King's Indian: 3.Nc3 Bg7
King's Indian: 3.Nc3 Bg7
Definition
“King’s Indian: 3.Nc3 Bg7” describes the basic tabiya reached after the moves 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7. It is the most common branch of the King’s Indian Defense (KID), a hyper-modern opening in which Black allows White to occupy the center with pawns and then counter-attacks it. In the short algebraic sequence, 3.Nc3 is White’s third-move choice (instead of 3.Nf3 or 3.g3), and 3…Bg7 completes Black’s kingside fianchetto, signalling the intention to castle quickly and challenge the center with …d6 and …e5 or …c5.
Typical Usage in Play
From the position after 3…Bg7, play usually continues:
- 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O — The Classical Main Line
- 4.e4 d6 5.f3! — The Sämisch Variation, a direct attempt to blunt the g7-bishop
- 4.e4 d6 5.f4!? — The sharp Four-Pawns Attack
- 4.Nf3 — Transposes to lines where White delays e2–e4, often the Fianchetto Variation if followed by g2-g3.
Players discussing openings will often abbreviate: “I play the King’s Indian with 3.Nc3 Bg7 → Classical lines rather than 3.Nf3 → Fianchetto.” Databases also index the position as ECO code E60.
Strategic Significance
- Hyper-modern philosophy: Black concedes the classical center (pawns on d4 & e4) but plans to undermine it later with …e5, …c5 and piece pressure against d4.
- King-side vs. Queen-side race: In many main lines Black storms forward with …f5, …g5, …f4 to attack White’s king, while White expands on the queen side with b4, c5, and a4.
- Dynamic imbalance: The structure is locked after e4–e5 or d5; piece activity and timing become more important than static pawn weaknesses.
- Transpositional hub: From 3.Nc3 Bg7 the game can still enter the Grünfeld Defense (if Black plays …d5 immediately), the Benoni (…c5), or even certain Queen’s Indian setups. Both players must stay alert to move-order tricks.
Historical Notes
The King’s Indian was a rare guest in classical-era tournaments, but it surged in popularity through the research of Soviet masters in the 1940s–1950s—especially Isaac Boleslavsky, David Bronstein, Efim Geller and later Garry Kasparov. Bronstein famously called it “the opening of the future,” predicting its dynamism would suit modern chess. The position after 3.Nc3 Bg7 became standard for study: nearly every World Champion from Fischer to Carlsen has employed it with one color or the other.
Illustrative Example
One of the classic demonstrations of Black’s thematic kingside attack started right from our tabiya:
Gligorić – Fischer, Candidates 1959 Black unleashed …f5 and a typical piece sacrifice on g4, illustrating how quickly the g7-bishop and friends can generate mating threats once the center is fixed.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Because 3.Nc3 keeps the c1-bishop shut in, some classical theorists once judged the move “imprecise,” yet modern engines show no objective drawback—it simply leads to richer hand-to-hand combat.
- Magnus Carlsen adopted the KID with 3…Bg7 as Black in the 2013 Candidates Tournament, despite its risky reputation, scoring a crucial win over Teimour Radjabov.
- In correspondence and engine play, the immediate break 3…c5!? (transposing toward a Benoni) is currently trending, underscoring how one move earlier or later can redefine the entire opening family.
- The ECO code sequence E60–E99 is almost entirely reserved for positions that follow from 3.Nc3 Bg7, testifying to the labyrinth of theory branching from this single tabiya.
Quick Reference
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 – Position under discussion.
- Main plans for White:
- Build a broad pawn center with e2-e4.
- Respond to …e5 with d4-d5, gaining space.
- Attack on the queen side with b2-b4, c4-c5.
- Main plans for Black:
- Undermine with …e5 or …c5, then target d4.
- Castle short, thrust …f5–f4 to attack the king.
- Sacrifice material for long-term initiative if the center is closed.