King's Indian Defence
Also known as KID
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7
A bold, asymmetric weapon: Black calmly lets White build a towering pawn centre, fianchettoes the bishop on g7 and castles – then strikes back. Once the centre locks, the sides race in opposite directions: White rolls pawns on the queenside while Black flings the f-, g- and h-pawns at White's king. Sharp, double-edged chess.
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What it does
Black deliberately concedes the centre, allowing White pawns on c4, d4 and e4, then aims the g7-bishop down the long diagonal and castles. The thematic ...e5 break forces White to make a decision; the defining main line sees White play d5, locking the pawns. This fixed structure splits the board: White's space is on the queenside (with the c4–d5 chain and a b4/c5 advance), while Black's chances lie on the kingside, where the closed centre lets the f7–f5 pawn storm roll forward without the centre being ripped open.
When to use it
Choose the KID when you want winning chances with Black and enjoy attacking, plan-driven positions rather than quiet equality. It is a fine universal answer to 1.d4, and the same fianchetto set-up works against the English (1.c4) and many flank openings. It rewards players who like clear strategic targets – here, the enemy king. Be ready, though: it is theory-heavy and demands accurate, brave play, so it suits committed students more than those wanting a low-maintenance opening.
Why it works
The KID works because the locked centre gives each side a clear, unobstructed plan, and Black's attack often arrives first and hits the more valuable target – White's king. The g7-bishop and the advancing kingside pawns create direct mating threats, while White's queenside gains, though real, take time and rarely deliver checkmate. This imbalance has made the King's Indian a favourite of attacking world champions and a respected, fully sound way to play for the win against 1.d4 at every level.
Key ideas
- Concede the centre early, then hit it with ...e5 (or sometimes ...c5).
- After the centre locks with d5, attack the king with ...f5, ...f4, ...g5, ...g4.
- Reroute knights to f5/g6/h5 to feed the kingside assault.
- Keep the g7-bishop alive – it anchors the whole position and the attack.
- Let White expand on the queenside, then race to checkmate before it lands.
- Know your structure: closed (d5) play differs from exchange or fianchetto lines.
Watch out
Beware passive play in the closed main line: if Black drifts and lets White's b4–c5 break crash through on the queenside before the kingside attack gets going, Black can simply be overrun. Equally, never trade off the g7-bishop lightly – without it the dark squares around Black's own king, and the whole attacking plan, collapse.