First Steps :

King’s Indian Defence

ANDREW MARTIN

www.everymanchess.com
 Table of Contents

About the Author

Introduction
1) Inspiration
2) Pawn Structures
3) The Classical System
4) The Fianchetto Variation
5) Lines with Bg5
6) The Sämisch Variation
7) The Four Pawns Attack
8) Less Common White Systems
9) King’s Indian Byways
Final words
Index of Complete Games
Aleksandrov.A-Mirzoev.E, European Championship, Batumi 2018
Alterman.B-Barnes.M, London Lloyds Bank 1994
Arkell.K-Martin.A, British Championship, Torquay 1998
Arun Prasad.S-Perez Mitjans.O, Badalona 2012
Averbakh.Y-Fritsch.K, Graz 1987
Averbakh.Y-Panno.O, USSR-Argentina match, Buenos Aires 1954
Bach.M-Kotronias.V, Aarhus 2019
Bekker Jensen.D-Hammer.J, Helsingor 2018
Bhakti.K-Kovalev.V, Dubai 2018
Blechzin.I-Ager.J, World 65+ Team Championship, Rhodes 2019
Bogner.S-Zerafa.R, Batumi Olympiad 2018
Braun.A-Maiwald.J, German League 2019
Bronstein.D-Rytov.B, Tallinn 1973
Brown.M-Mamedyarov.S, PRO League, chess.com (rapid) 2018
Buhmann.R-Vitiugov.N, Moscow 2017
Carlsen.M-Yuffa.D, Doha 2015
Caruana.F-Svidler.P, Russian Team Championship 2013
Chatalbashev.B-Aabling Thomsen.J, Danish Championship, Svendborg 2019
Colin.V-Hebden.M, Guernsey 2013
Cori Tello.J-Izquierdo.E, Peruvian Championship, Lima 2017
Danailov.S-Kasparov.G, World Junior Championship, Dortmund 1980
Donoso Diaz.S-Di Berardino.D, Foz do Iguacu 2018
Drazic.S-H.Lee.J, Novi Sad 2019
Flear.G-Hawkins.J, British Championship, Torquay 2013
Gareyev.T-Ehlvest.J, US Open (rapid), Orange 2013
Gareyev.T-Gong.D, Auckland 2019
Geller.E-Ree.H, Amsterdam 1970
Gheorghiu.F-Kasparov.G, Thessaloniki Olympiad 1988
Gligoric.S-Kozul.Z, Yugoslav Team Championship 1990
Golubov.S-Bocharov.D, Taganrog 2019
Gorovets.A-Zapata.A, Charlotte 2018
Grischuk.A-Carlsen.M, Sinquefield Cup, St. Louis 2018
Gurevich.M-Hebden.M, Clichy 2001
Gustafsson.J-Naiditsch.A, Dortmund 2012
Gutman.L-Martin.A, Hastings 1984/85
Hansen.H-Fitzsimons.D, British League 2018
Hoffman.A-Lynch.M, US Open, Reno 1999
First published in 2019 by Gloucester Publishers Limited, London

Copyright © 2019 Andrew Martin

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 About the Author

Andrew Martin is a FIDE Senior Trainer and International Master. He is the current Head of the
newly-formed ECF Academy, which provides elite training for strong, young players. He teaches in
twelve schools, is an experienced chess writer and has produced numerous chess DVDs.

Also by the Author:

Starting Out: The Sicilian Dragon
First Steps; The Queen’s Gambit
 Contents

About the Author

Introduction

1) Inspiration
2) Pawn Structures
3) The Classical System
4) The Fianchetto Variation
5) Lines with Íg5
6) The Sämisch Variation
7) The Four Pawns Attack
8) Less Common White Systems
9) King’s Indian Byways
Final words

Index of Variations
Index of Complete Games
 Introduction

This is my third book on the King’s Indian Defence. The first, Winning with the King’s Indian,
was written in 1989 and was more or less a repertoire for Black. The book did pretty well and in
the pre-computer era a repertoire book could be just what the doctor ordered. Nowadays, such a
book can be cut to ribbons by simply turning on an analysis engine, but it is interesting for me to
see how many of my older suggestions are still playable.
King’s Indian Battle Plans, written in 2004, was a sprawling, ambitious project, cooked up by
myself and Bob Long – a work full of new ideas, designed to show just how creative the King’s
Indian could be. Once again the book sold well, but looking back I can see why it was regarded by
some as haphazard. Nevertheless, I am not displeased with it.
Which brings us to the modern day and the work you have before you – First Steps: The King’s
Indian. This book will be different again and sets out to provide a good introduction to this won-
derful opening. I cannot claim that it will cover everything, as to do so would require at least 1000
pages, but it will get you up and running and ready to play the KID with enthusiasm. How you take
it from there will then be up to you.
Thanks are due to Jon Tait who did an excellent job editing this book.

Andrew Martin, Bramley, Surrey, June 2019.


Chapter One
Inspiration
The inspiration needed to play a particular
opening has to come from somewhere and
for me it was the games of Bobby Fischer
and Svetozar Gligoric that provided the
initial excitement. The very first game in
this book is a Fischer classic and as a young
man, after studying and playing it through, I
knew that the King’s Indian was the defence
for me.
Game 1 V.Korchnoi-R.J.Fischer Herceg
Novi (blitz) 1970
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0
Here we have the basic King’s
Indian set-up. Typically, Black
has a well-protected king and
plenty of flexibility with his
pawns. More on that later.
6 Nf3 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 Nd2
White has employed a Classical
formation, has grabbed a bit more space
with the advance d4-d5, and now has to
choose a way forward. Usually, he advances
on the queenside, and so 9 Nd2 is a prelude
to these operations. White plans b2-b4, c4-
c5 and then Nc4, putting pressure on d6.
Black will respond by launching a kingside
pawn storm.
9 ... c5!?
Putting the brakes on the intended
advance.
10 a3
I think 10 Rb1! is more accurate,
intending b2-b4 without delay (see Game
39). Later, White may play a2-a4 in one
move, saving a tempo. I think it’s worth
pointing out that this was a five-minute
game from a very famous blitz tournament.
Back then, such events were as rare as hen’s
teeth and something to be savoured. The
quality of the games was remarkably high.
10 ... Ne8 11 b4 b6 12 Rb1 f5
Enough defending! It’s time to strike
out.
13 f3 f4 14 a4 g5 15 a5 Rf6 16 bxc5?!
It was better to open two queenside files
instead of one; i.e. 16 axb6 axb6 17 bxc5
bxc5.
16 ... bxc5 17 Nb3 Rg6 18 Bd2 Nf6 19
Kh1 g4
White should be able to defend this
position, but Black’s game is much more
enjoyable to play and he is going for the
king. What more could you want?
20 fxg4 Nxg4 21 Rf3?
Here 21 Bf3! was a better stab at
defence.
21 ... Rh6 22 h3 Ng6 23 Kg1 Nf6 24
Be1 Nh8!

A move which made this game
memorable for me. The knight heads for the
wonderful g5-square, when the rook on f3
will look very clumsy indeed.
25 Rd3 Nf7 26 Bf3 Ng5 27 Qe2 Rg6 28
Kf1?
White can hang on after 28 Kh2 Qd7!
(threatening a sacrifice on h3) 29 Qf1 Nxf3+
30 Rxf3 Qd8 31 Qe2 Rh6 32 Kg1 Bd7, but
Black still has much the preferable game.
Nevertheless, this would not have lost
immediately.
28 ... Nxh3! 29 gxh3 Bxh3+ 30 Kf2
Ng4+ 31 Bxg4 Bxg4 0-1
The twin threats of ... Bxe2 and ... Qh4+
force White to resign.
Back in the mid to late seventies English
chess was on the rise. Visionary Leonard
Barden used to organize simultaneous
exhibitions, whereby teams of very strong
juniors were lined up to play the masters,
usually the grandmasters at the Hastings
Premier. GM Rafael Vaganian came to the
London Central YMCA chess club in
January 1975, unaware that he was about to
face what was, for a simul, some serious
opposition.
Game 2 R.Vaganian-A.D.Martin London
(simul) 1975
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 Ne1
Nd7 10 Nd3 f5
If it was good enough for Fischer, it was
good enough for me. I had visions of
battering Vaganian’s king.
11 f3 f4 12 b4 g5 13 c5 h5 14 a4 Nf6 15
b5 g4 16 Ba3 Ng6 17 b6
To go deeply into theory about what has
gone before would be quite pointless.
Suffice it to say that both players have been
ignoring each other and getting on with their
own plans. However, there comes a point at
which one must pay serious attention to the
opponent and this is the moment. I started to
feel a bit uneasy. 17 b6 seemed very strong.
White was coming round quickly. I decided
to follow the advice given before the simul:
not to back down and to keep it as
complicated as possible.
17 ... axb6 18 cxd6 cxd6 19 Nb5 g3 20
Bxd6?
I think 20 Nxd6! was better, but the poor
guy was facing thirty opponents at once. The
point is to try to eliminate the light-squared
bishop on c8, which is almost always
required to sacrifice itself on h3 so that
Black’s attack can break through.
20 ... Nxe4!!

