King's Indian: Glek, 8.Re1 c6 9.Bf1
King's Indian: Glek Variation (8.Re1 c6 9.Bf1)
Definition
The Glek Variation is a branch of the Classical System of the King's Indian Defense that arises after the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 O-O 5.Bg2 d6 6.O-O Nc6 7.Nc3 Na6 8.Re1 c6 9.Bf1. It is named after Russian Grandmaster Igor Glek, who championed the setup in the 1990s. White plays the atypical rook-lift Re1 followed by retreating the king’s-bishop to f1, preparing a slow kingside expansion while keeping the center fluid.
Move Order and Position
Starting from the Classical Main Line (6…Nc6 7.Nc3), play usually continues:
- 7…Na6 – Black reroutes the knight to c5 or b4.
- 8.Re1 – White steps the rook off the f-file, eyes e2–e4, and supports a future e4–e5 break.
- 8…c6 – The standard Glek move, controlling d5 and giving the queen’s knight the option of d7.
- 9.Bf1 – The key idea. The bishop vacates g2 to support h2–h3 and g3–g4 or f2-f4, and later may re-emerge on g2, h3, or g4.
Diagram after 9.Bf1 (White to move):
Typical Plans for Both Sides
- White
- Break with e2–e4 and sometimes e4–e5 when tactically justified.
- Expand on the kingside via h3, g4, Be3, Qd2, and Bh6 (a Grünfeld-style clamp).
- Maintain flexibility by not committing the c-pawn to c5, thus retaining central tension.
- Black
- Counter in the center with …e5 or …d5 depending on White’s setup.
- Use the …Na6-c5 hop to pressure d3 and b3.
- Prepare the thematic pawn-storm …f5, …g5 if White castles kingside and over-extends.
Historical and Practical Significance
Igor Glek introduced the line as an antidote to heavily analysed Classical Main Lines with 9.Ne1 and 9.Nd2. Because the bishop retreats early, theory was initially sparse, allowing him to surprise contemporaries such as Topalov, Leko, and van Wely. Today it is part of the repertoire of many grandmasters seeking a low-maintenance, high-practical-value weapon against the King's Indian.
Illustrative Games
- Glek vs Topalov, Buenos Aires 1994 – Glek demonstrates a swift kingside pawn storm culminating in a mating attack.
- Anand vs Gelfand, Wijk aan Zee 2007 – White uses the Re1/Bf1 setup to clamp the center; the game ends in a positional squeeze.
- Aronian vs Radjabov, Tal Memorial 2012 – Black counters dynamically with …e5 and sacrifices a pawn for long-term pressure, showing that the Glek can become sharply double-edged.
Key Ideas in a Nutshell
- Repositioning the dark-squared bishop to f1 gives White remarkable flexibility.
- The rook on e1 supports e4 while freeing the f-pawn for an eventual f2–f3 or f2–f4 push.
- …c6 is Black’s most common reply, but …e5 and …Nbd7 are also playable, each leading to distinct pawn structures.
Did You Know?
- Although named after Igor Glek, the move order appeared as early as 1961 in a game between Pachman and Portisch.
- The variation is considered “the anti-Mar del Plata” because White often sidesteps Black’s dream of a massive kingside pawn storm.
- In correspondence chess, engines recommend early d4–d5 after 9.Bf1, reflecting how flexible the structure is for White.