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Learn the King's Indian Defense with our free interactive trainer. Master the Classical, Petrosian, Four Pawns Attack, and Sämisch variations for Black against 1.d4. 18 chapters.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6
The King's Indian Defense is a hypermodern answer to 1.d4. Black lets White build a broad pawn centre with c4, d4 and e4, develops quickly with Nf6, g6, Bg7 and d6, and only then strikes back. This chapter covers the first four moves that lead to every other line in the trainer.
5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. Ne1 Nd7 10. Be3 f5 ...
The Classical Variation runs 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7. White appears to hold the centre firmly, but once Black has castled it can be attacked with e5 or c5. After 9.Ne1 Black regroups the knight and launches the standard kingside pawn storm with f5, f4 and g5.
9. b4 a5 10. Ba3 axb4 11. Bxb4 b6 12. a4 Ne8 13. a5 c5 14. dxc6 Nxc6
The Bayonet Attack, 9.b4, is White's fastest way to open the queenside in the Classical Variation. Black answers 9...a5 at once. This chapter covers 10.Ba3, where Black trades on b4 and frees the position with b6, Ne8 and c5.
10. bxa5 Rxa5 11. a4 Ne8 12. Ba3 b6 13. Bb4 Ra8 14. a5 c5 15. dxc6 Nxc6
The other main reply to 9...a5 in the Bayonet Attack is 10.bxa5. Black recaptures with the rook and follows the same plan as before: Ne8, b6 and c5. The chapter also shows which rook retreats are safe when the bishop attacks it from b4.
7. d5 a5 8. O-O Na6 9. a3 Nc5 10. Qc2 a4 11. Be3 Nb3
In the Petrosian Variation White closes the centre early with 7.d5. Black plays on the queenside with a5 and Na6, heading for c5. After 9.a3 the knight jumps to c5 and then to b3, where it cramps White's pieces.
9. Be3 Ng4 10. Bg5 f6 11. Bh4 g5 12. Bg3 f5 13. exf5 Bxf5
The second Petrosian line is 9.Be3. Black immediately harasses the bishop with Ng4 and follows it across the board with f6 and g5, gaining time for a kingside pawn storm with f5.
7. dxe5 dxe5 8. Qxd8 Rxd8 9. Bg5 Re8 10. Nd5 Nxd5 11. cxd5 c6 12. Bc4 b5 ...
In the Exchange Variation White plays 7.dxe5 and trades queens. Black has no problems: the rook takes over the d-file, and after 9.Bg5 Re8 10.Nd5 Black trades knights and expands on the queenside with c6, b5 and a5.
10. O-O-O h6 11. Bh4 g5 12. Bg3 Nc6 13. Nb5 Re7
The alternative in the Exchange Variation is 10.O-O-O. Black chases the pinning bishop with h6 and g5, develops with Nc6, and meets the Nb5 fork attempt with Re7. The position is equal.
8. Nxe5 Qxd1+ 9. Bxd1 Nxe4 10. Nxe4 Bxe5
White can also grab a pawn in the Exchange Variation with 8.Nxe5. Black trades queens and wins the pawn back with a small combination, Nxe4 followed by Bxe5, ending up with the easier development.
5. f4 O-O 6. Nf3 c5 7. d5 e6 8. Be2 exd5 9. cxd5 Re8 10. e5 dxe5 ...
The Four Pawns Attack, 5.f4, is White's most aggressive system: a massive pawn centre that can sweep Black off the board if mishandled. If Black survives the first wave, the weak squares left behind the pawns give Black the better game. This chapter follows 8.Be2 and the central push 10.e5.
10. Qc2 Nxe4 11. Nxe4 Bf5 12. Nfd2 Na6
In the Four Pawns Attack with 8.Be2, the natural-looking 10.Qc2 is a mistake. Black sacrifices a knight on e4 and pins the recapturing knight with Bf5. After 12.Nfd2 the quiet Na6, heading for b4, wins the piece back.
12. Bd3 Na6 13. a3 c4 14. Qxc4 Rc8 15. Qa4 Nc5 16. Qd1 Nxd3+ 17. Qxd3 Bxe4
The other defence after 10.Qc2 Nxe4 11.Nxe4 Bf5 is 12.Bd3, and it is worse. Black again plays Na6, and when White stops Nb4 with a3, the pawn sacrifice c4 and the rook move to c8 tear the position open.
8. Bd3 exd5 9. cxd5 b5 10. Bxb5 Nxe4 11. Nxe4 Qa5+ 12. Nc3 Bxc3+ 13. bxc3 Qxb5 ...
Against 8.Bd3 in the Four Pawns Attack, Black trades on d5 and sacrifices a pawn with 9...b5. If the bishop takes, the knight sacrifice on e4 and the queen check on a5 win the piece back and leave the white king stuck in the centre.
10. O-O c4 11. Bc2 b4 12. Ne2 Re8 13. Ng3 Qb6+ 14. Kh1 Ng4 15. Qe2 c3
After 8.Bd3 exd5 9.cxd5 b5, castling with 10.O-O looks natural but lets Black roll forward on the queenside with c4 and b4. The open diagonal to the white king then gives Black a check on b6 and a strong knight on g4.
10. Nxb5 c4 11. Bc2 Re8 12. Nc3 Qb6 13. Qe2 Na6
White's third option after 9...b5 is to take the pawn with the knight, 10.Nxb5. Black offers a second pawn with c4, puts the rook on e8 and the queen on b6, and keeps the white king from castling.
5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 c5 7. Nge2 Nc6 8. d5 Ne5 9. Ng3 h5 10. Be2 h4 ...
The Sämisch Variation, 5.f3, gives White a rock-solid centre. Black castles, hits back with c5 and brings the knight to e5 when White closes the centre. The h-pawn advance then drives White's knight back to f1.
5. Be2 O-O 6. Bg5 c5 7. d5 e6 8. Qd2 exd5 9. exd5 Qb6 10. Nf3 Bf5
In the Averbakh Variation White plays 5.Be2 and 6.Bg5. Black answers with c5 and e6, trades on d5, and develops smoothly with Qb6 and Bf5 to reach an equal position.
5. h3 O-O 6. Nf3 e5 7. d5 Nh5 8. g3 f5 9. exf5 gxf5 10. Nh4 Nf4 ...
The Makogonov Variation, 5.h3, is a subtle system. After 6.Nf3 e5 7.d5 Black plays Nh5, aiming for f4, and breaks with f5. When White attacks the f5 pawn with Nh4, the knight sacrifice on f4 is the key idea.