Missed or underestimated? Either way,
White is now in trouble, as Black’s queen
enters the action.
21 fxe4
21 Bxf8 Qh4 22 h3 Bxh3 is instant
termination.
21 ... Qh4 22 hxg3 fxg3 23 Rxf8+ Bxf8
24 Bf3 Qh2+
Apparently 24 ... Bd7! is the strongest
move, intending to play 25 ... Bxb5 26 axb5
Rxa1 27 Qxa1 Qh2+, followed by ... Qh1+.
In my excitement I only saw the check on
h2.
25 Kf1 Nh4 26 Ke1?
26 Ne1! was a better try, although I still
prefer Black after 26 ... Nxf3 27 Nxf3 Qh1+
28 Ng1 Bd7.
26 ... Bg4??
A mistake follows a mistake. Instead, 26
... Bh6!! won straight away, cutting off any
escape route for the white king.
27 Bxg4 Nxg2+ 28 Ke2 Ne3+
I saw up to here but simply missed 30
Nf4.
29 Kxe3 Bh6+ 30 Nf4 Bxf4+ 31 Kd3
hxg4 32 Qxg4+ Kh8 33 Nc3?!
White wins easily after 33 Be7!.
33 ... Qd2+ 34 Kc4 b5+ 35 Nxb5?
Here 35 Kb3 was correct. The effect of
the simul was clearly taking a toll on
Vaganian. We were four hours in and he
looked like he would much prefer to go to a
restaurant in Soho and drink some wine,
rather than grind on against us.
35 ... Qc2+ 36 Nc3 b5+!
Why not chuck another pawn on the
bonfire?
37 axb5 Rxa1 38 Qc8+ Kh7 39 Qf5+
Kg7 40 Bxe5+ Bxe5 41 Qxe5+ Kh6?
Seemingly 41 ... Kf8 42 Qxg3 Rc1 holds
for Black, who has numerous possible queen
checks with the white knight pinned.
42 Qf4+ Kh5 43 Qxg3
White is winning again for sure, but
Black can make life tricky for him, as
proved the case.
43 ... Ra4+ 44 Kc5 Rxe4 45 Qf3+ Rg4
46 b6?!
It was better to push 46 d6, when White
would be on the verge of wrapping it up.
46 ... Qb3 47 d6??
He should go for 47 Kc6 Qc4+ 48 Kb7
Kh6 or 47 Qh3+ Rh4 48 Qf6+ Kh6, though
the win is no longer quite so simple.
47 ... Qc4 mate
This is not the finest game ever seen, but
for a young player it was an absolutely
thrilling experience. To give you an idea of
Vaganian’s treatment: his score on the day
was +13, =7, -10. That is tough going.
 My 1989 book recommended a queen
sacrifice against the Sämisch Variation,
developed by the great innovator GM David
Bronstein. Not wishing to be caught out by
the cliché that it is easy to sacrifice pieces
which are not yours, I was anxious to try this
idea out whenever I could.
Game 3 J.Levitt-A.D.Martin Glasgow
1989
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 0-0 5 f3
d6 6 Be3 e5 7 d5 Nh5 8 Qd2 Qh4+
Black isn’t obliged to go in for this. He
can also play 8 ... f5 (see Game 21).
9 g3
9 Kd1!? was played against me by GM
Chris Ward. The idea of ‘castling long’
slowly looks ex travagant, but White’s
central structure is so solid he can afford this
slight loss of time. Nonetheless, Black
should be okay after the simple 9 ... Qe7 10
Kc2 Na6, intending ... f7-f5.
9 ... Nxg3 10 Qf2 Nxf1 11 Qxh4 Nxe3
12 Ke2 Nxc4
Here it is. For the queen Black has two
bishops, two pawns and a connected pawn
chain. Is it enough? The sacrifice certainly
seemed difficult to play against to me.
Perhaps the ultimate endorsement came
when, shortly after the publication of the
book, Yasser Seirawan decided to risk the
idea against none other than Garry
Kasparov!
13 Rc1 Na6 14 Nd1 Nb6 15 Ne3 Bd7
16 Nh3 f6
A more recent example saw 16 ... Bb5+
(hoping that the bishop is more active on b5,
but the move may push the white king to a
safer square) 17 Kd2 c6 18 Rhg1 f6 (if 18 ...
cxd5 then 19 Nf5!) 19 f4 Rf7 (possibly
Black should try 19 ... cxd5 20 exd5 Rac8
21 f5! Rxc1 22 fxg6 hxg6 23 Kxc1 Be8 24
Nf2 Nc5, but the impression remains that his
position is passive) 20 f5 g5 21 Qh5 Nc5 22
Nf2 cxd5 23 exd5 e4 24 h4! (as in our
featured game, White finds a way to break
through to the black king) 24 ... Raf8 25
hxg5 fxg5 26 Rxg5 Kh8 27 Rcg1 Nbd7 28
Rxg7! Rxg7 29 Rxg7 Kxg7 30 Nfg4 Rf6 (or
30 ... Kh8 31 Qh6 and a capture on d6 will
win as the black pieces are in a terrible
mess) 31 Nxf6 Nxf6 32 Qh2 Ne8 33 Ng4
Nd7 34 Qh6+ Kg8 35 Qg5+ Kf8 36 f6 1-0
D.Khismatullin-Ju Wenjun, Moscow 2012.
17 Nf2 Nc8
18 Nd3!
Here is the top-level game played earlier
that year: 18 Rc3 Ne7 19 Rhc1 Rac8 20 Rb3
Rb8 21 Nd3 Rf7 22 Qe1 Nc8 23 Qa5 Nb6
24 Rxc7!! f5 25 Rc2 (now 25 Rcc3 Na4 26
Rc4 Nb6 27 Rxb6! axb6 28 Qxb6 Bf8 29 b4
makes it very difficult for Black to untangle)
25 ... fxe4 26 fxe4 Rbf8 27 Rxb6 axb6 28
Qxb6 Bh6 29 Qxd6 Rf3 30 Nf5 gxf5 31
Qxh6 fxe4 32 Ne1 ½-½ G.Kasparov-
Y.Seirawan, World Cup, Barcelona 1989.
Kasparov decides not to push on in what is a
rather random position. A lucky escape for
Yasser, as according to the machines White
holds a decisive advantage.
All the same, I prefer Levitt’s move. It is
more direct and allows us to understand the
line a bit better. Black’s king can become
vulnerable and, while White must play
extremely well to prove it, the fact is
inescapable.
18 ... c5 19 Qg3!
Preparing to push the h-pawn.
19 ... Bh6 20 h4 Bb5?!
20 ... Bxe3 21 Kxe3 Ne7 seemed
unattractive to me, but maybe Black can try
to tough it out. The problem will always be
the absence of counterplay, as any pawn
break, such as ... f6-f5, runs the risk of
exposing Black’s king still further.
21 a4! Bxd3+
Levitt also gave 21 ... Bxa4 22 h5 g5 23
Nf5 Bg7 24 h6 Bh8 and 21 ... Bd7 22 h5 as
winning for White.
22 Kxd3 Nb4+ 23 Ke2 f5 24 h5!
Pressing on in aggressive style. By now I
knew what was coming but could not see
any way to avoid it. According to Levitt,
Black has more chances to survive after 24
Nxf5 (or 24 Qg2 Ne7 25 h5 g5) 24 ... Bxc1
25 Rxc1 Nxd5!? 26 Nh6+ Kg7 27 exd5
Kxh6 28 Qg5+ (or 28 h5 Ne7) 28 ... Kg7 29
h5 Rf6.
24 ... Bxe3 25 hxg6! h6
Not 25 ... Ne7? 26 Qh4 or 25 ... Bxc1?
26 gxh7+ Kh8 27 Rg1 and mates.
26 Rxh6!!
A bonecrusher. Both the white rooks are
available to capture, but this offers no help
to Black. His king is too lonely.
26 ... Bxh6
If 26 ... Bxc1 then 27 Rh7 is quickly
decisive; but not 27 Qh3? because of 27 ...
Ne7! and Black hangs on.
27 Qh3 Kg7 28 Rh1 Bg5
I thought initially that 28 ... Rh8 might
bail me out, but White has a decisive queen
switchback: 29 Qxf5 Rf8 30 Qh3 Rh8 31
Qd7+! Kxg6 32 Qf5+ Kg7 33 Rg1+ etc.
29 Qh7+ Kf6 30 Qd7!
The final, nice touch. Black is paralysed.
Not 30 g7? due to 30 ... Ne7! again.
30 ... Bh6 31 Rxh6 1-0
You can learn a lot from getting crushed.
I now understood that if Black wanted to
play this line on a regular basis, he needed to
gain speedy counterplay before all hell was
let loose on his king. To the present day I
don’t believe Black has found a satisfactory
way to achieve this.
About 25 years ago I got into
correspondence chess, hoping to improve
my analytical skills and to try out some new
ideas. The engines were getting stronger at
that time, but they had not yet killed the
game dead. Today, I have visions of a little
man sitting in a big office, surrounded by
banks of computers. Soon his next set of
moves will be ready. Later he will claim the
games as his own. Is this really what chess is
all about? For a few years I really enjoyed
playing this type of chess. The last straw
came after a crushing defeat in a domestic
tournament: a perfectly played Open Sicilian
by White, where all I could do at the end
was to congratulate my opponent on his
excellent win. Upon consulting the grading
list afterwards I found his over-the-board
rating to be Elo 1000.
The following game is one of my better
efforts and, conveniently, it is a King’s
Indian.
Game 4 V.Lyukmanov-A.D.Martin
World CC Championship Semi-Final 1994
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3
b6!?
Dubbed “futuristic” by IM Gerald
Welling. My simple thought at the time was
that the Sämisch pawn structure is inflexible
and with good timing Black should be able
to obtain a good position full of dynamic
chances.
6 Be3 Bb7
Clearly b7 is not the ideal square for this
bishop with e4 so securely protected.
Furthermore, d4-d5 looks as if it will throttle
the bishop completely. Is that the full story?
I don’t think so. Black deliberately delays
castling, waiting for White to commit
himself.
7 Qd2 c5
An important prod, opening up prospects
for the bishop on g7. In Game 23 Black opts
for 7 ... Nbd7 and 8 ... c6, which gives him a
very passive position.
8 d5 Nbd7! 9 h4
Lyukmanov could not resist it. The
Sämisch set-up lends itself naturally to a
kingside assault – but what if Black doesn’t
play ball, leaving his king in the middle?
Won’t h2-h4 turn out to be weakening?
Well, that was roughly what was going
through my mind at the time. I couldn’t
assess the position exactly but resolved to
carry on making flexible moves.
If White had played 9 Bh6 instead,
Black should certainly castle long. An
effective example of this strategy was seen
in the following game: 9 ... Bxh6 10 Qxh6
a6 11 Qd2 Qc7 12 b3 0-0-0 13 Bd3 e6 14
Nge2 Ne5 15 Rb1 exd5 16 cxd5 Kb8 17 b4,
A.Shenin-V.Gavrilov, Dagomys 2004, and
now Black’s best move is probably the
flexible 17 ... Nfd7!.
9 ... a6! 10 Nh3 Ne5! 11 Be2 h5
This had to be played now. White was
threatening to swamp Black with g2-g4-g5
and f3-f4. Lyukmanov probably thought he
was clearly better. Black continues to wait.
12 Nf2 Bc8!?
A strange and remarkable move. Black
covers g4 necessarily and it is becoming
clear that White must take some further 21 ... Nc4!
action soon, otherwise Black will find a way This felt very good to play.
to play ... b6-b5 somewhere. Perhaps 13 a4 22 bxc4 Rb8+ 23 Ka1 Bh8!
is best now, intending Ra3 and Kd1-c2, A full piece up White is powerless to
though it’s difficult to say. stop Black invading, either with ... Ne5 or ...
13 Bf4 Ra7 Nb6-a4.
Provocative! 24 Nfd1 Rab7 25 Re1
14 0-0-0?! Or 25 Bf4 Nb6 26 e5 Nxc4 27 Qe2 dxe5
Naturally White could have taken on e5. and wins.
I couldn’t call the position but felt that the 25 ... Ne5 0-1
dark-squared bishop would see me through;
e.g. 14 Bxe5 dxe5 15 Nd3 Bh6 16 Qd1 Nd7
17 Qa4 Qc7.
But now, after having waited for so long,
Black’s attack is surprisingly immediate and
deadly.
14 ... Nfd7 15 Kb1 b5!
The Benko Gambit is quite good when
White castles long! For a measly pawn
Black blasts open lines.
16 cxb5 Qa5 17 Rc1 axb5 18 Bxb5 Ba6
Black’s initiative proceeds very
smoothly.
19 Bxa6 Qxa6 20 b3 0-0!!
Lyukmanov gave up the ghost.
Enigmatic resignation or zugzwang on a full
board? The more you look, the more
difficult it becomes to see a good move for
White – or indeed any move. One brief
example might be 26 Qc2 (or 26 Bf4 Nxc4
27 Qe2 Qa3) 26 ... Nxc4 27 e5 Na3 28 Qd2
Qb6 29 Nb2 (or 29 Ne3 Bxe5) 29 ... Qxb2+
30 Qxb2 Rxb2 31 B4 Nc2+ and Black wins.

