King's Indian Attack: Double Fianchetto

King's Indian Attack: Double Fianchetto

Definition

The King’s Indian Attack (KIA): Double Fianchetto is a setup for White in which both bishops are developed to the long diagonals—Bg2 on the kingside and Bb2 on the queenside—while the rest of the formation resembles a typical King’s Indian Attack (Nf3, d3, e4, Nbd2, O-O). Hyper-modern in spirit, the system allows Black to occupy the center early, with the intention of undermining and out-maneuvering it later.

Typical Move Orders

Because the KIA is a system, it can arise against many of Black’s first moves. Here are two common paths:

• Versus 1…e6 (French, Sicilian, or a Queen’s Pawn transposition)
  1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nbd2 c5 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. b3 b6 9. Bb2 — White has reached the double fianchetto shape.
• From a Réti/English move order
  1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. O-O Be7 5. d3 O-O 6. b3 b6 7. Bb2 Bb7 8. Nbd2 — again the key elements are in place.

Strategic Themes

• Control of central dark squares: The twin bishops reinforce pressure on e5 and d4, discouraging Black from an unprotected central advance.
• Flexible pawn breaks: Typical thrusts include c4, e4–e5, or sometimes a later f2-f4 to pry open lines when the position is ripe.
• Hedgehog-style outlook: Since White often keeps the pawns on the 3rd rank (a3, b3, d3, e4, g3), the structure mirrors a “Reversed Hedgehog” with greater space on the flanks.
• Long-term pressure vs. immediate aggression: Compared to the standard KIA with Nc3 and f2-f4, the double fianchetto is quieter but rich in positional venom.

Historical Notes

• Bobby Fischer incorporated the system (sometimes omitting Bb2) in his 1960s repertoire to sidestep heavy theory.
• In the 21st century, elite grandmasters such as Magnus Carlsen, Levon Aronian, and Wesley So have employed the double fianchetto with success in rapid and classical play.
• The formation is popular in correspondence chess, where deep engine-checked preparation reveals its resilient nature.

Illustrative Mini-Game

The following short model shows typical ideas without overwhelming theory:

[[Pgn|Nf3|d5|g3|Nf6|Bg2|e6|O-O|Be7|d3|O-O|b3|b6|Bb2|Bb7|Nbd2|c5|e4|Nc6|Re1|Qc7|exd5|exd5|d4|Rfe8|c4|dxc4|Nxc4|Rad8|Qe2|cxd4|Nxd4|Nxd4|Bxd4|Bxg2|Be5|Qc6|Bxf6|Bxf6|Qxe8+|Rxe8|Rxe8#|fen|]|arrows|g2b7|squares|e5]

White exploited the diagonals, broke with c4 and e4, and concluded with a thematic exploitation of weak dark squares.

Practical Tips

1. Do not hurry the e4 break; coordinate pieces first so …dxe4 can be answered nicely (e.g., Nxe4 or dxe4).
2. If Black plays …c5 and …d4 too early, strike with c3 or e3, undermining the pawn chain.
3. Endgames often favor White: the bishops dominate open diagonals while the Black minor pieces can feel cramped.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• The complete double-fianchetto structure can also be reached by Black, known as the “Double Fianchetto KID” (playing …g6 and …b6). Studying one helps you understand the other.
• Because theory is relatively light, club players who memorize a single move order sometimes steer straight into this offbeat system without realizing it, giving the prepared KIA player an instant comfort zone.
• A tongue-in-cheek nickname among grandmasters is “The Sofa,” because White can supposedly play it “from the sofa” without deep opening prep—yet many sitting on that sofa have scored upsets against top seeds!