The King's Indian Attack (or KIA) is a chess openingsystem where White adopts the setup more commonly seen being played by Black in the King's Indian Defence. The King's Indian Attack is characterised by the following moves: the central pawns are developed to e4 and d3, the knights are developed to d2 and f3, the king's bishop is fianchettoed at g2 following the g-pawn's move to g3, and White castles kingside.
This pattern can either be achieved via a 1.e4 move order (typically against either the French Defence or a Sicilian Defence with a subsequent ...e6) or as a universal system starting with 1.Nf3.
The use of the King's Indian Attack at grandmaster level was originally an offshoot from the widespread use of the King's Indian Defence in the 1950s. As grandmasters began to appreciate the advantages of playing the King's Indian Defence as Black, the use of the same system as White, with an extra move in hand, inevitably became attractive.
Today the King's Indian Attack is relatively uncommon at grandmaster level. The most frequent high-level practitioner is Egyptian grandmaster Bassem Amin. The KIA is popular at the club level, however, because of its system-like elements, repeatable middlegame plans, and the ability to launch a kingside attack from a stable position.
Characteristics
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A typical position in the King's Indian Attack
In the King's Indian Attack, White uses the same setup adopted by Black in the King's Indian Defence. Due to White's extra tempo, however, the nature of the subsequent play is often different from that of a typical King's Indian Defence. The King's Indian Attack is most frequently employed against Black setups including an early ...e6, and in these situations Black is effectively a move down in a theoretically unimportant line of the King's Indian Defence. For example, after 1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Re1 (see diagram) Black is playing the White side of a very tame line of the King's Indian Defence where the queen's bishop on c8 is trapped behind the pawn chain . If Black were to attempt to resolve this situation by playing a subsequent e6-e5 they would then find themselves two moves down in a standard mainline position from the King's Indian Defence. This illustrates the central dilemma faced by Black in standard Kings Indian Attack lines.
The KIA is a closed , strategic opening that presents its practitioner with common themes and tactics and a comfortable middlegame against various defences. White's most common plan involves the central pawn push e4–e5, leading to a central bind, kingsidespace , and practical attacking chances against the kingside-castled black king. White's strategy differs from standard French Defence lines because the e5-pawn will be defended by pieces (Nf3, Re1, Bf4, and possibly Qe2) rather than by pawns, thus avoiding the pawn weakness on d4 which is Black's usual target in the French.
Typical lines
The King's Indian Attack most frequently arises against the French Defence using the move order 1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 (to avoid an exchange of queens after 3...dxe4) 3...c5. Identical lines can arise via a Sicilian Defence move order, typically via 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d3 and a subsequent Nbd2. If Black plays a Sicilian variation with 2...d6 or 2...Nc6, White can still continue with the King's Indian Attack setup, but in these cases it would be considered less effective (Black will either have a pawn on d6, meaning that the characteristic pawn push e4–e5 will not create a bind, or a pawn on e5, preventing e4-e5 altogether).
After 1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 c5, the game might typically proceed as follows: 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Re1 (see diagram in previous section). White will now look to play e4–e5, cramping Black, and then proceed with moves such as Nf1, Bf4, Qe2, h4, N1h2 (or Ne3), h5, g4 (or Ng4) with a kingside attack. Note that the position after 8.Re1 could also have been obtained via a 1.Nf3 move order (e.g. 1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 c5 4.0-0 Nc6 5.d3 e6 etc.).
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King's Indian Attack vs Caro-Kann
The Kings Indian Attack setup is also sometimes employed against the Caro–Kann Defence, e.g. 1.e4 c6 2.d3 d5 3.Nbd2 e5 4.Ngf3 Bd6 5.g3 etc. Some practitioners at club level, determined to use the KIA as a system, may even use the setup after 1.e4 e5 (giving a reversed Pirc Defence), although this cannot be regarded as a genuine attempt to secure an advantage from the opening.
When employed via a 1.Nf3 move order, play sometimes develops along the lines of the Franco-Sicilian type structures considered above. Alternatively, Black can look to develop the c8-bishop outside of the pawn chain, either to Bg4 (the Keres System, e.g. 1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 c6 4.0-0 Bg4) or to Bf5 (giving a reversed London System).
Black can also develop along the lines typically adopted by White in the King's Indian Defence: e.g. 1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.0-0 e5 5.d3 Nf6. This line is referred to as the Reversed King's Indian.
The French Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
The Nimzo-Indian Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
In chess, the Smith–Morra Gambit is an opening gambit against the Sicilian Defence distinguished by the moves:
The Pirc Defence is a chess opening characterised by the response of Black to 1.e4 with 1...d6 and 2...Nf6, followed by ...g6 and ...Bg7, while allowing White to establish a centre with pawns on d4 and e4. It is named after the Slovenian grandmaster Vasja Pirc.