Gligoric, one of the most famous of

post-war grandmasters and certainly one of
Yugoslavia’s finest ever players, was a
genius in King’s Indian positions. Just look
The finest move of the game, all the at this game against a former world
more powerful for having been delayed. At champion.
this point I had calculated a lovely
combination.
21 Bh6
Playing right into it. But with ... Rb8 etc
imminent, what could he have done?
 Game 5 T.V.Petrosian-S.Gligoric
Rovinj/Zagreb 1970
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 Nf3 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 b4
This is the Bayonet Variation. White
wastes no time pushing forward and gaining
space on the queenside.
9 ... Nh5
Black sees a nice square for the knight
on f4 and gets ready to play ... f7-f5. Today,
9 ... a5 is equally popular.
10 Nd2!?
10 Re1 (for which see the notes to Game
32) and 10 c5 are the main alternatives.
Petrosian’s move is interesting and intrigued
me enough to research the idea for my 1990
book, Secret Weapons. White is allowing
Black to play ... Nf4 and then ... Nxe2 if he
wishes. The light-squared bishop is nothing
special in this position.
10 ... Nf4 11 a4 f5
Clearly Black can play 11 ... Nxe2+ 12
Qxe2 f5, but then White is definitely a little
better after 13 f3 with c4-c5 to come.
12 Bf3
Setting up the positional idea of g2-g3.
12 ... g5!
12 ... fxe4 13 Ndxe4 Nf5 is not as good.
White has the upper hand after 14 g3! Nh3+
15 Kg2, and if 15 ... Nd4 then 16 Bg4.
13 exf5 Nxf5 14 g3
14 ... Nd4!?
It takes real guts to play like this against
one of the greatest ever tacticians. Gligoric
cheerfully sacrifices a knight, leaving the
white king wide open. As a young player
this style of play had me thirsting for more
and wanting to play the King’s Indian at
every opportunity. By contrast 14 ... Ng6?
15 Nde4 Nd4 16 Bxg5! Nxf3+ 17 Qxf3
Rxf3 18 Bxd8 leaves White well on top.
15 gxf4 Nxf3+ 16 Qxf3
We will see shortly that 16 Nxf3! is an
improvement.
16 ... g4 17 Qh1?!
When the great Petrosian buries his own
queen in the corner, he has to be pretty
concerned. Petrosian instinctively feels that
he has to cover g2, but 17 Qh1 was a
mistaken judgment call. 17 Qd3 exf4 18 Ra2
has to be a better way to go, even if Black’s
attack looks frightening after 18 ... f3 and ...
Qh4.
17 ... exf4 18 Bb2 Bf5 19 Rfe1 f3
I suppose White thought that he could
get his queen out with a subsequent h2-h3.
Gligoric makes sure that this plan will not
succeed.
20 Nde4 Qh4! 21 h3 Be5! 22 Re3
There is no way to break free: 22 hxg4
Qxg4+ 23 Kf1 Bxc3 24 Bxc3 (or 24 Nxc3
Bd3+ 25 Ne2 fxe2+) 24 ... Bxe4 25 Rxe4
Qxe4 26 Qg1+ Qg6 leaves Black with a
decisive material advantage.
22 ... gxh3 23 Qxf3 Bg4! 24 Qh1 h2+
25 Kg2
Since 25 Kf1 Rf3! 26 Rxf3 Bxf3 27
Qxf3 h1Q+ wins immediately.
25 ... Qh5 26 Nd2 Bd4 27 Qe1
27 Rae1 Bh3+! 28 Rxh3 Rxf2+ 29 Kg3
Qg5 mate is a very nice line.
27 ... Rae8
White’s scattered forces are no match for
the total coordination of the black army.
28 Nce4
If 28 Nd1 then 28 ... Bxe3! 29 Nxe3 (or
29 fxe3 Bh3+) 29 ... Rf4!, threatening ...
Bf3+, is the quickest way to win.
28 ... Bxb2 29 Rg3 Be5 30 Raa3 Kh8
If we are to split hairs then 30 ... Bxg3!
31 Rxg3 Rxf2+! 32 Kxf2 h1Q 33 Rxg4+
Kh8 was stronger.
31 Kh1 Rg8 32 Qf1 Bxg3 33 Rxg3
Taking with the knight might have
allowed more resistance. Even so, Black
wins relatively easily: 33 Nxg3 Qh6 34 Nf3
Rgf8! 35 Nxh2 Qd2 36 Qa1+ Kg8 37 Qg1
Rxf2 38 Nxg4 Re1.
33 ... Rxe4 0-1
An attacking masterpiece.
The last game had me thinking and, after
considerable time spent burning the
midnight oil, I managed to come up with an
improvement for White. I think the original
version of Fritz was the only engine around
at that time, but I don’t recall using it to help
me. I felt confident enough to write a
chapter in Secret Weapons (Tournament
Chess 1990) about this very line and was
ready to try out my analysis at the earliest
opportunity.
Game 6 A.D.Martin-R.Britton British
Championship, Eastbourne 1991
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 b4 Nh5
10 Nd2 Nf4 11 a4
I decided to follow the main line. 11
Bf3!? leads to an unclear position, not even
allowing Black to take on e2. The whole
point is to strand the knight on f4, and g2-g3
follows unless Black does something
aggressive such as 11 ... Nd3 12 Ba3 a5 13
bxa5 Rxa5. Then White has the odd move
14 Ncb1!? with ideas of Nb3, Qc2, or Bb4
and a2-a4-a5; for example, 14 ... f5 15 Nb3
or 14 ... Nc5 15 Bb4.
11 ... f5 12 Bf3 g5 13 exf5 Nxf5 14 g3
Nd4
All as before; Britton was happy to
follow Gligoric. But if 14 ... Nd4 does not
stand up Black will have to rely on 14 ...
Nh3+ 15 Kg2 Qd7! (not an easy move to
find if you have been surprised) 16 Nb3 Nd4
17 Nxd4 exd4 18 Nb5 and the position is
very complicated.
15 gxf4 Nxf3+ 16 Nxf3!
 f3 Kh8 (or 23 ... Bxf3 24 Rxe7 Bxd1 25
Rxg7+ Rxg7 26 Rxg7+ Kf8 27 Rxc7 with a
winning endgame) 24 Rxe4 Qd7 25 Bxg7+
Rxg7 26 Qd4 and wins.

This was what I had in mind. Britton

now settled in for a long think. There are
pitfalls for Black to negotiate. Curiously,
White’s well-disguised idea is to mount a
direct attack on the black king!

16 ... e4? I hope that this introductory chapter has set

16 ... exf4 17 Bb2 g4 (17 ... Bh3 18 Re1
leaves Black a piece down) 18 Kh1 gxf3 19
Rg1! is another easy trap that Black can fall
into. White suddenly has a crushing attack.
the scene for what is to come. Those early,
classic games fired me up, filled me with
enthusiasm, and encouraged me to play and
work hard on learning and developing my
own King’s Indian portfolio.

17 Nxg5!

Unexpected, and it came as complete

shock to Britton.

17 ... Bxc3 18 Ra3

Preparing a rook lift which will decide

the game.

18 ... Bg7 19 Rg3 1-0

Some may think this is a premature

surrender, but White’s attack is immediate
and a defence is impossible to find: 19 ...
Qe7 (if 19 ... Kh8 20 Nxh7!, or 19 ... Rf6 20
Re1! Bf5 21 Bb2 Rg6 22 Qh5 h6 23 Nxe4)
20 Re1 Bf5 21 Nxe4! Bxe4 22 Bb2 Rf7 23

