King's Indian Defense: Makogonov Variation

King's Indian Defense: Makogonov Variation

Definition

The Makogonov Variation is a strategically rich branch of the King’s Indian Defense characterized by the early move 5.h3 (or sometimes 6.h3) by White: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.h3. The modest-looking pawn advance to h3 restrains Black’s dark-squared bishop from pinning a knight on f3 with …Bg4, keeps the g4-square under White’s control, and often prepares a later g2–g4 pawn thrust or the safe development of a bishop to e3.

Typical Move Orders

• Classical: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.h3 O-O 6.Nf3 e5
• Via the Fianchetto detour: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 O-O 5.Bg2 d6 6.h3 (a Makogonov spirit, though born from the Fianchetto setup)
• Transposition: 5.Nf3 O-O 6.h3 e5 7.d5, reaching the same middlegames with the king already castled.

Strategic Ideas

• Restraining …Bg4: By preventing Black from exchanging the knight on f3, White maintains control over d4 and e5 and keeps pieces on the board for a potential kingside expansion.
• Flexible Pawn Structure: White usually locks the center with d4–d5, after which h3 supports Be3, g4, or sometimes f2–f3 to bolster the e4-pawn.
• Prophylaxis vs. Counterplay: Black’s …e7–e5 break remains thematic, but without a pin on the f3-knight it is harder for Black to generate immediate tactical pressure on the e4-pawn.
• Plans for White:
  • Queenside expansion with b4, c5, and a later cxd6 idea.
  • Kingside storm: g4, Be3, Qd2, and sometimes h4–h5.
  • Central squeeze: f3, Be3, Qd2, long castling.
• Plans for Black:
  • Standard …e5, …Nc6, …Nd4 piece pressure on c2 and f3.
  • …a5 followed by …Na6–c5 to fight for d3 and b3 squares.
  • Pawn storm after …f5, or the more positional …c6 & …a6, …b5.

Historical Significance

Named after the Azerbaijani grandmaster Vladimir Makogonov (1904–1993), a respected trainer of generations of Soviet masters (including a young Garry Kasparov). In the 1940s he employed 5.h3 as a reliable antidote to the sharp King’s Indian main lines, outscoring several top contemporaries. The variation regained popularity in the 1990s when Kasparov himself revived it against deep computer preparation in the Classical King’s Indian.

Illustrative Game

Makogonov’s original strategic ideas are visible in the following miniature:

White’s quiet h3 has blossomed into a full-blown kingside bind. Botvinnik soon drifted into a lost position when his queenside attempts failed to break through.

Modern Example

Kramnik vs. Kasparov, Linares 1995: Kasparov, needing complex play with Black, nevertheless chose the Makogonov with White in earlier tournaments—proof of its dual nature as both solid and aggressive.

Common Tactical Motifs

1. Exchange sacrifice on f3 (…Rxf3) to undermine White’s center once g-pawns have advanced.
2. …Nxe4 fork if White forgets to support the e4-pawn after a premature d4–d5.
3. g4–g5 pawn lever opening the g-file for heavy pieces, especially when Black has castled kingside.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• Makogonov coached Kasparov for years; Kasparov called 5.h3 “a little masterpiece of prophylaxis.”
• In several correspondence games the Makogonov is combined with a queenside fianchetto (b3, Bb2) leading to symmetrical but highly maneuvering battles lasting 80+ moves.
• Engines once underestimated the line for White, but around 2018 neural-network evaluations swung back, ranking the Makogonov as one of the most stubborn defenses to Black’s King’s Indian ambitions.

When to Choose the Makogonov

Opt for 5.h3 if you:

• Prefer a strategic squeeze rather than the sharp Mar del Plata.
• Enjoy slow maneuvering with occasional tactical bursts.
• Wish to sidestep your opponent’s heavy theoretical preparation in the Classical lines.

Further Study Resources

• V. Makogonov – Selected Games & Writings (Russian Chess House, 2001).
• Kasparov’s DVDs on the King’s Indian — insight into the h3 systems.
• Modern Chess database “Makogonov Variation — Complete Repertoire for White.”