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Kings Indian Defence

The Kings Indian Defence is often played in chess tournaments worldwide and quite popular. Bobby Fisher and Garry Kasparov played it as well. White controls the centre with his pawns but Black will start undermining them later playing e5 or c5.

Black usually attacks at the kingside and White at the queenside.

Black should be aware that the bishop at g7 needs active play and might have to be traded off or this bishop might become a liability, as it easily can become a dead bishop locked in by its own pawns sitting on black squares.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7

kings indian defence
White moves

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5
Classical Variation
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3
Saemisch Variation
kings indian classical variation
Replay Games
kings indian saemisch variation
Replay Games
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Bg5
Averbakh Variation
stops 6…e5. (If 6…e5?
then 7.dxe dxe 8.QxQ RxQ 9.Nd5!)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4
Four Pawns Attack

leads to a sharp attack in the centre. Black should castle and play c5 to attack the center pawns. After d5 he should play e6 and exd to trade pawns in the center.
kings indian averbakh variation
Replay Games
kings indian four pawns attack
Replay Games
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4 0-0 6.Be2
Be2 Variation

White prevents Bg4 and plans to attack with his kingside pawns.(g4,h4)
The king might castle long. This all depends on Black’s move order and if a Six-Pawns-Attack is possible or not.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 d6 6.0-0
Fianchetto Variation
This white setup is a favorite of many grandmasters. The king is more protected here as the white bishop is developed to g2.
kings indian be2
Replay Chess Games
kings indian fianchetto variation
Replay Chess Games


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