Chapter Two
Pawn Structures
The King’s Indian is a multi-faceted
opening with many different ideas and
themes coming into play. This could be
confusing for anyone who is just taking their
“first steps”. The most important thing to
appreciate is that Black allows White to take
the centre and to build up a space advantage.
This is a dangerous game to play against
strong opposition as you run the risk of
being squeezed. Good timing will be
essential to hit back, puncture holes in the
white centre, and break up the opening edge.
In this chapter we will take a look at the
various pawn structures that can arise in the
main lines, and I will discuss how they
should be handled, both for White and for
Black. I’m convinced that this method helps
a player to really understand an opening
before proceeding to exact variations and
theory.
The Classical Set-Up 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3
Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 0-0
This is the Classical set-up by White, a
solid, flexible and popular way to handle the
King’s Indian. We note the following
characteristics:
1. All of White’s central pawns are
protected. There is no obvious soft spot for
Black to attack.
2. White has a space advantage of four
ranks to three.
3. White normally castles short, but this is
not obligatory, especially if Black pushes
forward on the kingside too early.
4. White may consider h2-h3 and g2-g4,
starting a kingside attack of his own.
5. The onus is on Black to find the right
way of countering White’s formation.
The following game shows what happens
when Black fails to grasp just how flexible
the White position can be.
Game 7 S.Bogner-R.Zerafa Batumi
Olympiad 2018
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 0-0 5 d4
d6 6 Be2 e5 7 Be3
This is the Gligoric System. At this point
we must contrast our game with the
following short variation: 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5
Ne7 9 Nd2 Ne8 (I quite like 9 ... c5 too) 10
b4 f5.
Here Black is advancing on the kingside
and entertains hopes of attacking the white
king. This is much more difficult to do when
the king remains in the centre!
7 ... Nc6?!
Black would be much better off
employing any of 7 ... Ng4, 7 ... Na6 or 7 ...
c6, acknowledging that White has delayed
castling and that this makes a big difference.
8 d5 Ne7 9 Nd2 Nd7 10 b4 f5 11 f3 f4
12 Bf2 g5
Once the centre is blocked White usually
advances on the queenside, while Black
mounts pressure on the other flank. One of
the main points of the Gligoric System is to
make Black think twice about a rapid
advance of his kingside pawns. He could be
opening up his own king!
Here is another perfect illustration of
White’s chances in this line: 12 ... Nf6 13 c5
g5 14 Nc4 Ne8 15 a4 Bd7 16 b5 Ng6 17 c6!
(a deadly move, completely freezing the
black queenside) 17 ... bxc6 18 bxc6 Bc8 19
Nb5 a6 20 Na7! (when White takes that
bishop on c8, Black will find it impossible
to work up any meaningful attack: the pawn
break ... g5-g4 will become difficult to time
properly and, without that advance, there is
nothing to do on the kingside) 20 ... Nf6 21
Nd2 h5 22 h3 Kf7 23 Rb1 g4 (he has to try
this, as White has the game completely won
on the queenside) 24 Nxc8! Qxc8 (if 24 ...
g3 then 25 Nxd6+ Qxd6 26 Bg1 Rfb8 27
Nc4 wins) 25 fxg4 (White can safely allow
25 ... hxg4 26 hxg4 Rh8 27 Rxh8 Qxh8 28
g5 Qh1+ 29 Bf1, since Black’s attack comes
to a halt, and with Rb7 in the offing there is
now nothing better than 29 ... Nh4, but
White can calmly take on f6; i.e. 30 gxf6
Nxg2+ 31 Ke2 Bxf6 32 Rb7 and wins) 25 ...
f3 26 Bxf3 hxg4 27 Bxg4 Nxg4 28 Qxg4
Qxg4 29 hxg4 Nf4 30 g3 Nd3+ 31 Ke2
Nxf2 32 Kxf2 Kg6+ 33 Kg2 Bh6 (Black is
thrashing around, but he has absolutely
nothing) 34 Nf3! Be3 35 Nh4+ Kg5 36 Nf5
Bd2 37 Rh7 Rh8 1-0 J.Lechtynsky-
O.Sikorova, Czech Championship, Ostrava
2016. White made it look easy.
13 c5 Ng6 14 cxd6 cxd6 15 Nc4 Rf6 16
Nb5
Forking the pawns on d6 and a7. The c7-
square is an entry point which White may
occupy. Black may be strategically lost
already.
16 ... a6 17 Nbxd6
I actually prefer 17 Na7! (although
taking the d-pawn is definitely tempting).
Once the light-squared bishop leaves the
board in positions of this type, Black’s
initiative almost always grinds to a halt.
17 ... Bf8 18 Nxc8 Bxb4+ 19 Kf1 Qxc8
Taking with the rook exposes the b7-
pawn: 19 ... Rxc8 20 Rb1! Qe7 21 a3 Bxa3
22 Rxb7 and White is clearly better.
20 Rc1 Qf8 21 Qb3 Bc5
21 ... b5 seems like a bid for
counterplay, but after 22 Nb2! White is still
well on top.
22 d6 Kh8 23 Qxb7 Bxf2 24 Kxf2 Rf7
25 Rhd1

