King's Indian: 6.Be2 Bg4 7.Be3
King's Indian: 6.Be2 Bg4 7.Be3
Definition
The sequence 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 Bg4 7.Be3 is a branch of the Classical System of the King’s Indian Defence. After developing the king’s bishop to e2, White meets Black’s pin 6…Bg4 with the counter-pinning move 7.Be3. It is catalogued under ECO codes E90–E91 and is sometimes called the Eliskases Variation or the Sergeev Line.
Typical Move Order & Piece Placement
The critical initial position arises after:
- 1.d4 Nf6
- 2.c4 g6
- 3.Nc3 Bg7
- 4.e4 d6
- 5.Nf3 0-0
- 6.Be2 Bg4 (diagram below)
- 7.Be3
• White’s bishop on e3 challenges the g7-bishop’s diagonal and
removes the pin on the f3-knight.
• Black’s bishop on g4 has committed early, informing both sides’ plans.
Strategic Ideas
- White
- Break the pin promptly, preserving flexibility for a future h2-h3 if necessary.
- Choose between a central expansion with d4-d5 or a thematic Yugoslav-style pawn storm on the kingside once a queenside castle is possible.
- Maintain the option of Qd2 and long castling, echoing motifs from the Sicilian Dragon.
- Black
- Maintain central tension with …e5 and potentially …exd4 to open the g7-bishop.
- Utilise the pin to provoke weaknesses: after h3 or f3, squares like f4 and g3 can become targets.
- Deploy the thematic …c5 break if White castles long, creating classic opposite-side attacking races.
Historical Significance
While the immediate pin 6…Bg4 was tested in the 1950s, it never displaced the more common 6…e5 lines. Austrian-Argentine GM Erich Eliskases analysed it deeply, giving the variation its most recognised name. In the modern computer era the line has enjoyed a small renaissance—engines approve of Black’s early bishop activity and flexible pawn structure.
Illustrative Games
-
Gligorić – Eliskases, Stockholm Interzonal 1952
[[Pgn|
d4|Nf6|c4|g6|Nc3|Bg7|e4|d6|Nf3|O-O|Be2|Bg4|Be3|Nfd7|O-O|c5|d5|Bxf3|Bxf3|Na6|Be2|Nc7|Qd2|
]]
The pioneer struggle: Eliskases steered play into queenside-castling by White and countered in the centre.
-
Radjabov – Giri, Wijk aan Zee 2014
Demonstrates modern handling: Black keeps the bishop pair, plays …e5 and …Nc6, equalising comfortably.
Typical Plans & Motifs
- White Plans
- Central Crush: 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Nfd7 10.0-0 Nc6 11.Be3 e5 12.d5, obtaining Raumvorteil.
- Opposite-Side Castling: 8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.0-0-0 with a later h-pawn storm.
- Black Plans
- Queenside Counterplay with …a6, …b5, mirroring the Sicilian Dragon.
- Timely Exchange: voluntarily trade the g4-bishop for the f3-knight to secure e5.
Tricks, Traps & Tactical Themes
- If White plays 8.h3? too casually, Black can consider the intermezzo …Bxf3 followed by …Nxe4 exploiting the pinned f3-knight.
- In opposite-side castling races the queen often swings to h4 or h3. An early …Qh4+ can be annoying if White’s pawn is still on h2.
- The thematic piece sacrifice …Nxe4! may appear in positions where capturing on e4 opens the g7-bishop and targets f2.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Because the structure resembles the Sicilian Dragon with colours reversed, some commentators jokingly dub it the “Dragon with an extra tempo.”
- GM Hikaru Nakamura once referred to the line as “annoying but perfectly playable” in a titled-Tuesday stream, after he failed to win against a lower-rated opponent who used it to force an early queen exchange.
- The variation appeals to players who enjoy double-edged imbalances without having to memorise the vast theory of the Mar del Plata main line (6…e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7).
Summary
The line 6.Be2 Bg4 7.Be3 offers both sides a strategically rich battlefield that is slightly less explored than the mainline 6…e5 systems. White aims to blunt Black’s kingside fianchetto, while Black leverages the pin to generate central and queenside counterplay. Its pedigree includes appearances in classical tournaments and modern super-GM play, making it a worthwhile weapon for King’s Indian aficionados seeking fresh territory.