King's Indian: Fianchetto without Nc3, 6...c6
King's Indian: Fianchetto without Nc3, 6…c6
Definition
A sub-variation of the King’s Indian Defence (KID) that arises after the moves 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 O-O 5. Bg2 d6 6. O-O, when Black replies with 6…c6 instead of the far more common 6…Nc6 or 6…Nbd7. At this moment White has not committed the queen’s knight to c3—hence the name “Fianchetto without Nc3.” The move 6…c6 prepares …d5 in some lines, clamps down on the d5-square, and keeps the queenside flexible for ideas such as …a6, …b5 (the “Panno” style), or …Na6 followed by …c5.
Typical move order
One of the most common pathways is illustrated below:
- 7. Nc3 — transposes to the Panno Variation proper, but White can also stay true to the “without Nc3” ethos:
- 7. b3 Nbd7 8. Bb2 — keeps the knight on b1 for a later Nbd2 or Na3, and maintains maximum flexibility.
Strategic ideas
- For Black
- …c6 solidifies d5 and prepares …d5 either immediately or after …Re8 and …Nbd7.
- Queenside counterplay: …a6, …b5 and sometimes …c5 (often generated by …Qa5 or …Na6-c5) can put pressure on White’s extended pawn chain.
- Central tension: if White plays e4 too early, Black can respond with …e5, aiming for Benoni-type structures where …c6 keeps d5 under control.
- For White
- Flexibility of the b1-knight: Nbd2, Na3, or even Nc3 later, chosen according to Black’s setup.
- Queenside space: c4, b3, and sometimes a4 limit Black’s pawn breaks.
- Probing the centre with e4 or d5: if Black delays …e5, White may occupy the centre with e4 and follow with Re1 & d5.
Historical & theoretical significance
The 6…c6 line gained prominence in the 1970s thanks to Yugoslav grandmasters such as Dragoljub Velimirović and Bruno Parma, and was later refined by specialists like Teimour Radjabov and Peter Svidler. While never as fashionable as 6…Nc6 (the Panno) or 6…Nbd7, it remains a solid, theory-light weapon that sidesteps many heavy-analysed battles of mainline KID.
Illustrative games
- Radjabov vs. Svidler, Linares 2006 – Svidler’s crisp queenside expansion with …b5 and …c5 demonstrates Black’s dynamic potential.
- Grischuk vs. Radjabov, Bilbao 2009 – Grischuk shows how keeping the knight on b1 for Na3 can restrain Black’s …b5 break, leading to a solid positional edge.
- Knaak vs. Kozul, Yugoslav Team ch. 1989 – An early …d5 break turns the structure into a Grünfeld-style pawn centre, underscoring the transpositional vagaries of 6…c6.
Common tactical themes
- e4/e5 pawn tension: when White establishes e4 too quickly, …e5 can open lines against d4 and f2.
- Exchange sacrifice on c4: …Bxc3 followed by …dxc4 and …e5, borrowing ideas from the Benoni.
- Minor-piece battles on d4 & c5: control of these key dark squares often dictates the middlegame plan.
Interesting facts & anecdotes
- Grandmaster Boško Abramović jokingly called 6…c6 “the pocket knife of the King’s Indian” because “it’s small and simple, but it can open a lot of things.”
- Computer engines originally underestimated Black’s queenside play; only with neural-network evaluation (e.g., Leela Zero) did 6…c6 start appearing in high-level correspondence chess.
- Because White often delays Nc3, the line is a favourite of players who enjoy move-order subtleties; for instance 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. d4 O-O 5. Bg2 d6 6. O-O c6 avoids a lot of mainstream KID theory.
Practical tips
- White players should decide early whether the queen’s knight belongs on d2, c3, or a3; each square supports a different plan.
- Black should time …d5 carefully—too early and the centre evaporates, too late and White might cement e4-d5.
- Watch for tempo-gaining pawn thrusts on both wings: a4 vs. …b5, h4-h5 vs. …h6-g5, etc.