Black might have been able to organize
his defence a bit better than he has done, but
the fact is he shouldn’t enter this variation at
all. Bogner has shown why the Classical set-
up is still one of most popular ways to
counter the King’s Indian.
25 ... g4 26 fxg4 f3 27 Bxf3
White can take everything on offer
without fear.
27 ... Nh4 28 Rc3 Rc8 29 Qd5 Qg7 30
Nxe5!
The problem is the unprotected rook on
c8.
30 ... Rxf3+ 31 Nxf3 Rxc3 32 Nxh4
Rc2+ 33 Kg1 Qxg4 34 Qa8+ Kg7 35 Nf5+
Kf6 36 Qh8+ Ke6 37 Qe8+ 1-0
The King’s Indian cannot be played
routinely.
The Classical set-up cannot be trifled
with. Attempts by Black to take the game
away from main lines have not been very
successful, as White’s position is both
harmonious and adaptable.
Game 8 A.Shirov-H.Gabuzyan
Hamedan 2016
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 Nf3 c6 7 0-0 a6!?
As White isn’t threatening anything,
Black takes the opportunity to get off the
beaten track a little. The plan is to expand on
the queenside with ... b7-b5, after which
there is the threat of ... b5-b4, undermining
the e4-pawn. Black may also revert to
something approaching a main line with ...
Nbd7 and ... e7-e5. The ‘normal’ 7 ... e5
transposes to Game 50 in Chapter Three.
8 e5!
Shirov takes the view that Black’s plan
is time-consuming and advances in the
centre straight away.
8 ... Ne8
Should Black capture the pawn, he
cannot quite equalize, as White can take
back with the knight and reinforce this piece
with f2-f4. The resulting positions resemble
a poor version of Alekhine’s Defence from
Black’s perspective, where he lacks space: 8
... dxe5 9 Nxe5 Be6 10 Be3 Nbd7 11 f4! (of
course this is playable for Black, just a bit
uncomfortable against somebody good) 11
... Rc8 12 Bf3 Ne8 13 Qe2 b5?! (too
ambitious; he should probably sit and wait
with something like 13 ... Ndf6, as finding
an active plan is not easy) 14 b3 Bxe5 (it’s
clear that Black does not like his position
and one bad move follows another) 15 dxe5
bxc4 16 bxc4 Nb6 17 Rfd1 Qc7 18 c5 Nc4
19 Bf2! (the knight on c4 looks impressive,
but in reality it is not having much influence
on the game) 19 ... Ng7 20 Na4 Rcd8 21
Nb6 Na3 22 Qxa6 Nb5 23 a4 Nc3 24 Rd3!
(very strong play; White consolidates) 24 ...
Na2 (the knight reaches a terminus) 25 Be1
g5 26 Rad1 Rxd3 27 Qxd3 gxf4 28 Qe4 f6
29 exf6 exf6 30 Qxc6 Qe5 31 Qd6 Nf5 32
Qxe6+ Qxe6 33 Bd5 Qxd5 34 Nxd5 Ra8 35
a5 Rc8 36 Nxf6+ Kf7 37 Ne4 Ke6 38 Ra1
Ke5 39 Nd2 1-0 M.Stojanovic-G.Ginsburg,
German League 2014. A game which pretty
much represents the story of this line. White
has more space and a bit more potential.
Black has confusing chances, but the plan
with ... c7-c6 and ... a7-a6 should probably
be reserved for weaker opposition.
9 Bf4
White already has an edge based on
space and ease of development. He would
probably play h2-h3 next, if allowed, closing
down the bishop on c8. Thus Gabuzyan
grabs his only opportunity to play ... Bg4.
9 ... Bg4 10 Ne4
Possibly too sharp. The simple 10 Re1
keeps an edge.
10 ... dxe5
After 10 ... Bxf3 11 Bxf3 dxe5 12 dxe5
Nd7 Black was doubtless worried that
Shirov would play 13 e6, but maybe 13 ...
f5! rescues the day. I see no clear way
forward for White; e.g. 14 Ng5 (or 14 exd7
fxe4 15 dxe8Q Qxe8 16 Bg4 Rxf4) 14 ...
Nc5 15 Qc2 Qd3 16 Qc1 Nd6 is equal.
11 Nxe5 Bxe2 12 Qxe2
Offering a central pawn.
12 ... Nd7
Which Black politely declines. The
pawn is hot and capturing gives White a
serious initiative; for example, 12 ... Qxd4
13 Rad1 Qb6 (or 13 ... Qa7 14 Ng5) 14 c5
Qb5 15 Qc2 a5 (or 15 ... Nf6 16 a4! Qb4 17
Rfe1) 16 a4 Qa6 17 Nxf7!! Rxf7 18 Qb3 h6
19 Rd8 and wins. The problem with all these
lines is that Black would be playing to
Shirov’s strength, who likes nothing more
than commanding the initiative.
13 Rad1 Nd6 14 Nc3!
TIP: With more space, keep the pieces
on.
14 ... Nf6 15 Rfe1 e6
Black is trying hard but has not made it
to equality yet. White simply has more plans
at his disposal thanks to his extra space.
Shirov’s next move is characteristic and
quite tough to find.
16 g4!?
Stopping ... Nf5 and gaining yet more
space. Black resolves to do nothing and to
do it well. A simple move like 16 b3 retains
the advantage.
16 ... Re8 17 Qf3 Qe7 18 Bg5 h6 19
Bh4 Rad8 20 Kg2 g5 21 Bg3 Nh7
 21 ... Nd7 was another try, with the same
idea of a quick ... f7-f5.
22 b3 f5 23 gxf5 Nxf5 24 d5 cxd5
Here 24 ... Nh4+ 25 Bxh4 gxh4 26 d6
Qg5+ 27 Kh1 Rf8 28 Qe2 Qf5 is quite
unclear.
25 cxd5 Nf6 26 Nc4 g4 27 Qf4 Nxg3 28
hxg3 b5 29 Ne3
29 ... b4?
The imminent threat of Nf5 means that
Black has to move his queen: 29 ... Qd6! 30
Qxd6 Rxd6 31 dxe6 Rexe6 32 Rxd6 Rxd6
33 Nf5, when Black’s pawns are rather
vulnerable, but it is still game on!
30 Nf5
After this, Black is struggling to hold his
position together.
30 ... Qf8?
This loses by force, but 30 ... Qf7 31
dxe6! Qb7+ 32 Kg1 bxc3 33 Rxd8 Rxd8 34
Qc4! Re8 (34 ... Kh8 35 e7 wins) 35 Nd6
Qe7 36 Nxe8 Nxe8 37 Qxa6 also looks very
tough for Black.
31 dxe6 Rxd1 32 Nxd1 Qc5 33 Nxh6+
Kh7 34 Nxg4 Rxe6 35 Rxe6 Qd5+ 36 Qf3
Qxe6 37 Nxf6+ Bxf6 38 Ne3 Qd6 39 Qh5+
Kg8 40 Qd5+ 1-0
Rival wing attacks are common in the
King’s Indian. Once the centre is blocked
(after d4-d5) White attacks on the queenside
for all he is worth, while Black goes for the
throat on the other flank. We got a feeling
for these struggles in the first chapter and
saw how devastating Black’s attack can be.
As someone once said: “if White wins the
battle of the queenside the game is not yet
over, whereas if Black wins on the kingside
it is usually mate!”
If you are playing this type of chess at a
high level you are going to encounter a lot
of theory. Main lines stretch to move twenty
and beyond. Some may not consider this a
problem. However, the games are
uncommonly interesting and, despite all the
theory, there is plenty of scope to go wrong.
Game 9 A.Landgren-A.Ziegler Ronneby
2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 Ne1
One move among many, though 9 Ne1 is
the most common at all levels. White
prevents ... Nh5, prepares Nd3 (which
supports c4-c5), and is now able to meet ...
f7-f5 with f2-f3, a useful gain.
9 ... Nd7 10 Be3 f5 11 f3 f4 12 Bf2 g5
13 Rc1 Rf6 14 Nd3 b6 15 b4 a6 16 c5
I won’t comment on specific theory
here; let’s just say that both players are
getting on with the job. White is looking for
an avenue into Black’s camp and will
probably open the c-file and try to penetrate
to c7. Black is going to throw the kitchen
sink at the white king and will try to play ...
g5-g4 as quickly as he can.
16 ... Rg6
Super-GM Wesley So has been the main
advocate of this line in top play from
White’s perspective. Here is a classic
example of the way he defuses the Black
attack: 16 ... Rh6?! 17 cxd6 cxd6 18 g4! (the
brake is already on; Black must open lines)
18 ... fxg3 19 hxg3 Ng6 20 Kg2 Nf6 21
Rh1! Rxh1 22 Kxh1 b5 23 Be3 h6 24 a4!
(White makes it look so easy – Black’s
pressure on the kingside has gone and he 23 Qd2 g4 24 f4?
faces the firing squad on the other flank) 24 And here 24 Nf2.
... Bd7 25 axb5 axb5 26 Nf2 Nh5 27 Kh2 24 ... Rxc3!
Ra3 28 Qd2 Qe8 29 Qb2 Ra8 30 Bd2 Qf7 Totally missed by White, whose centre
31 Ncd1 Nxg3!? (Black feels that he is suddenly collapses in a heap.
being outplayed and goes all-in!) 32 Kxg3 25 Qxc3 Nxe4 26 Qc4
Nf4 33 Nc3 Rf8 34 Be3 g4 35 fxg4 h5 36 26 Qc7 Qxc7 27 Rxc7 Nxd5 28 Rxd7
Rg1 hxg4 37 Bxg4 Nd3 38 Qe2! (the Nxe3+ 29 Kh2 h4 gives Black a crushing
winning move) 38 ... Nxf2 39 Bxd7 Qxd7 attack.
40 Bxf2 Rf6 41 Be3 Qf7 (or 41 ... Rg6+ 42 26 ... b5! 27 Qc7
Kh2! Rxg1 43 Kxg1 Qh3 44 Qf2 Qg4+ 45 So that if 27 Qxe4 then 27 ... Bf5 wins
Qg2 and Black runs out of steam) 42 Kh2 immediately.
Kf8 43 Rg2 1-0 W.So-D.Vocaturo, Bergamo 27 ... Qxc7 28 Rxc7 Nxd5 29 Rxd7
2014. Nxe3+ 30 Kh2 h4
17 cxd6 cxd6 18 g4
Lindgren tries to put the brakes on in the
same way as So did; the difference here is
that Black’s h-pawn is unobstructed.
18 ... fxg3 19 hxg3 h5! 20 Kg2 Nf6 21
Rh1 Bd7 22 Be3 Rc8
A different way of handling the position
and my impression is that it confuses
Lindgren. It is rare for Black to contest the
queenside battle. I’m sure White is a bit
better as his pieces are harmoniously placed,
but, as stated at the outset, these positions
are difficult. Maybe 23 Qb3 would have
been best.
We have returned to an earlier variation,
with the extra ... b6-b5 thrown in. White is
now lost.
 31 gxh4 exf4 32 Rxg7+ Rxg7 33 Nxf4
g3+ 34 Kh3 Nf2 mate
A splendid checkmate!
The Sämisch Set-Up 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3
Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 0-0
Now we come to the Sämisch formation.
Here are my initial impressions:
1. White’s centre is a little rigid but very
solidly formed and difficult to attack
successfully.
2. The pawn on f3 anchors the position.
3. The d4-pawn is the softest spot and Black
usually hits at that early on.
4. A similar attack against e4 is unlikely to
be as good because the pawn is well
protected.
5. White is hoping to stifle Black’s
counterplay and crush him positionally.
There may also be opportunities to attack
the black king directly. We must understand
that the Sämisch Variation is a many-sided
weapon.
Did I say that the Sämisch could be used as
a direct attacking weapon? Just look at this
recent game where Black is blown off the
board.
Game 10 C.Hoi-A.Lugovoi Oslo 2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 0-
0 6 Be3 Nc6
This is the Panno Variation, named after
a famous Argentine grandmaster. 6 ... Nc6 is
provocative as it encourages d4-d5, but
White should restrain himself for the time
being and get developed.
7 Nge2 a6 8 Qd2 Rb8
Black’s plan takes shape. He is going to
try to obtain counterplay after ... b7-b5. He
may also play ... e7-e5. As it turns out,
Lugovoi is able to achieve both of these
pawn advances, but it doesn’t get him very
far. I worry about the black queen and the
rook on f8. It’s quite tough to get them into
the game in this line. As an alternative, we’ll
see Black opt for 8 ... Bd7!? in Game 84.
9 g4
Hoi goes straight for the jugular.
9 ... b5 10 0-0-0
The rook on b8 was supposed to deter
White from castling long.
10 ... e5 11 d5 Na5 12 Ng3 bxc4?!
Bringing the knight off the edge with 12
... Nxc4 seems more sensible. I think White
would have played exactly as he does in the
game: 13 Bxc4 bxc4 14 h4.
13 h4!
 A bit like the Yugoslav Attack in the
Dragon, except that here Black’s queenside
play seems very slow. Put bluntly, White
intends checkmate via h4-h5, Bh6xg7,
h5xg6 and then Qh6+ etc. Black may be
able to defend, but it is most unpleasant to
be attacked directly like this.
13 ... Bd7?
Black seems very unsettled by Hoi’s
brutal approach. 13 ... c6!? looks better to
me, trying to open the queenside. White can
continue hacking away with 14 h5 cxd5 15
exd5 Qe7 16 Bh6, but he still has to prove it
after 16 ... Rb7!. A cool head is needed and
Lugovoi is unable to manage it.
14 h5 Qe7 15 Qh2 Bh8
Black’s defence is already very difficult.
For instance, 15 ... Rfc8 16 hxg6 hxg6 17
Bh6 Qf8 is met by the calm 18 Be3, when
the various threats of g4-g5, Nf5 and f3-f4
are virtually decisive. The engine suggests
15 ... h6 16 hxg6 hxg6 17 Bh6 Nh5 as
offering the most resistance but still gives
White a big advantage.
16 Bh6 Rfc8 17 Nf5!
A thematic piece offer. Black should
leave the knight alone and keep calm after
17 ... Qe8, asking White how he intends to
continue.
17 ... Bxf5?! 18 gxf5 Nxh5 19 Qxh5!
A lovely sacrifice to complete his attack.
19 ... gxh5 20 Rg1+ Bg7 21 Bxg7 Qe8
Other squares for the queen do not work
either; e.g. 21 ... Qd7 22 Bf6+ Kf8 23 Rd2!
and Black is paralyzed against the threat of
Rdg2 and Rg8 mate.
22 Bh6+
22 Bf6+ Kf8 23 Rd2! is the same idea
again and even better than the game!
22 ... Kh8 23 Bg5
This is good enough, although 23 ... Kg7
now would force White to find a few more
decent moves.
23 ... h6
He should have at least tried 23 ... Kg7,
when the win is less straightforward: 24
Be7+ Kh6 25 Bf6! Qg8 26 Be2! Qxg1 27
Rxg1 Rg8 28 Rh1 Rg5 29 f4 exf4 30 Bxg5+
Kxg5 31 Rxh5+ Kf6 32 Rh6+ Ke5 33 Rxh7
and wins.
24 Bf6+ Kh7 25 Rg7+ Kh8 26 Bh3! 1-0

