The ultimate fighting defense. Give White the center, then storm the kingside.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6
The King's Indian Defense (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7) is Black's most aggressive answer to 1.d4. The strategy is provocative: let White build a huge center (c4, d4, e4), then undermine it with ...e5 or ...c5 while launching a kingside attack with ...f5-f4...g5-g4 and a piece sacrifice on h3. A lifelong favorite of Fischer, Kasparov's main defense against 1.d4 during his World Championship years, and still used by Nakamura. The King's Indian produces some of the most spectacular attacking games in chess history. But it's the sharpest mainstream opening — one wrong move leads to a crushed position, and modern engines give White meaningful theoretical pressure in critical lines.
Each variation below comes with a diagram and the main plan. Click "Train this opening" to drill every line with spaced repetition.
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 9.b4 Nh5
The main line. Black plays ...f5 next, then ...f4 and a kingside storm. White races on the queenside with c5, b5, a4. Opposite wings attack, whoever gets there first wins.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3
White prepares Be3, Qd2, and a queenside pawn storm with c5 or an early a3+b4. Slow positional chess with long-term pressure.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 O-O 5.Bg2 d6 6.O-O
White fianchettoes the bishop. The positions become more positional, less attacking play, more structure and long-term pressure.
The King's Indian is hard. Consider the Slav or QGD first. If you must play the KID, stick to the Mar del Plata main line and study attacking patterns.
Learn the ...f5 kingside attack deeply. Study Kasparov's Mar del Plata games for move-order understanding.
Add the Sämisch defense and Fianchetto responses. The KID requires precise preparation at every level, commit to studying it thoroughly.
Not recommended. The KID requires precise calculation, understanding of opposite-wing attacks, and deep theoretical preparation. Beginners should play the Slav Defense (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6) or QGD instead.
Black lets White build a huge center, then undermines it with ...e5 or ...c5 and launches a kingside pawn storm with ...f5-f4...g5-g4, and knight sacrifices on h3/g3. The asymmetry between Black's kingside attack and White's queenside play creates sharp races.
The main line of the King's Indian: 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4 Nh5. Black locks the center with ...e5 and prepares ...f5 and a kingside attack, while White prepares a queenside storm with b4, c5, and bxc6.
Fischer (lifelong main defense), Kasparov (during his World Championship years), Nakamura, Radjabov, and Azmaiparashvili. Today less common at elite classical but still a major fighter's choice.
Modern engines give White a small edge against best play, but the defensive practical problems for White are significant, especially at club level. Many grandmasters have made it their lifelong main defense.
The bulletproof answer to 1.d4. Rock-solid structure and World Championship pedigree.
Aron Nimzowitsch's hypermodern masterpiece. Control the center with pieces, not pawns.
The ultimate low-maintenance opening. One setup against everything.
Every variation above is a drill on ChessAtlas. Spaced repetition schedules each move so you never forget a line again. Free to start — no credit card.