King's Indian: 6.Be2 c6 7.O-O

King’s Indian: 6.Be2 c6 7.O-O

Definition

The sequence 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 c6 7.O-O is a branch of the King’s Indian Defence (KID). The position arises after White adopts the Classical development with 6.Be2, while Black answers not with the usual 6…e5 but with the more flexible 6…c6. The ECO codes E90–E91 cover the early move-orders that include …c6. After 7.O-O, the position is rich in transpositional possibilities and may steer into:

• The Panno System with …a6, …b5 and …Bb7.
• The Delayed Mar del Plata with …e5 followed by …Nbd7 and …Re8.
• Central counter-blows with …d5 or a quick …c5.

Move-order and PGN snapshot

Standard main line:

Note that Black can reach the same setup by first playing …Nbd7 or …Na6; the early …c6 simply signals Black’s intention to keep the centre fluid and to prepare …e5 or …d5 under favourable circumstances.

Strategic Themes

• Black’s Flexibility – By postponing …e5, Black withholds information. White must decide whether to play d4–d5 (gaining space) or keep tension in the centre.
• Queenside Expansion – Typical Panno moves …a6 and …b5 gain space on the queenside and may challenge White’s c4-pawn.
• Central Breaks – After …c6 the breaks …d5 and …e5 are permanently on the agenda. If White closes with d5, the pawn structure resembles the Benoni or the Mar del Plata, but in slower motion.
• Bishop Activity – The dark-squared bishop can go to g7 or h6 depending on White’s set-up, while the light-squared bishop often comes to b7 in Panno-style lines.

White’s Typical Plans

1. Central Clamp: Push d4–d5 early, then follow with Be3, Nd2, and f2–f3 to restrict …e5.
2. Queenside Play: Exchange on e5 once Black advances, then aim for c4-c5 and b2-b4 breaks.
3. Fianchetto Variation Transposition: If White later plays g3 and Bg2, the game can transpose to lines usually reached by 3.g3.

Historical Background

The early …c6 was championed in the late 1950s by Soviet grandmasters such as Efim Geller and Tigran Petrosian, who sought a sound alternative to the sharp 6…e5 main line. It gained renewed popularity when Garry Kasparov used it repeatedly in the 1980s, blending it with Panno ideas (…Nc6, …a6, …Rb8, …b5) to out-prepare his opponents.

Illustrative Games

• Petrosian – Fischer, Candidates SF, Buenos Aires 1971
  Petrosian employed 7.O-O followed by 8.Re1 and 9.Bf1, steering play into a solid version of the Classical. Fischer’s …e5 break came only after careful preparation with …Nbd7 and …Re8.
• Kasparov – Short, Linares 1990
  Kasparov, as Black, illustrated the queenside thrust: 7…a6 8.Re1 b5 9.Bf1 Bb7! breaking on the flank before attacking in the centre.
• Radjabov – Anand, Wijk aan Zee 2004
  A modern heavyweight duel where Anand combined …c6 and …d5, reaching a Grünfeld-like structure and equalising comfortably.

Typical Tactical Motifs

• e4–e5 Lever: If Black pushes …e5 too early, White can sometimes sacrifice with dxe5 dxe5 Qxd8 Rxd8 Nxe5! exploiting the pin on f6.
• c6–c5 Break: After d5, Black often strikes with …c5, and tactical shots on the a1–h8 diagonal (…Bxc3) are common.
• Exchange on g5: Should White play h2–h3 and g2–g4, Black’s thematic …h5!? or …Nxg4 ideas emerge much as in the Panno.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• The move 6…c6 was once considered “too timid” for sharp KID specialists until Bobby Fischer revived it, claiming he preferred to “let White choose the pawn structure first.”
• In the database of World Championship games, the line has scored close to 50% for both sides—an unusually balanced figure for a KID system.
• Because of its transpositional nature, modern engines often label identical positions as Benoni, Panno or Classical depending on move-order—a headache for opening theoreticians!

Why Study This Line?

For King’s Indian players it provides a sound, less-theoretical alternative to the wild Mar del Plata. For White it is a test of strategic understanding: you must decide whether to lock the centre, keep tension, or transpose into a Fianchetto-type set-up. The resulting middlegames are a playground for both manoeuvring skills and dynamic pawn breaks.