So there we have it. Black is crushed.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to steer
around this aggressive White approach.
The following game will be the first, but
not last, from Garry Kasparov in this book.
He was one of the greatest exponents of the
King’s Indian, right up there with Fischer.
Observe how dynamically he handles the
opening, unafraid to sacrifice in order to
give himself winning chances.
Game 11 F.Gheorghiu-G.Kasparov
Thessaloniki Olympiad 1988
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 0-
0 6 Be3 e5
It is fair to say that 6 ... c5 or 6 ... Nc6
are preferred in the present day, but there is
nothing really wrong with 6 ... e5. It’s a
question of taste.
7 d5 c6 8 Qd2
The alternative is to develop the
kingside, starting with 8 Bd3, for which see
Game 83.
8 ... cxd5 9 cxd5
White is relying on his pawn chain to
offer complete stability as he completes his
development and settles down to enjoy his
extra space. Black must find a way to
disrupt this plan, and one way to do it is to
prepare ... f7-f5.
9 ... Nbd7 10 Nge2
10 Nh3!? would be my preference, so
that after 10 ... a6 11 Nf2 b5 12 Be2 White
is a bit better coordinated than he will be in
the game. The bishop on e2 is less exposed
than it will be on d3 and the knight on f2 is
flexibly placed.
10 ... a6 11 Nc1
White’s plan seems to be to bring the
knight to b3, castle long, and then play Kb1
and Rc1 to try to get a squeeze going. I’m
sure that’s what Gheorghiu would have done
against ‘normal’ opposition, but the greatest
players have a way of intimidating you into
changing your plan, even if it is the correct
one!
11 ... Nh5 12 Bd3 f5
Once you have played ... e7-e5 and the
centre is blocked, ... f7-f5 almost becomes
essential in order to get counterplay.
13 N1e2
Back again. White changes his mind.
13 ... Ndf6 14 exf5 gxf5 15 Ng3
15 ... e4!?
An aggressive pawn sacrifice. Kasparov
perhaps sensed that Gheorghiu was not
entirely comfortable with the position and so
decided to take the initiative.
 TIP: Dynamic play, possibly involving
a sacrifice of some kind, is very common
in the
King’s Indian, as Black tries to break out
of a cramped position. You cannot play the
King’s Indian passively and hope for
success.
15 ... f4 was another way to give up a
pawn: 16 Nxh5 fxe3 17 Nxf6+ Bxf6 18
Qxe3 Bh4+ 19 g3 Bg5, when Black
definitely has compensation in the form of a
powerful dark-squared bishop, but with the
e4-square under White’s control I am not
convinced that it is enough.
16 Nxh5 Nxh5 17 fxe4 f4
This is the point. Black has a strong
blockading square on e5, which freezes the
centre. Moreover, there is considerable
pressure on the long diagonal, and it is not
easy to find a safe haven for the white king.
18 Bf2 Bg4
Preventing castling on the queenside and
supporting ... f4-f3.
19 h3
Gheorghiu is anxious to castle long.
There were two alternatives, both of which
allow Black strong pressure, though nothing
totally clear; e.g. 19 Rc1 f3 20 g3 Bh3 21
Bf1 Qd7 or 19 0-0 f3 20 g3 Qd7.
19 ... Bd7 20 0-0-0 Be5! 21 Kb1 Qf6 22
Be2 Ng3
23 Bxg3
Giving up the dark-squared bishop is a
huge decision as it allows Black
uninterrupted command of the long
diagonal. I suppose Gheorghiu didn’t like 23
Rhe1 Bxc3 (23 ... Rac8! 24 Bd4 b5 25 Bf3
Rc4 is unclear) 24 Qxc3 Qxc3 25 bxc3
Nxe4, when Black wins the pawn back, but
White is absolutely okay after 26 Bd4!.
23 ... fxg3 24 Bf3
24 Rhf1 Qg7 25 Rf3 Rac8 26 Rc1 holds
White’s position together.
24 ... Rac8 25 Ne2 Qg6 26 Rc1 Rxc1+
27 Qxc1
And here 27 Nxc1 Qg7 (or 27 ... Rxf3 28
gxf3 g2 29 Rf1 Bxh3 30 Ne2 Bh2 31 Rc1
g1Q 32 Nxg1 Bxg1 33 Qa5) 28 Nd3 Bd4 29
Rf1 (not 29 Rc1?? Rxf3 30 gxf3 g2) 29 ...
Bb5 30 Be2 is still approximately equal.
27 ... Rc8 28 Qe3 Qf6 29 Qd2 Rc5 30
Nc1?
So far, Gheorghiu has been defending
well and holding his own, but 30 Nc1 is
definitely a mistake, possibly prompted by
time pressure. He should have played 30
Rc1! b6 31 b4 Rxc1+ 32 Qxc1 Bxh3 33
Qc7! with enough play to secure a draw; for
example, 33 ... Qh6 (or 33 ... Ba1 34 Kc2!
Qb2+ 35 Kd1 Qb1+ 36 Nc1) 34 gxh3 Qd2
(not 34 ... Qxh3? 35 Kc2! g2 36 Ng1 Qg3 37
Qxb6) 35 Qd8+ Kg7 36 Qe7+ Kg6 37 Qe6+
with perpetual check, since 37 ... Bf6?? (or
37 ... Kg5?? 38 h4+) 38 Bh5+! Kxh5 39
Qf5+ Bg5 (or 39 ... Qg5 40 Qxh7+ Qh6 41
Nf4+) 40 Nxg3+ Kh6 41 Qf8+ Kg6 42
Qe8+ leads to mate. This was all tough to
find when you are short on time, and doubly
so facing Kasparov.
30 ... Bf4! 31 Qb4 Bb5
Black takes over the position, able to
play around the rigid white centre.
32 Nb3 Bd3+ 33 Ka1 Rc2 34 Rb1
Or 34 Na5 Bc1!.
34 ... Be5 35 Nc1
Or 35 Nd2 a5!.
35 ... Bxb2+ 36 Qxb2 Qxb2+ 0-1
In view of 37 Rxb2 Rxc1+ 38 Rb1 Rxb1
mate.
The Four Pawns Attack 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6
3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f4 0-0
Pushing pawns and gaining early space
is something Black is happy to let White do.
The whole rationale of the King’s Indian is
to hit back at the right moment and disjoint
the white centre. The Four Pawns Attack is
possibly the ultimate expression of White’s
ambition. We note the following:
1. White is neglecting piece development in
favour of pawn pushing.
2. White’s pawns may become over-
extended.
3. White’s intentions are both aggressive
and positional.
4. For the time being, Black is ahead in
development and has castled. An attacking
approach is therefore called for before White
gets the chance to consolidate his central
gains.
I am fond of the Four Pawns Attack, but I
am also totally sure that Black has good
chances against it. Care is needed though!
Those who play the Four Pawns Attack
must clearly understand what they are letting
themselves in for. The price of a mistake is
high when one defers development in favour
of a quick space-grab. There are no world-
beaters contesting the following game, but
that is precisely why it is of great interest to
those starting out. Their mistakes are our
mistakes!
 Game 12 R.Tomaszewski-J.Orzechowski
Polish Team Championship 2017
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f4 0-
0 6 Nf3 Na6!
A modern twist which I believe to be a
very good answer to the Four Pawns.
Usually 6 ... c5 is preferred, but Black is
preparing to play ... e7-e5 in this line.
7 Be2 e5!
Looks impossible. Isn’t Black just losing
a pawn? Well, he is, but it’s a deliberate
sacrifice. Once 7 ... e5 was discovered, this
line became all the rage.
8 dxe5
The usual way is 8 fxe5 dxe5 9 d5, after
which 9 ... Nc5 scores well for Black,
whether White opts for 10 Qc2 or 10 Bg5.
8 ... dxe5 9 Qxd8 Rxd8 10 Nxe5 Nc5!
For the pawn Black has superior
development and the initiative, and he has
given White plenty of scope to go wrong.
We note the looseness of White’s position
and the weak squares in his camp, notably
d3 and d4.
11 Nd5
White usually plays 11 Bf3 here, though
without any greater success (see Game 98).
11 ... Nxd5 12 exd5 Re8
13 Kf1?
I think White has to try 13 Be3, but bare
equality is the most he can hope for; e.g. 13
... Nd7! 14 Bd4 Nxe5 15 fxe5 Bxe5 16 Bxe5
Rxe5 17 Kd2 Bf5 18 Rae1 Rae8 19 Bf3 Kf8
and the game will most likely end in a draw.
Perhaps intoxicated by his higher rating,
White plunges on in the game trying to win
but in fact makes a serious misjudgment.
13 ... Bxe5 14 fxe5 Rxe5 15 b4 Ne4 16
Bb2 Re7 17 Rd1
White probably thought that the
bishop on b2 would rule the
board, but his position is too
loose.
17 ... h5! 18 Bf3 Bg4!
TIP: When playing against the bishop
pair, try to exchange one of them off and
then play on the squares of that colour.
19 Bxg4 hxg4 20 Bd4 Rae8
Threatening 21 ... Nd2+.
21 Rg1 Nd6 22 c5 Nf5 23 d6 cxd6 24
cxd6 Rd7
A echo of the Guseinov game above:
again all Black’s pieces are evading the
bishop. Add to that the passive rook on g1
and we understand why White manages to
lose so quickly.
 25 Kf2
Neither 25 Bc5 b6 nor 25 Bxa7 Ra8 26
Bc5 Rxa2 helps White at all.
25 ... Rxd6 26 Bb2 Rde6
26 ... Rc8! was pretty good too.
27 Rd2 Re4 28 a3? 0-1
Since 28 ... Rf4 is checkmate! White
prefers not to see that move on the board.
The fate that befell White in the last
game can be avoided by a show of restraint.
White needs to consolidate his early spatial
gains, rather than going for an outright
attack or leaving himself with weak squares
all over the place by a premature opening of
the position. Veteran GM Anatoli Vaisser is
a champion of the White system and he
devoted a whole book full of original
analysis to this very topic. He still plays the
Four Pawns today.
Game 13 A.Vaisser-L.Vogt World 65+
Team Championship, Dresden 2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f4 0-
0 6 Nf3 c5
By far the most common move. Black
adopts a Benoni approach, encouraging
White forward before he is completely
ready.
7 d5 e6 8 Be2 exd5 9 cxd5 Bg4
This is supposed to be the best and most
reliable reply. Black guards against the
threat of a cramp by exchanging off a pair of
minor pieces and in the process takes the
sting out of e4-e5, which is an advance
always in White’s mind. The approach of
the connoisseur is interesting. White plays
the position with restraint.
10 0-0 Nbd7 11 Qc2!?
White generally claims the bishop pair
with h2-h3 around here, for which see Game
90. Vaisser opts instead to leave the black
bishop alone for the moment.
11 ... Ne8 12 Bd2
Slow and steady. Vaisser argues that
Black cannot equalize if White simply
completes his development. There will be no
lurching forward in the centre. The plan
Be1-h4 is on the table. These are ideas
which Vogt does not find easy to combat.
12 ... Nc7
Vaisser has had previous success in this
variation: 12 ... a6 13 a4 Rb8 14 a5 Nc7 15
h3 Bxf3 16 Rxf3 Re8 17 Raf1 b5 (without
this move Black’s position would be
passive) 18 axb6 Rxb6 19 Na4 Rb7 20 Bc4
Nb5 21 Qd3 Nd4 22 Re3 Qb8 23 Bc3 Qa7
24 Kh1 Bh6 25 Ree1 Bg7 26 Bxa6?!
(tempting, yet was this the right moment for
26 e5! dxe5 27 d6, opening fire against f7;
there is only a finite amount of manoeuvring
possible in this line – eventually, the
restrained, positional approach has to give
way to attack) 26 ... Rbb8 27 Bxd4 Bxd4 28
Bb5 Re7 29 Re2 Nf6 30 Nc3 Qa5 31 Bc6
Rb3 32 Qc2 c4 33 e5 Nh5 34 Ne4 Rxb2 35
Qxc4 Rxe2 (35 ... Qb6! looks stronger) 36
Qxe2 dxe5?! (and here 36 ... f5! was
necessary) 37 f5! (a typical mechanism
which we will also see in our main game;
Black’s bishop on d4 is now locked out of
the game and this makes her king position
very shaky) 37 ... Nf4 38 d6 Ra7 39 Qf3 (39
Qg4! Qd8 40 d7 Kg7 41 g3 Nd3 42 Qg5 is
winning) 39 ... gxf5 40 Ng3 Qa3 41 Qxa3
Rxa3 42 Nxf5 and White went on to win in
114 moves, A.Vaisser-A.L’Ami, Isle of Man
2015.
13 a4 a6 14 Be1 Rb8 15 Bh4 Bf6 16
Bg3! Bxf3 17 Bxf3 b5
17 ... Bh4 18 Bxh4 Qxh4 19 Ne2 Rfc8
20 Qd3 Ne8 would also be okay.
18 Rae1
So far thematic play from both
grandmasters. White has avoided exchanges
where he can, built up in the centre, and
readies himself for e4-e5, while Black has
activated his queenside pawn majority.
Basically, if Black has no reason to fear a
central advance, these positions are always
absolutely fine for him, as the advancing
queenside majority causes massive
disruption. Thus, the course of the next few
moves is important.
18 ... Re8?
This natural move is a serious mistake.
Vogt underestimates the potential of the
white centre. 18 ... Bd4+ 19 Kh1 Qe7 was
better, keeping the position balanced.
19 e5! dxe5 20 f5 Bg7 21 d6!
Sending the knight to a terrible square.
21 ... Na8 22 fxg6 hxg6 23 Bd5
White’s attack has been sudden, no
doubt unexpected, and hits with tremendous
force.
23 ... Nf6 24 Qxg6 Nxd5 25 Qxf7+ Kh8
26 Nxd5 Qxd6 27 Nf6 1-0
Two faces of the Four Pawns Attack
have been on display in the last couple of
games. It does not come more aggressive
than in the next one! As usual, Simon
Williams has no fear in taking the fight to
his opponent, one of England’s strongest
grandmasters.
Game 14 S.K.Williams-G.C.Jones
Bunratty 2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f4 c5
6 d5 0-0 7 Nf3 e6 8 e5!?
When White plays 8 e5, he is essentially
announcing that he is willing to sacrifice a
pawn to start an immediate attack. Can he
get away with this with his king still stuck in
the middle?
8 ... dxe5 9 fxe5

