King's Indian Defense: Larsen Variation
King's Indian Defense: Larsen Variation
Definition
The Larsen Variation of the King’s Indian Defense (ECO E70) arises after the moves: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Bg5. White immediately develops the queen’s bishop to g5, pinning the f6-knight and postponing the customary pawn advance to e4. The line is named after the Danish grandmaster Bent Larsen, who championed it in the 1960s and 70s.
Typical Move-Order & Key Ideas
After 4. Bg5, Black has several replies, the most common being 4…d6 (transposing to many main-line structures) or the direct 4…h6 challenging the bishop. A few illustrative continuations are:
- 4…d6 5. e4 O-O 6. Nf3 (or 6. Qd2) when White achieves a harmonious set-up with pressure along the diagonal c1–h6 and the pin on f6.
- 4…h6 5. Bf4 d6 6. Nf3 g5 7. Bg3, entering a Samisch-like position where Black has gained space on the kingside but loosened dark-square control.
- 4…c5!? (immediate Benoni attempt) 5. d5 d6 6. e4, when the Bg5 inclusion slightly favors White compared to normal Benoni lines because …Bg7–f6 is harder to achieve.
Strategic Themes
- Early Pin: By pinning the f6-knight, White delays Black’s thematic break …e5 and often discourages …h6 …g5 ideas due to the weakened kingside.
- Flexible Center: Unlike the classical 4.e4, the pawn on e2 keeps the central structure fluid; White may choose between e2-e4, e2-e3, or even d4-d5 depending on Black’s reaction.
- Dark-Square Grip: If Black plays …d6 and …e5 without resolving the pin, the d6-pawn can become a backward weakness while the g5-bishop eyes the d8-h4 diagonal.
- Piece Play vs. Pawn Breaks: White’s quick development aims for piece activity; Black, in contrast, seeks the usual King’s Indian pawn storms with …e5 or …c5 followed by …f5.
Historical Significance
Bent Larsen introduced 4. Bg5 into top-level practice during the 1950s, looking for less-analysed alternatives to the heavily explored main lines with 4. e4. His successes—most notably at the 1964 Amsterdam Interzonal—popularised the variation. Although not as common as the Saemisch or Classical systems, it remains a respected sideline that can steer King’s Indian specialists into unfamiliar territory.
Notable Games & Examples
- Larsen vs. Portisch, Bled 1961 – The inventor defeats a leading King’s Indian expert by exploiting dark-square weaknesses after 4…h6 5.Bh4 d6 6.e4. A model game illustrating the positional punch of the pin.
- Anand vs. Shirov, Linares 1998 – Anand shows a modern treatment with rapid queenside castling and a central pawn roller.
- Carlsen vs. Gelfand, Tal Memorial 2011 – The World Champion employs the Larsen Variation to obtain a small but lasting edge, eventually converting an endgame.
Interactive miniature:
[[Pgn|d4|Nf6|c4|g6|Nc3|Bg7|Bg5|d6|e4|O-O|Nf3|c5|d5|e6|| fen|rnbq1rk1/ppp2pbp/3pp1p1/2P2B2/2P1P3/2N2N2/PP3PPP/R2QKB1R b KQ - 0 8]]Common Pitfalls & Tactical Motifs
- …h6 too early: After 4…h6 5.Bh4 d6 6.e3, the g6-pawn can be loose if Black later plays …g5; tactics along the h2–b8 diagonal often appear.
- Overlooking d6: In lines with …e5, the pawn on d6 may become a long-term target once White reroutes a knight to c4 and a rook to d1.
- Bishop Pair Endgames: If Black trades on f6, White usually recaptures with the queen, keeping both bishops and enjoying an open board.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Bent Larsen once remarked that the move 4. Bg5 “reminds the f6-knight it belongs in Siberia.” His playful comment reflects the knight’s restricted mobility under the pin.
- In 1970, Bobby Fischer, usually a faithful King’s Indian practitioner with Black, avoided the opening entirely when Larsen was on the White side, switching to a Nimzo-Indian instead.
- The variation occasionally transposes to a modern Benoni after 4…c5 5.d5 e6, but with subtle differences that engines currently evaluate slightly in White’s favor—an example of how a single tempo (Bg5) reshapes an entire opening family.
When to Use the Larsen Variation
Choose 4. Bg5 if you:
- Enjoy flexible pawn structures and dynamic piece play;
- Want to sidestep heavily analysed Classical and Saemisch theory;
- Prefer to keep your central pawn push (e2-e4) in reserve, adapting it to your opponent’s plan.