E66

King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Yugoslav Variation, Advance Line

Key moves: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6

The King's Indian Defence is one of the most dynamic and combative responses to 1.d4. Black allows White to build a big centre, then counterattacks it with ...e5 or ...c5. The resulting positions are among the most complex and double-edged in chess.

History & Notable Players

Became a major weapon in the 1950s through David Bronstein and later Bobby Fischer. Garry Kasparov made it his primary weapon against 1.d4, and it remains the choice of fighting players worldwide.

Best Games

Aronian, Levon vs Blehm, Pawel1-0
Wch U20 • 1999★ Notable
Zugic, Igor vs Dominguez Perez, Lenier0-1
Wch U18 • 1998★ Notable
Akopian, Vladimir vs Shirov, Alexei1/2-1/2
FIDE-Wch k.o. • 1997★ Notable
Karpov, Anatoly vs Ivanchuk, Vassily1/2-1/2
Amber-blind 5th • 1996★ Notable
Ivanchuk, Vassily vs Polgar, Judit1/2-1/2
Amber-blind 4th • 1995★ Notable
Beliavsky, Alexander G vs Kasparov, Gary1/2-1/2
Linares • 1994★ Notable
Timman, Jan H vs Kasparov, Gary1-0
Tilburg • 1981★ Notable
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Spassky, Boris V1-0
World Championship 26th • 1966★ Notable
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily1/2-1/2
World Championship 21th • 1957★ Notable
Leko,P vs Carlsen,M1/2-1/2
Legends of Chess Prelim • 2020
Carlsen,M vs Nakamura,Hi1-0
chess.com Blitz Final 1m+1spm 2016 • 2016
Ponomariov,R vs Kasimdzhanov,R0-1
Chess Champions League • 2007
Carlsen,M vs Morozevich,A1-0
XXIV SuperGM • 2007
Jussupow,Ar vs Svidler,P0-1
Bundesliga 2005-6 • 2006
Khalifman,A vs Radjabov,T1/2-1/2
RUS vs. ROW • 2002
Beliavsky,A vs Ponomariov,R1-0
FIDE GP • 2002
Aronian,L vs Ponomariov,R1-0
Young Masters • 2001
Aronian,L vs Kasimdzhanov,R1-0
Bundesliga 2000-1 • 2001
Lputian,S vs Khalifman,A0-1
34th Olympiad • 2000
Neverov, Valeriy vs Kasimdzhanov, Rustam0-1
VAM Hoogeveen op • 1999

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