KID Panno (Panno Variation) - King's Indian Defense
KID Panno
Definition
The term “KID Panno” refers to the Panno Variation of the King’s Indian Defense (often abbreviated as “KID”). It is a sharp, dynamic system that begins after the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 Nc6. Black’s knight develops to c6 instead of the more traditional …Nbd7, aiming for rapid queenside expansion with …a6 and …Rb8, preparing …b5 to undermine White’s center.
Typical Move Order
The most frequently seen sequence runs:
- 1.d4 Nf6
- 2.c4 g6
- 3.Nc3 Bg7
- 4.e4 d6
- 5.Nf3 O-O
- 6.Be2 Nc6 (defining the Panno)
- 7.O-O a6
- 8.d5 Ne5
- 9.Nxe5 dxe5 (one main branch)
Strategic Ideas
- Queenside Counterplay: …a6, …Rb8, and …b5 hit the c4-pawn and challenge the long diagonal of Black’s bishop on g7.
- Central Tension: Black keeps the e- and d-pawns flexible. If White pushes d4–d5, the center locks and Black gains time for queenside play. If White delays, …e7-e5 or …e7-e6 may strike the center directly.
- Piece Placement: The knight on c6 eyes the d4 and e5 squares, and can later re-route to d4, b4, or even a5 depending on White’s setup.
- Opposite-wing Plans: White often prepares kingside expansion with Be3, Qd2, h3, and sometimes g4. In many lines both sides are racing on opposite wings.
Historical Background
The variation is named after Argentinian Grandmaster Óscar Panno (b. 1935), who employed it regularly in the 1950s and 60s. It was later adopted by elite King’s Indian specialists such as Garry Kasparov, Alexei Shirov, and Teimour Radjabov, ensuring its place in modern opening theory.
Model Games
- Kasparov – van der Wiel, Wijk aan Zee 1987: Kasparov shows a thematic pawn storm on the kingside while Black counters on the queenside.
- Radjabov – Carlsen, Linares 2009: Illustrates Black’s successful queenside breakthrough with …b5 and …c4, leading to a passed c-pawn.
Sample miniature to study the typical structure:
Key Plans for Both Sides
- For White
- Advance the d-pawn to d5 to gain space and restrict Black’s knight.
- Use the c- and d-files for rooks if the position opens with c4-c5.
- Launch a kingside attack with Be3, Qd2, h3, g4, and Bh6.
- For Black
- …a6, …Rb8, …b5–b4 hitting c3 and c4.
- Prepare …e6 or …e5 breaks if White holds the center with pawns on d4 and e4.
- Sacrifice the exchange on c3 in some lines (…Rxb2 or …Rxc3) to shatter White’s pawn shelter and activate the g7-bishop.
Example Tactical Motifs
- Exchange Sacrifice on c3: …Rxb2 or …Rxc3 undermines White’s center and opens lines toward the white king.
- Dark-Square Domination: After …e5 and …Nd7-c5, Black’s pieces swarm over d4, e4, and f4.
- g- and h-file Swings: If White plays h3 g4, Black can counter with …h5 or timely pawn breaks in the center.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Óscar Panno first used the line at the 1955 Göteborg Interzonal, scoring two wins and a draw with it—enough for annotators to label the system “the Panno.”
- Garry Kasparov famously trusted the variation as Black against world-class opposition even while he was World Champion; he beat Kamsky with it in the 1993 Linares super-tournament.
- Modern engines rate the position roughly equal, but the imbalance of pawn storms makes it a favorite among players who thrive in double-edged middlegames.
When to Choose the Panno
Select the KID Panno if you enjoy asymmetrical positions with mutual chances, are comfortable defending slightly cramped positions in exchange for active counterplay, and like the idea of queenside pawn storms against White’s center.