All openings

King's Indian Defence

E60–E99Black

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
h8
g
f
e
d
c
b
a
Spar vs engine

E60–E99 · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6

The idea

A fighting, hypermodern defence. Rather than occupying the centre at once, Black fianchettoes the bishop on g7, lets White build a big pawn centre, and then counterattacks it — usually with ...e5. Black concedes space to launch a kingside attack, and the result is sharp, double-edged chess where both sides race on opposite wings.

Your plan (Black)

Fianchetto with ...g6 and ...Bg7, castle, and strike at White's centre with ...e5 (or ...c5); when the centre locks, storm the kingside with ...f5, ...f4 and a pawn avalanche toward the white king.

Heading into the middlegame

The King's Indian is a race on opposite wings. Once ...e5 meets d5 and the centre LOCKS, Black attacks the king: play ...f5 (then ...f4), reroute the f6-knight (...Ne8 or ...Nd7) so the f-pawn can roll, lift a rook (...Rf6–h6), and throw ...g5–g4 at the white king. White counters on the queenside with c5 and b4–b5, opening the c-file. Whoever's attack arrives first wins — so don't defend passively; push your kingside pawns and pieces at maximum speed.

Lines

0/3 mastered
Classical VariationNew

You let White build the big centre, then strike it with ...e5; once it locks, storm the kingside with ...f5–f4 while White races on the queenside.

Fianchetto VariationNew

White fianchettoes too for a calmer, solid set-up; you prepare ...e5 with ...Nbd7 and play for the central break against White's restrained centre.

Sämisch VariationNew

White shields e4 with f3 and builds a huge centre; you castle and counter with ...e5, then a kingside pawn avalanche with ...f5 and ...g5.