King's Indian Defense - 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 react:
Learn this chapter freeMain line
The chapter's main line, with the comments from the course.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6
Black's signature move, preparing to fianchetto the bishop along the powerful long diagonal, where this piece will transform into a monster.
3. Nc3
White's most common setup, but now we get to choose our path.
3... Bg7
Black commits to the King's Indian setup.
4. e4
The big central push. White grabs the full pawn center and we set up to hit it with d6 and e5.
4... d6
The King's Indian lets us build our fortress on the kingside and then launch a crushing attack while White fumbles around on the queenside.
5. Nf3
The Classical Variation, White develops normally with Nf3, so we get our typical kingside storm.
5... O-O
This is the Classical setup with our c-pawn advanced to c4 rather than remaining on c2.
6. Be2
White's bishop is limited to e2 or d3 now, no Bc4 pin thanks to the c4 pawn structure.
6... e5
We strike back at White's center, giving them three main options to consider.
7. O-O
White castles first and now we can grab that central pawn.
7... Nc6
We develop the knight and challenge the d4 square, which compels White to close the center.
8. d5 Ne7
In the Mar del Plata Variation, we get a fixed center where both players launch wing attacks - we go kingside while White attacks the queenside.
9. Ne1
The main line where White moves the knight to support f3 and prepare Nd3.
9... Nd7
Black repositions the knight to clear the way for f5.
10. Be3
This is the main Classical line where White targets our queenside while we storm the kingside, but most players avoid it these days since our pawn attack hits that bishop directly.
10... f5 11. f3
White prepares Bf2 to get the bishop out of our pawn storm's path.
11... f4
Key lines
The free lines of this chapter, each one trainable move by move.
- 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 9. Ne1 Nd7 10. Be3 f5 11. f3 f4
- 4. Nf3
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 O-O 5. e4 d6 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. Ne1 Nd7 10. Be3 f5 11. f3 f4
- 5. Be2
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Nf3 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. Ne1 Nd7 10. Be3 f5 11. f3 f4
- 5. h3
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. h3 O-O 6. Nf3 e5 7. d5 a5 8. Be3 Na6
- 5. Be3
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be3 Ng4 6. Bf4 e5 7. dxe5 Nxe5 8. Nf3 Nbc6
- 6. Bd3
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Bd3 Bg4
- 6. h3
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. h3 e5 7. d5 a5 8. Be3 Na6
- 7. d5
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. d5 a5 8. O-O Na6
- 7. dxe5
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. dxe5 dxe5 8. Qxd8 Rxd8 9. Bg5 Re8 10. Nd5 Nxd5 11. cxd5 c6 12. Bc4 cxd5
- 9. b4
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 a5 10. Ba3 axb4 11. Bxb4 b6
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