King's Indian Defence

King's Indian Defence

Definition

The King's Indian Defence (often abbreviated “KID”) is a hyper-modern chess opening for Black that arises after the moves 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7. In its most common form Black soon plays ...d6 and castles kingside, deliberately allowing White to build a broad pawn center with the intention of undermining and attacking it later. The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings classifies the KID under codes E60–E99.

Typical Move Order

The “classical” sequence usually continues:

1. 1. d4 Nf6
2. 2. c4 g6
3. 3. Nc3 Bg7
4. 4. e4 d6
5. 5. Nf3 O-O

From here Black chooses between the main pawn break ...e5 (Classical & Mar del Plata systems) or ...c5 (Fianchetto & Benoni-type structures). White in turn decides whether to maintain the center with moves like Be2, Be3, f3, or to fianchetto the queen’s bishop with g3.

Strategic Themes

• Central Tension: Black allows the pawns on d4 and e4 but prepares the pawn breaks ...e5 or ...c5, sometimes ...f5, to challenge the center at the right moment.
• Kingside Attack: In many main lines Black directs the pieces toward White’s king with maneuvers such as ...Nh5–f4 and pawn storms with ...f5–f4 or ...g5–g4.
• Space vs. Dynamism: White enjoys more space and often plays on the queenside (expanding with b4, c5, or a4), while Black relies on piece activity and attacking chances to compensate for the cramped position.
• Minor-Piece Battles: The “good” and “bad” bishops, the classic knight voyage ...Nf6–e8–c7–e6–d4 (or ...Nd7-f6-g4-e5) and the struggle for the e4 and d4 squares are all recurring motifs.

Most Popular Variations

• Classical System: 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6.
• Mar del Plata: 7. d5 Ne7 8. Ne1 Nd7 9. Nd3 f5 – perhaps the sharpest line.
• Sämisch: 5. f3 – White fortifies e4; Black counters with ...c5 or ...e5.
• Fianchetto: 3. g3 – positional approach; Black often chooses ...c5 breaks.
• Averbakh / Petrosian: 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Bg5 or 6. h3 – aimed at limiting Black’s kingside counterplay.

Historical Significance

Although the opening’s roots go back to the 1880s, it blossomed in the 20th century when hyper-modern ideas gained traction. Aron Nimzowitsch and Efim Bogoljubov toyed with it, but David Bronstein, Bobby Fischer, and later Garry Kasparov made it a feared weapon at the world-class level. Kasparov’s aggressive handling in the 1980s–1990s (e.g., his matches against Karpov and various Olympiad games) elevated the KID’s reputation as a fighting defense.

Illustrative Games

• Fischer – Gligorić, Bled 1961. Fischer’s 7. d5 Mar del Plata struggle ended with a brilliant kingside attack culminating in a thematic sacrifice on h5.
  
  
• Kasparov – Karpov, World Championship (Game 16), Moscow 1985. Kasparov, as Black, uncorked a dynamic exchange sacrifice on c3, showcasing the power of the ...d5 break in the Sämisch.
• Radjabov – Kramnik, Wijk aan Zee 2003. A modern heavyweight duel where the Azerbaijani grandmaster used the Classical system to topple the former world champion.

Sample Position to Visualize

After 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. Ne1, the board shows:

• Pawns: White d5/e4/c4; Black d6/e5/g6.
• White pieces: Knight e1, bishop e2, queen d1, rooks a1/f1.
• Black pieces: Knight e7, bishop g7, queen d8, rooks a8/f8.
• Plans: White expands with b4/c5; Black prepares ...f5 followed by a kingside onslaught.

Practical Usage Tips

1. Know your pawn breaks: time ...e5 or ...c5 only when your pieces are ready.
2. Coordinate the knight tour ...Nf6–e8–c7–e6 when White has pushed d5.
3. If White plays the Fianchetto Variation, consider early ...c5 and queenside play.
4. Avoid routine moves; the value of tempi is high because positions can erupt very quickly.
5. Don’t fear cramped space—piece activity and dynamic imbalance are your compensation.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• Bobby Fischer famously declared, “The King’s Indian is a very dangerous opening—but good for both sides!” and used it to beat top Soviet grandmasters even when they were specifically prepared for it.
• When Garry Kasparov played the KID against IBM’s Deep Blue in 1997, spectators were surprised by his willingness to enter double-edged complications versus a computer—Kasparov drew that game.
• Grandmaster Teimour Radjabov employed the KID almost exclusively against 1.d4 in top events during his teenage years, earning him the nickname “King’s Indian Kid.”
• The defense’s name honors the Indian defensive setup (king’s-side fianchetto) first analyzed in the 19th century and popular in colonial clubs of British India.