ChessLab Academy
King's Indian Defence (E92)
King's Indian Defence is a defence for Black. Level: Advanced. Main line: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7.
Learn it with the spoken coachPractise it from memoryThe main line, move by move
- 1. d4: White takes the centre.
- 1… Nf6: Black develops and stops e4 for now.
- 2. c4: White gains more space.
- 2… g6: Black prepares to put the bishop on the long diagonal.
- 3. Nc3: White develops and supports e4.
- 3… Bg7: The bishop on g7 aims at the centre.
- 4. e4: White builds a big pawn centre.
- 4… d6: Black lets White have the centre, planning to attack it later.
- 5. Nf3: White develops.
- 5… O-O: Black castles.
- 6. Be2: White develops and gets ready to castle.
- 6… e5: Black strikes at the centre. Taking on e5 doesn't win a pawn because of a tactic on e4.
- 7. O-O: White castles.
- 7… Nc6: Black adds pressure on d4.
- 8. d5: White closes the centre and gains space.
- 8… Ne7: The knight heads for the kingside, where Black plans ...f5 and a pawn storm.
Ideas for White
Use the extra space, especially on the queenside, with c5 to open lines against Black.
Ideas for Black
Let White build a centre, then hit it with ...e5 or ...c5. After d5, attack on the kingside with ...f5, ...f4 and ...g5.
Typical plans
- Black: ...Nd7 or ...Ne8, ...f5, ...f4 and ...g5 for a kingside attack.
- White: b4 and c5 for a queenside attack.
Common mistakes
- Thinking 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.Qxd8 Rxd8 9.Nxe5 wins a pawn: Black plays Nxe4 and wins it back.
- Black attacking on the queenside when the play is on the kingside, or the other way round.
Variations
Classical (7.O-O), Sämisch (5.f3), Four Pawns Attack (5.f4), Fianchetto (g3).
Quick check
In the King's Indian, what does Black usually do after White closes the centre with d5?
Answer: Attack on the kingside with ...f5. With the centre closed, Black's pawns point at the kingside, so ...f5 starts the attack there.