King's Indian Defense
ECO: E60–E99For blackhypermodernd4fianchettosharp
Overview
A hypermodern defense where Black lets White occupy the center, then strikes back with ...e5 or ...c5. Leads to sharp, unbalanced positions.
Key Ideas
- Let White occupy the center, then strike with ...e5 or ...c5.
- Fianchetto the dark-squared bishop on g7 — your most important piece.
- In the Mar del Plata structure, race for ...f5 and a kingside attack.
- Be willing to sacrifice material for initiative.
Main Lines
Line 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
h8
g
f
e
d
c
b
a
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O
Line 2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
h8
g
f
e
d
c
b
a
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O
Line 3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
h8
g
f
e
d
c
b
a
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 O-O 5. g3 d6
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Sharpest defense to 1.d4
- Plays for a win as Black
- Strong attacking potential
Cons
- White has the better structure
- Demands aggressive, accurate play
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Related Openings
- Sicilian Defense(B20)
- French Defense(C00)
- Caro-Kann(B10)
- Scandinavian Defense(B01)