French Defense and King's Indian Attack openings
French Defense
Definition
The French Defense is a chess opening for Black that begins with the moves 1. e4 e6. Black immediately stakes a claim in the center and prepares the thrust …d5 on the next move, challenging White’s e-pawn and establishing a characteristic e6–d5 pawn chain.
Typical Move-Order & Main Branches
The opening can arise through several transpositions, but the critical position appears after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5. From here:
- Advance Variation – 3. e5, seizing space and locking the center.
- Tarrasch Variation – 3. Nd2, keeping options open and dodging …Bb4 pins.
- Winawer Variation – 3. Nc3 Bb4, famous for its doubled pawns and opposite-side castling races.
- Classical & MacCutcheon – 3. Nc3 Nf6, with dynamic piece play; if 4. Bg5, 4…Bb4 hits.
- Exchange – 3. exd5 exd5, producing a symmetrical but still rich structure.
Strategic Themes
- Pawn Chains & Breaks – The central structure revolves around the tension between White’s e4–d4 chain and Black’s e6–d5. Key pawn breaks include …c5, …f6 for Black and c4 or f4 for White.
- Good vs. “Bad” Bishop – Black’s light-squared bishop (c8) is often hemmed in by its own pawns. Finding it active play (…b6, …Ba6 or a timely …c5) is an eternal French theme.
- Counter-punching – Rather than equalizing immediately, the French concedes space early to strike later in the center or on the queenside.
Historical Significance
The name dates to the 1834 London–Paris correspondence match, where the Paris team repeatedly answered 1. e4 with …e6. Over two centuries it has been championed by world-class defenders including Aron Nimzowitsch, Mikhail Botvinnik, Viktor Korchnoi, Tigran Petrosian, and in modern times Magnus Carlsen and Ding Liren. Nimzowitsch famously called it “the most logical reply to 1. e4.”
Illustrative Mini-PGN
The following snippet shows the Advance Variation with Black’s thematic
counterplay:
Famous Games
- Spassky – Korchnoi, Candidates 1968 (Winawer) – Korchnoi’s exchange sacrifice on c3 became a classic attacking illustration.
- Carlsen – Anand, World Championship 2014, Game 2 – Carlsen revived the Advance with 4. Nf3 and ground out a technical win.
- Short – Timman, Tilburg 1991 – A spectacular kingside assault beginning with 13. Bxh7+ in the Classical line.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Botvinnik used the French to defeat Capablanca in Rotterdam 1938, one of the Cuban legend’s rare losses with White.
- The Winawer’s poisoned-pawn line (7. Qg4) leads to some of the sharpest theory in all of chess; engines still debate the objective assessment.
- Viktor Korchnoi once joked that he adopted the French because “having a bad bishop makes you work harder.”
King’s Indian Attack (KIA)
Definition
The King’s Indian Attack is a flexible system for White characterized by placing pieces on Nf3, g3, Bg2, d3, O-O, Nbd2, e4, often followed by a kingside pawn storm with f2-f4-f5. It can be reached against a wide array of Black setups, effectively reversing the King’s Indian Defense with an extra tempo.
Typical Move-Order
One of the most popular sequences is:
- 1. Nf3 d5
- 2. g3 Nf6
- 3. Bg2 e6
- 4. O-O Be7
- 5. d3 O-O
- 6. Nbd2 c5
- 7. e4
Black can reach the same position from the Sicilian (1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 d5), the French (1. e4 e6 2. d3), and even the Caro-Kann.
Strategic Themes & Plans
- Kingside Thrust – After Re1, e5, h4, Nf1-h2-g4, White often launches f2-f4-f5 aiming at Black’s king.
- Flexible Center – The delayed e4 allows White to choose the right moment for central tension or keep the structure fluid.
- Color-Complex – The dark-square fianchetto bishop on g2 influences both flanks; meanwhile, White may trade light-squared bishops to weaken Black’s light squares around e5 and h7.
Historical Spotlight
Though earlier masters used similar formations, it was Grandmaster David Bronstein who coined the term “King’s Indian Attack” in the 1950s. Bobby Fischer adopted it enthusiastically, scoring +8 =3 −0 with the line in the 1966–67 period alone. Its universality makes it a popular choice in club, rapid, and correspondence play.
Illustrative Mini-PGN
A textbook Fischer assault:
Famous Games
- Fischer – Myagmarsuren, Sousse Interzonal 1967 – Fischer’s sacrificial attack culminated in 33. Rxh7+!.
- Fischer – Larsen, Monaco 1967 – An elegant bind where Black was starved of counterplay before the final kingside break.
- Anand – Ivanchuk, Linares 1991 – Modern handling featuring a rapid b2-b4 queenside thrust, showing the system’s versatility.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- The KIA is respected even at the highest level; Garry Kasparov used it in speed chess to upset Karpov in 1996.
- Because White follows a nearly identical setup regardless of Black’s reply, some jokingly call it “the lazy man’s opening” – yet mastering its subtleties is anything but lazy!
- Computer engines often fluctuate over its evaluation, but practical results consistently show a healthy score for White, especially in rapid formats.