Main 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 a1-h8 diagonal where it'll become 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. f3
The Sämisch Variation supports White's e4 pawn but creates dark-square weaknesses near the king's position.
5... O-O
We castle before White can organize the kingside assault.
6. Be3
White wants to castle long and storm our king, but we can create counterplay in several different ways.
6... c5
The Benoni approach, we open lines for the g7 bishop and get active play for the pawn.
7. Nge2!?
White avoids taking the pawn and keeps the center flexible for now.
7... Nc6
More pressure on the center.
8. Qd2 Qa5
This timing is much better, White can no longer play the Nc1-b3 trick since his queen would hang after our captures on c3 or e3.
9. O-O-O
White wants to launch a mating attack against our king, but with the center open this is extremely dangerous for him.
9... a6
Time to crack open White's kingside.
10. Kb1
White covers a2 so he can move the knight from c3.
10... Rd8
We defend c5 indirectly and renew the threat of ...b5.
11. Nd5
White plans to swap queens and simplify, but if they try h4 instead, we can create counterplay by advancing our b-pawn to b5 on the queenside.
11... Qxd2
Pieces start coming off the board.
12. Rxd2 Nxd5 13. cxd5 Nxd4
We grab the knight and equalize completely.
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. f3 O-O 6. Be3 c5 7. Nge2 Nc6 8. Qd2 Qa5 9. O-O-O a6 10. Kb1 Rd8 11. Nd5 Qxd2 12. Rxd2 Nxd5 13. cxd5 Nxd4
- 3. f3
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nb6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. Be3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6
- 6. Bg5
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Bg5 c5 7. d5 e6 8. Qd2 h6 9. Be3 exd5 10. cxd5 a6
- 6. Nge2
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Nge2 c5 7. d5 e6 8. Ng3 exd5 9. cxd5 h5 10. Be2 a6
- 7. d5
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 c5 7. d5 e6 8. Qd2 exd5 9. cxd5 a6 10. a4 Re8 11. Bd3 Nbd7
- 7. dxc5
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 c5 7. dxc5 dxc5 8. Qxd8 Rxd8 9. Bxc5 Nc6 10. Nge2 b6 11. Ba3 Ba6
Other chapters
All chapters of the King's Indian DefenseLearn Sämisch Variation on the board
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