The King's Indian Defence is a common chess opening. It is defined by the following moves:
The Queen's Indian Defense (QID) is a chess opening defined by the moves:
The Dutch Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
The English Opening is a chess opening that begins with the move:
Bird's Opening is a chess opening characterised by the move:
Alekhine's Defence is a chess opening that begins with the moves:
The Caro–Kann Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
The Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack is a chess opening typically starting with the move: 1.b3 but sometimes introduced by the move order 1.Nf3 and then 2.b3. The flank opening move 1.b3 prepares to fianchetto the queen's bishop where it will help control the central squares in hypermodern fashion and put pressure on Black's kingside.
The St. George Defence is an unorthodox chess opening for Black. The opening begins with the moves:
The London System is an opening system in chess where White opens with 1.d4 and develops the dark-squared bishop to f4, then supports the d4-pawn with pawns on e3 and c3. The other bishop is developed to d3 and the knights typically to f3 and d2. This set-up often results in a closed game. The London System can be used against virtually any Black defence and thus comprises a smaller body of opening theory than many other openings. Although it has a reputation as a solid opening, the London System has faced criticism for its tedious nature and lack of dynamic play.
The World Chess Championship 1886 was the first official World Chess Championship match contested by Wilhelm Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort. The match took place in the United States from 11 January to 29 March, the first five games being played in New York City, the next four being played in St. Louis and the final eleven in New Orleans. The winner was the first player to achieve ten wins. Wilhelm Steinitz won the match 10–5, winning his tenth game in the twentieth game of the match. There were five draws.
The 1978 World Chess Championship was played between Anatoly Karpov and Viktor Korchnoi in Baguio, Philippines, from July 18 to October 18, 1978. Karpov won, thereby retaining the title.
The 1981 World Chess Championship was played between Anatoly Karpov and Viktor Korchnoi in Merano, Italy from October 1 to November 19, 1981. Karpov won with six wins against two, with 10 draws. The two players had already played against each other in the World Chess Championship match 1978 in the Philippines, when Karpov also won.
References
↑ Mark Dvoretsky & Artur Yusopov, Secrets of Opening Preparation, chapters "The Development of an Opening Repertoire" (pp. 95–125) and "The King's Indian Attack, from White's Point of View" (pp. 126–155), both contributed by Dvoretsky. Edition Olms, 2007.
Bologan, Victor (2018): Winning with the King's Indian Attack (PC-DVD), Hamburg: ChessBase GmbH, ISBN 9783866816701
Dunnington, Angus (1998): The Ultimate King's Indian Attack, London: B.T.Batsford Ltd, ISBN0-7134-8222-2
Dvoretsky, Mark and Yusopov, Artur (2007): Secrets of Opening Preparation, Germany: Edition Olms ISBN978-3-283-00516-0
Eggers, Heiko (2008): Theorie der Eröffnung - Königsindischer Angriff - Das Spielsystem mit dem Aufbau Sf3/g3/Lg2/0-0/d3/Sbd2/, Norderstedt: Books on Demand, ISBN978-3-8334-3194-4
Hall, John and Cartier, Jan R (1996): Modern King's Indian Attack: A complete System for White, Dallas Texas, Hays Publishing ISBN1-880673-11-8
Konikowski, Jerzy and Ullrich, Robert (2018): The King's Indian Attack... Properly Played, Germany: Beyer Joachim Verlag, ISBN 978-3959209748
McDonald, Neil (2014): The King's Indian Attack: Move by Move, London: Everyman Chess, ISBN978-1-85744-988-4
Smith, Ken and Hall, John (1988): King's Indian Attack – A Complete Opening System also a Weapon to be used against ..., Dallas Texas: Chess Digest, ISBN0-87568-174-3
Dunnington, Angus (1993): How to Play - The King's Indian Attack - Openings, London: B.T. Batsford Ltd, ISBN0-8050-2933-8
Dzindzichashvili, Roman (2005): Easy Way to Learn The King's Indian Attack, Internet: ChessDVDs.com, Roman's Lab, Volume 28, Nr. 7-37885-35839-1
Hall, John (1972): A Complete Opening System for White: King's Indian Attack, Dallas: Chess Digest Magazine, no ISBN
Henley, Ron and Hodges, Paul (1993): Power Play - The King's Indian Attack, Hagerstown: R&D Publishing, ISBN1-883358-02-7
Henley, Ron and Maddox, Don (1993): The ChessBase University BlueBook Guide To Winning With - The King's Indian Attack, Hagerstown: R&D Publishing, ISBN1-883358-00-0
Tangborn, Eric (1992): A Fischer Favorite: The King's Indian Attack – with 46 fully annotated Games, o.O.: International Chess Enterprises, ISBN1-879479-07-9
Weinstein, Norman (1976): The King's Indian Attack, Dallas: Chess Digest Magazine, no ISBN
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