN978
0713487671.
Panczyk,KrzysztofIlczuk,Jacek(2004).OffbeatKing'sIndian.EverymanChess.
ISBN9781857443615.
Ward,Chris(2004).TheControversialSamischKing'sIndian.Batsford.ISBN9780713488722.
Golubev,Mikhail(2006).UnderstandingtheKing'sIndian.GambitPublications.ISBN1904600
31X.
Cherniaev,Alexander(2008).TheSamischKing'sIndianUncovered.EverymanChess.
ISBN1857445406.
Marko,Jn(2008).BeattheKID.QualityChess.ISBN9781906552152.
Komarov,DmitryDjuric,StefanPantaleoni,Claudio(2009).ChessOpeningEssentials,Vol.3:
IndianDefences.NewInChess.ISBN9789056912703.
Panczyk,KrzysztofIlczuk,Jacek(2009).TheClassicalKing'sIndianUncovered.EverymanChess.
ISBN1857445171.

Externallinks
ChessSiberia:King'sIndianDefence.SaemischSystem
(http://www.chessib.com/kingsindsaemisch.html)
VladimirBagirovEduardGufeld,USSRchampionship1973
"TheMonaLisa"atchessgames.com
(http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1023029/)

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IndianDefence

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