King's Indian: Four Pawns Attack, 6.Nf3 Bg4

King’s Indian Defense – Four Pawns Attack

Definition

The Four Pawns Attack is an ambitious system for White against the King’s Indian Defense (KID). White advances four central and near-central pawns – c-, d-, e- and f-pawns – to overrun Black’s position before Black’s customary kingside counterplay becomes dangerous. A baseline move order is:

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. e4 d6 4. f4 Bg7 5. Nc3 O-O

Typical Move Order

The defining moment is 4. f4; everything prior is standard King’s Indian fare. After 5…O-O, White usually develops with 6. Nf3 (the most popular), but alternatives such as 6. Be2 and 6. Nf3 c5 7. d5 e6 also occur.

Strategic Themes

• Space and central control: White hopes the pawn phalanx restricts Black’s pieces and supports a kingside or central breakout.
• Pawn breaks: White often prepares e4-e5 or f4-f5; Black answers with …c7-c5, …e7-e5, or a later …f7-f5.
• Piece activity vs. structure: Black’s pieces enjoy long diagonals and the fianchettoed bishop; if the center opens prematurely, that activity can outweigh White’s space.

Historical Notes

• First championed by Aaron Nimzowitsch and later refined by Svetozar Gligorić and Gata Kamsky.
• The ECO codes E76–E79 are reserved for Four Pawns variations, attesting to its independent status inside the KID family.
• The line briefly faded in the 1980s when computers suggested strong resources for Black, but improved preparation has revived interest in the 21st century.

Model Game

Below is a short illustrative fragment showing typical play.

Structure, opposite-side pawn levers, and piece activity emerge exactly as textbooks predict.

Interesting Facts

• The line inspired Benko’s quip, “In the Four Pawns Attack, White plays like a caveman; Black must become a surgeon.”
• It is one of the few KID branches where grandmasters occasionally castle queenside – a radical choice in an opening best known for kingside storms.

King’s Indian, Four Pawns Attack – 6…Bg4 System

Definition

The 6…Bg4 line arises after the standard sequence 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. e4 d6 4. f4 Bg7 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Nf3 Bg4. Black immediately pins the knight, adding pressure to d4 and preparing central counterplay.

Key Ideas for Black

1. Psychological surprise: Many Four-Pawns regulars expect 6…c5; the bishop pin sidesteps booked-up lines.
2. Targeting the center: By undermining the e4-d4-f4 chain, Black readies …c5 or …e5 with extra force.
3. Piece activity: If White removes the pin with Be2, Black often exchanges on f3 and installs a knight on d4.

Typical Continuations

• 7. Be2 c5 8. d5 e6 – Classical central clash.
• 7. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 – White gets the two bishops; Black hopes the half-open f-file compensates.
• 7. Bd3 Nc6 – A modern move that keeps options flexible and eyeballs d4 twice.

Strategic Considerations

• The pin can be a double-edged sword; after h3, g4 White sometimes gains kingside space at a tempo.
• If Black trades on f3 too early, White’s g-pawn recapture may bolster an eventual e5 thrust with extra support from the rook on g1.

Historical & Practical Significance

The variation was refined by Anatoly Vaisser in the 1980s and later adopted by Garry Kasparov as an occasional surprise weapon. Engines show the line holds its own, reviving interest among modern practitioners such as Wesley So.

Illustrative Fragment

Black undermines d4 and prepares a timely …b5 or …Nbd7; meanwhile White must decide between consolidation and a direct pawn storm.

Fun Anecdote

When once asked why he rarely faced the Four Pawns, Viktor Korchnoi quipped, “Because I play 6…Bg4 and they suddenly remember another appointment!”