9 ... Ng4
Seven years earlier 9 ... Nfd7!? led to a
quick Williams win: 10 Bg5 Qa5 11 Qd2
Nxe5 12 Nxe5 Bxe5 13 Be2 exd5 14 cxd5
Bd4 (the difference from the usual main line
is that White’s king is prevented from
castling, at least for the moment; 14 ... Re8
15 0-0 Qb4 looks good too) 15 Be3 Rd8 16
Bxd4?! (16 Rd1 was better) 16 ... cxd4 17
Qxd4 Nc6 18 Qd2 Nb4 19 Rd1 Be6 20 Bf3
Bf5 21 0-0 (finally! Black now makes a
mistake) 21 ... Qc5+ (he should call White’s
bluff and take the a-pawn: 21 ... Nxa2 22
Ra1 Qc5+ or 22 Nxa2 Qxa2 23 Qf2 Qa6 and
Black has the edge) 22 Kh1 Rac8 23 a3
Nc6? 24 g4 1-0 S.K.Williams-K.White,
Sunningdale 2011.
It’s easy to become carried away when
you score wins with your favourite line,
whether it is sound or not!
10 Bg5 Qa5
10 ... Qb6 also looks good for Black but
led to yet another Williams win: 11 Qd2
Nd7 12 Be2 Ndxe5 13 Nxe5 Nxe5 14 0-0 f6
(14 ... f5! is a strong move, blocking the
attack; after 15 Rad1 Bd7 I’m not sure how
White takes it from here) 15 Be3 Qa5 16 a3
Rf7 17 Bf4 Qd8? (17 ... exd5 is still fine for
Black) 18 Bxe5 fxe5 19 Rxf7 Kxf7 20 d6!
(now Black struggles to get his act together)
20 ... Bd7 21 Ne4 b6 22 Bg4 Kg8 23 g3 Qe8
24 Rf1 Rd8 25 Qg5 h6 26 Nf6+ (26 Qh4!
leaves White in charge) 26 ... Kh8 27 Qd2
Qf7 28 Nd5 Qe8 29 Ne7 e4 30 Qf4 h5? 31
Be2 Bc6 32 Qg5 Bd4+ 33 Kg2 e3+ 34 Kh3
Rxd6 35 Qh6 mate, S.K.Williams-
W.Hendriks, London 2009.
Simon is a very popular player. He takes
any risk, creates tension-filled situations
where the price of each move is high, and
wins many beautiful games. Of course,
when you have a style like this you must be
willing to lose some games too, including a
few horror-stories. Perhaps this is the
philosophy that the Four Pawns Attack-er
must adopt.
11 Be2 exd5 12 cxd5 Nxe5 13 0-0 Qb4
14 Qc1 Nxf3+ 15 Rxf3 Re8
Black has won a pawn. He stands better
with perfect play. Can we expect perfect
play? From Gawain Jones, perhaps yes.
16 Bb5 Bd7 17 a3 Qd4+ 18 Kh1 a6 19
Rf4!?
Confusion begins. Jones is up for the
challenge.
19 ... axb5!
Rejecting a favourable ending after 19 ...
Qe3 20 Qxe3 Rxe3 21 Bxd7 Nxd7 22 Rxf7
Kxf7 23 Bxe3 Re8 24 Rf1+ Kg8.
20 Rxd4 cxd4 21 Na2 Na6 22 Qf4 Bf5
 The nature of the game has changed
completely, with the crazed attacker now on
the defensive. Furthermore, Black seems
able to improve his position move by move,
whereas White is struggling to coordinate.
23 Rf1 Re4 24 Qf3 Rae8 25 d6 Nc5 26
Nb4 h6 27 Be7 d3! 28 Nd5 d2 29 Ne3 Re5
29 ... Rd4! is suggested by the engines,
unconcerned about Nxf5. For example, 30
Nxf5 (or 30 Rd1 Bd7! 31 h3 Bc6 32 Qf1
Ne4) 30 ... gxf5 31 Kg1 (or 31 Qxf5 d1Q 32
Qxf7+ Kh7) 31 ... Ne4 32 Bh4 (or 32 Qxf5
d1Q again) 32 ... Rxd6 33 Rd1 Rc6 and
Black is perfectly coordinated
30 b4?! Nd7
Here 30 ... Ne4! was even stronger.
31 Qf2 h5 32 Qxd2 Bh6 33 Re1 Rc8 34
h3 Rc2 35 Qd4?
He had to play 35 Qxc2 Bxc2 36 Nxc2
and hope to hang on after 36 ... Rxe1+ 37
Nxe1 Bc1 or 36 ... Rd5 37 Kg1 Rd2.
35 ... Rc4 36 Qa7 Rce4 37 Qa8+ Kh7
38 Qxb7 Rxe3 39 Rxe3 Rxe3 40 Qd5 Re1+
41 Kh2 Bf4+ 42 g3 Re2+ 43 Kg1 Be6 44
Qxb5 0-1
Since 44 ... Be3 now wins on the spot.
The Averbakh and Associates 1 d4 Nf6 2
c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2 0-0 6 Bg5
By “associates” I mean systems where
White plays e2-e4, but does not put his
king’s knight on f3 just yet. Of these ideas,
the Averbakh Variation, introduced in the
diagram, is by far the most commonly
played. I note the following characteristics:
1. White retains some flexibility using these
systems.
2. Significantly, he leaves his kingside
pawns free to advance. White may play f2-
f4, g2-g4 or h2-h4, as he pleases. White
could be thinking of a direct attack against
the king or simply cramping Black.
Game 15 A.Gorovets-A.Zapata Charlotte
2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 Bg5 h6
Black often reacts with 6 ... c5 here, and
6 ... Na6 has become very popular too.
Zapata plays a slightly old-fashioned line
which is regarded as passive.
7 Be3 e5 8 d5 Nbd7 9 Qd2 Nc5 10 f3!
a5 11 0-0-0
We’ll later see White take a different
approach with 11 Bd1 in Game 73.
In case you were wondering, 11 Bxh6?
is met by 11 ... Nfxe4! 12 Nxe4 Nxe4 13
fxe4 Qh4+ 14 g3 Qxh6 – a common King’s
Indian tactical idea.
11 ... h5 12 h4

