Chess Drills
King's Indian Defense: plans and a trap for Black
In the King's Indian Defense you put your dark-squared bishop on g7 in a fianchetto (bishop on the long diagonal after g6) and castle quickly. You let White build a big pawn centre with pawns on c4, d4 and e4. It looks passive, but once your king is safe you strike back at that centre with the e-pawn or the c-pawn.
When White closes the centre by pushing the pawn to d5, the game often becomes a race: White attacks on the queenside, and you push your f- and g-pawns against White's king. It is a fighting opening with a lot of theory. The Grünfeld starts the same way but attacks the centre at once with 3...d5.
Good fit for: Ambitious players who like sharp games and don't mind giving White space for a while.
Drill these 4 lines with spaced repetition: a few minutes a day, and the moves stick.
Key ideas
- Let White have the centre. Don't fight for e4 straight away. Knight to f6, pawn to g6, bishop to g7, pawn to d6 and castle. Then challenge the centre.
- Choose your pawn break. A pawn break is a pawn push that attacks the opponent's pawns. Pushing the e-pawn to e5 is the classical choice and often leads to a closed centre. Pushing the c-pawn to c5 gives a more open game with play on the queenside.
- Storm the kingside. When White pushes to d5, your knight often goes back to e8 or d7. That frees your f-pawn to go to f5, then f4, followed by the g-pawn to g5.
- The bishop on g7. This is your best piece. Even when your own pawn on e5 seems to block it, it supports your attack, and it becomes very strong once the centre opens.
The main lines
Mar del Plata: both sides attack on opposite wings
This is the main line. You push the e-pawn to e5, White closes the centre with d5, and your knight moves from c6 to e7. Now each side attacks on its own wing.
- Your plan: move the f6-knight back (often to e8 or d7), then push the f-pawn to f5 and f4 and the g-pawn to g5 towards White's king.
- White's plan: push the c-pawn to c5 and break through on the queenside.
- Why Ne7? From e7 the knight can join the kingside attack.
- Good to know: both sides need to know their plans well, because speed counts.
Sämisch: White protects e4 with the f-pawn
White plays f3 to protect the e4-pawn, then usually brings the bishop to e3 and the queen to d2. White sometimes castles on the queenside and pushes pawns against your king.
- Your plan: push the e-pawn to e5, and when White goes d5, attack the d5-pawn with your c-pawn.
- Why ...c6? You want to open the c-file before White's attack gets going.
- Watch out: if White castles queenside, both kings are under fire, so don't be slow.
Four Pawns Attack: White grabs as much space as possible
This is White's most aggressive try, with four pawns side by side on c4, d4, e4 and f4. You hit back with the c-pawn and the e-pawn and swap a pawn on d5.
- Your plan: rook to e8 to press against e4, then the b-pawn push to b5 or the bishop to g4.
- Watch out: White wants to push the e-pawn to e5 and open lines against your king.
- Good to know: this line is sharp, and you have to know it.
Fianchetto: White plays quietly with a bishop on g2
White also puts a bishop on the long diagonal, on g2, and castles. Later you push your e-pawn to e5 and White pushes to e4. The game is more positional than in the other lines.
- Why quieter? The bishop on g2 protects White's king, so your kingside attack is less effective.
- Your plan: pawn to c6, rook to e8, and take on d4 to put pressure on White's e4-pawn.
- Good to know: your knight goes to d7 here, so it supports the e5 push.
Traps and mistakes to avoid
The e5-pawn isn't free
White can swap pawns and queens early. Then your pawn on e5 looks loose. But if White's knight takes it, your knight takes the pawn on e4 and wins it straight back. If White then takes your knight, your bishop takes the knight on e5. Material is level and your bishop is very active. White's usual move is the bishop to g5 instead, which pins your knight (it can't move without exposing something more valuable).
Questions
Is the King's Indian Defense good for club players?
Yes, if you enjoy sharp games. The plan is clear (castle, push the e-pawn, then the f-pawn), but the main lines have a lot of theory, so learn the ideas first and the exact moves later.
King's Indian or Grünfeld?
Both start with 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6. In the King's Indian you let White take the centre and attack it later, often on the kingside. In the Grünfeld you attack the centre at once with the d-pawn and your pieces.
What should I learn first?
Start with the Classical line, where White's bishop goes to e2 and you push to e5. It is the most common setup at club level. Then add the Fianchetto, the Sämisch and the Four Pawns Attack.
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