King's Indian Defense
A King's Indian Defense repertoire for Black. Let White build the big center, then storm the kingside and hunt the king.
Train this repertoire freeChapters
Each chapter shows its main line move by move, with the coach's comments.
- 110 lines
Classical Variation
Let's learn the King's Indian Defense! We hand White the whole center, castle behind our fianchetto, then storm the kingside and go hunting for the king. Here's how White can...
Read the chapter - 26 lines
Sämisch Variation
Black's signature move, preparing to fianchetto the bishop along the a1-h8 diagonal where it'll become a monster.
Read the chapter - 34 lines
Four Pawns Attack
Black's signature move, preparing to fianchetto the bishop along the powerful a1-h8 diagonal where it'll become a monster.
Read the chapter - 46 lines
Averbakh & Bg5 Systems
Black's signature move, preparing to fianchetto the bishop along the crucial a1-h8 diagonal where it'll become a monster.
Read the chapter - 56 lines
Fianchetto Variation
Black's signature move, preparing to fianchetto the bishop along the long diagonal where it'll become a monster.
Read the chapter - 69 lines
Anti-King's Indian Sidelines
Black's signature move, preparing to fianchetto the bishop where it'll dominate the long diagonal and become a monster.
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About this repertoire
Black's sharpest answer to 1.d4. Hand White the center, then storm the kingside and hunt the king.
The King's Indian is the fighting player's reply to 1.d4. We let White build a big pawn center and grab space, castle safely behind our fianchettoed bishop, and then throw our kingside pawns forward in a direct race at the enemy king. It is unbalanced, double-edged, and a nightmare for anyone who likes a quiet game.
This repertoire gives you a complete answer to every system White plays, with a clear plan for each.
What you'll learn
The Classical Main Line
5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7
The heart of the King's Indian. White locks the center and grinds on the queenside while we go all-in on the king. We reroute the knight, play f5, and march the f and g pawns up the board. Both sides race, and the King's Indian player usually gets there first.
The Sämisch Variation
5.f3 O-O 6.Be3 c5
White props up the center with f3 and castles long for a pawn race of his own. We do not sit and wait. We hit back with c5, open the long diagonal for our bishop, and get our own attack rolling.
The Four Pawns Attack
5.f4 O-O 6.Nf3 Nc6
White grabs every center pawn in sight. It looks scary, but all those pawns are targets. We castle, hit the center with the right break, and watch the whole thing come crashing down.
The Averbakh and Bg5 Systems
5.Be2 O-O 6.Bg5
White pins the knight and clamps down on our e5 break. We kick the bishop, prepare c5, and break out of the bind with active piece play.
The Fianchetto Variation
3.g3 ... 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Na5
White keeps it solid with Bg2 and avoids the kingside fireworks. We answer in true Panno style with a6, Rb8 and b5, prying open the queenside for our own counterplay.
Sidelines
We cover the quieter tries too: the early 3.Nf3 and 3.e3 move orders, the Bg5 systems, and White's various attempts to dodge the main King's Indian. Each one gets a clear, practical plan.
Why this repertoire?
- One opening, every 1.d4 game. The same fianchetto setup and the same attacking ideas carry across nearly every White system.
- Plans over memorization. The King's Indian rewards understanding the pawn races and piece maneuvers, not memorizing endless lines.
- You are the attacker. Black gets the initiative and the kingside assault while White grinds slowly on the other wing.
- Battle-tested at every level. From club play to the very top, the King's Indian has always been the weapon for players who want to win with Black.
- Every line ends on your move. You always know exactly what to play next.
Train the King's Indian Defense repertoire
Play every line on the board and let spaced repetition bring back the moves you forget. Free to start.
Train this repertoire free