I am beginning to wonder where Black’s
counterplay will come from when he plays
in this manner. It’s all too rigid. White has
the easy plan of preparing g2-g4, while
Black is really hard pressed to effect an
equivalent pawn lever.
NOTE: King’s Indian players must
have a clear idea how they plan to disrupt
White’s
centre. Otherwise, as in this game, you
can end up permanently cramped without
much to do.
12 ... a4
Here 12 ... Nh7 13 g4! is similar to the
main game and similarly awful for Black: 13
... hxg4 14 fxg4 Nf6 15 Bxc5! (an excellent
and unstereotyped move, exchanging off
Black’s only active piece) 15 ... dxc5 16 g5
Nh7 17 Nf3 f6 18 h5 (ploughing through,
and why not?) 18 ... Nxg5 (18 ... gxh5 19 g6
Ng5 20 Rxh5 Nh3 21 Rh1 Nf4 22 Rh7 does
not look too great for Black) 19 hxg6 Ra6
20 Rdg1 Nh3 21 Rg3 Nf4 22 Bd1 f5 23 Qh2
(White piles in on the king; it looks very
impressive but in reality this is routine stuff
at master level – what makes it special is
that Black, who is getting pulverized, is
rated 2700!) 23 ... Re8 24 Bc2 fxe4 25 Bxe4
Qf6 26 Ng5 Re7 27 Nh7 Qb6 (27 ... Qd6 28
Nb5 Qd7 29 Kb1 a4 would last a bit longer,
but White is still in complete command; I
get the impression Black had given up by
this stage) 28 d6! Re6 (if 28 ... cxd6 29 Nd5
or 28 ... Qxd6 29 Rd1) 29 Nd5 Qxd6 30 Rd1
Bd7 31 Ng5 Rxg6 32 Nxf4 Rh6 33 Nh5 1-0
K.Sundararajan-B.Amin, Dubai 2018.
13 Kb1 Nh7
13 ... a3 14 b3 leaves Black without any
play. White will soon get around to g2-g4
and Black can’t really stop him; e.g. 14 ...
Bd7 15 Nh3 b6 16 Nf2 Qc8 17 Rdg1 etc.
14 g4 hxg4 15 fxg4 Nf6 16 Bxc5! dxc5
17 g5
17 ... Nh5
Played with extreme reluctance, I would
imagine. Yet 17 ... Ne8 18 h5! Nd6 19 h6!
Bh8 20 h7+ Kg7 21 Nf3 is disastrous for
Black. White will simply transfer his queen
to h6 via e1 and h4.
18 Bxh5 gxh5 19 Nge2 Bg4 20 Ng3!
Cheerfully offering up the exchange in
the full knowledge that it cannot be taken:
20 ... Bxd1 21 Qxd1 a3 22 b3 Re8 23 Nf5
Ra6 24 Rf1 Rg6 25 Qxh5 is completely
losing for Black, as he is move-bound.
20 ... a3 21 Nf5
Excitable. 21 b3! was better, after which
Black must await his fate.
21 ... f6
 Black might as well take the chance for
21 ... axb2 22 Rdf1 c6.
22 g6 axb2 23 Rdf1 Qd7 24 Rhg1
Threatening Rxg4, followed by h4-h5-
h6; e.g. 24 ... Ra3 25 Rxg4 hxg4 26 h5 Rfa8
27 h6 Rxc3 28 Qxc3 Qa4 29 a3! and wins.
24 ... Bxf5 25 Rxf5 Ra3 26 Rg3
Or just 26 Rxh5 Rfa8 27 Rh7.
26 ... Rfa8 27 Qd1 Qd6
27 ... Kf8 28 Rxh5! also wins.
28 Qxh5 1-0
The type of game that gives the King’s
Indian player recurring nightmares.
Game 16 K.Bhakti-V.Kovalev Dubai
2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 Be3
A flexible idea, which can transpose into
various systems at a moment’s notice. White
may play Nf3 or he may push his kingside
pawns. He may or may not play Qd2. You
would think 6 Be3 would introduce a
recognized main line, but this is truly a
variation with no name. It has become
popular recently, as White players have tried
to find slightly different ways of tackling the
King’s Indian and to stop Black from just
reeling off theory.
6 ... Na6
A recent British Championship game
saw Black get a reasonable position by
playing 6 ... c5 7 d5 (after 7 dxc5 Qa5,
threatening ... Nxe4, Black already has a
good game since White cannot keep
grabbing pawns: 8 cxd6 Nxe4 9 dxe7 Re8
10 Bd4 Nxc3 11 bxc3 Bxd4 12 Qxd4 Nc6
sees White two pawns up, but he is going to
lose at least one of them and will not be able
to get his pieces working together – White
should avoid such lines of play) 7 ... e6 8
Nf3 exd5 9 cxd5 Re8 10 Nd2 c4 11 0-0 Na6
12 Bf3 (12 a4 looks stronger) 12 ... b6 13
Re1 Nc5 14 Bxc5 bxc5 15 e5 Rxe5 16 Rxe5
dxe5 17 Nxc4 e4 18 Nxe4 Nxe4 19 Bxe4
Ba6 20 Qa4 Bxc4 21 Qxc4 Qd6 22 Rb1 Re8
23 Bf3 Bxb2 and the players agreed a draw,
D.Howell-G.C.Jones, British Championship,
Hull 2018.
7 g4
Direct. The Benoni response with ... c7-
c5 is almost always the best way of
countering these early pawn lunges, as the
position opens up quickly.
7 ... c5 8 d5 e6 9 g5 Nh5!?
A creative and in some ways remarkable
sacrifice by Black, who allows White to win
a pawn and damage the kingside. Kovalev
will justify the idea by showing that White
has problems getting his own king to safety
and that Black can generate direct threats
which prevent White from fully completing
development. This game demonstrates the
strong, dynamic potential of the King’s
Indian.
10 Bxh5 gxh5

11 Qxh5
Three rounds later, Y.Santiago-
V.Kovalev, Dubai 2018, saw 11 Nge2 Re8?!
(the immediate 11 ... exd5 12 Nxd5 Bg4 was
better) 12 Nf4 exd5 13 Nfxd5 Bg4 (or 13 ...
Be6 14 Nf6+!) 14 f3 Be6 15 Qd2 Kh8 16 0-
0 and Black was somewhat worse, though he
still managed to win the game.
11 ... Nb4 12 Qd1 exd5 13 cxd5 c4
Kovalev gives his opponent no time at
all to get her pieces out. White cannot stop
... Nd3+ and has to try to play around this
dominant knight.
14 Rb1 Nd3+ 15 Kd2 b5!
Lines must be opened without delay.
16 a3
16 Nxb5 Rb8 17 Nxa7 Nxb2 18 Qc2 c3+
19 Kc1 Ba6 is quite horrible for White.
16 ... a5 17 Nxb5 Nxb2
I think I might prefer 17 ... f5 18 gxf6
Qxf6 19 Ne2 Bd7, when White faces a
nightmarish defence; but this does not take
anything away from Black’s achievement.
18 Qc2?!
White probably has to give up the
exchange with 18 Rxb2 Bxb2 19 Ne2,
though it looks hopeless in the long run.
18 ... c3+!
So that if 19 Nxc3 then 19 ... Nc4+ and
... Nxa3 wins.
19 Ke1 Nc4 20 Bc1 f5 21 Ne2 fxe4 22
Nbxc3 Ne5 23 Nxe4 Ba6 24 Rb3 Rc8
This is brilliant stuff by Black. No time
is wasted as he brings all his pieces into the
attack.
TIP: It would be a good idea at this
moment to review some general advice
about
attacking play:
1. Conditions have to be right for an
attack to succeed. The enemy position
should be compromised in some way.
2. Go in with everything you’ve got.
3. Superior development usually sets up
an attack.
4. Tactical skill tops it off.
5. Keeping a cheerful and optimistic
frame of mind is helpful when conducting
an attack.
6. Attacking prematurely, without the
above preconditions in place, has little hope
of success.
25 Qb1 a4 26 Rg3 Qa5+ 27 Bd2 Qxd5
28 N2c3 Rxc3 29 Bxc3 Nd3+ 0-1
The knight returns to d3 with devastating
consequences.
It is the thought of playing games such
as this that keeps the King’s Indian popular.
 The Fianchetto Set-Up 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3
Nf3 Bg7 4 g3 0-0 5 Bg2 d6 6 0-0
White’s fianchetto set-up can be
considered one of the main threats to the
King’s Indian.
We note:
1. White has a modest two-pawn centre,
yet with the usual extra space.
2. White’s king is safe.
3. The complete absence of early targets
for Black to attack.
This is an imposing list, but Black does
not have to give up hope. Because White’s
set-up is solid, slow and methodical, there
are no immediate threats to deal with and
this gives Black time to formulate an
effective response.
Freedom to respond brings a sense of
obligation alongside. Although White isn’t
threatening Black directly when he plays an
early g2-g3, this does not mean that Black
can do exactly as he pleases. Having said
that, White must also be clear about his way
forward. He cannot lie low in the water
forever, and sometimes he gets it wrong.
Game 17 Zhou Weiqi-Li Shilong Chinese
Team Championship 2018
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 g3 Bg7 4 Bg2 0-0 5 0-
0 d6 6 d4 Nbd7
This one of Black’s most common ideas,
preparing ... e7-e5.
7 Qc2
7 Nc3 e5 8 e4 c6 9 h3 can be considered
the main line, with mutual chances, as we’ll
see in Chapter Four (Game 56).
7 ... e5 8 Rd1
This is one of the points of White’s play,
threatening to take twice on e5, but Black
can easily deal with the idea.
8 ... Re8
8 ... Qe7 is another option.
9 dxe5?!
Insipid. Either 9 Nc3 or 9 e4 was more
to the point, both of which keep more
tension in the position.
NOTE: An early capture on e5 rarely
brings White an advantage in any
variation of the
King’s Indian. The early tension is
dissolved and Black’s defence becomes a lot
easier.
9 ... dxe5 10 e4?!
I don’t like this either, even if White
knew exactly what he was doing. Here we
see a hole on d4 which Black would in time
like to occupy, say with a knight.
Meanwhile White has an outpost on d5. The
difference is that Black can play ... c7-c6
and eject any potential invader from that
square.
NOTE: This d4 vs. d5 battle is a
common one in the King’s Indian. Make
sure you
understand the difference between an
outpost and a hole before proceeding.
10 ... Qe7 11 h3
So that when White plays Be3, he will
not be irritated by ... Ng4.
11 ... a5
Black prepares to bring his knight to c5,
so that he in turn will not be irritated by b2-
b4.
12 Be3 Nc5 13 Nc3 c6!
To me this move makes the difference
and, although the position may be
considered equal, stylistically I would prefer
the Black side, as I feel I have all
approaches guarded and can now start to
develop active play.
14 Bxc5
Here 14 b3 Be6 15 Rd2 Rad8 would
probably lead to a draw with mass
exchanges on the d-file. Frankly, I think this
is what White should have done.
14 ... Qxc5 15 Na4 Qe7 16 c5 Be6 17
Nxe5
17 Rd6 isn’t much of a challenge. Black
evicts the rook after 17 ... Red8 18 Rad1
Ne8.
17 ... Bxh3! 18 Nxc6 bxc6 19 Bxh3
h5!?
Going for it. 19 ... Qxe4 20 Qxe4 Rxe4
21 Nb6 Rb8 22 Bg2 Re6 23 Rac1 Bf8 24 b3
Re5 25 Na4 Re6 would have kept equality,
but Li Shilong decides the time is right for
an attack on the white king. We note that
Black is a pawn down, but it has been a
deliberate sacrifice.
TIP: The King’s Indian is not an
opening for wimps.
20 Nb6
20 Bg2 h4 21 gxh4 Nh5 leaves White’s
position looking rather fragile, even if he is
currently two pawns up.
20 ... Rab8 21 Re1 h4 22 e5 Nh5
23 Re4?
Li Shilong’s optimism is justified. White
doesn’t seem to like defending and makes a
clear mistake. What was he worrying about?
Let’s try and find out:
a) 23 e6 was the first move that came to
my mind, but White is shut out after 23 ...
f5! and 24 gxh4 Qxh4 25 Bg2 Nf4 sees
Black developing huge pressure.
b) 23 Bd7 is a computer suggestion, after
which Black must cheerfully take on g3; i.e.
23 ... hxg3! (23 ... Red8 24 e6! f5 25 g4 is
better for White) 24 Bxe8 (or 24 fxg3 Bxe5
and if 25 Bxc6? then 25 ... Bd4+ 26 Kg2
Qg5 wins) 24 ... Rxe8 25 fxg3 Bxe5 26 Nc4
Qxc5+ 27 Kg2 Nxg3 (27 ... Re7!? keeps the
game going) 28 Rad1 Nf5, when there may
be a repetition for White with 29 Qe4! Ng3!
30 Qc2 Nf5 31 Qe4, but this has been a
tough line to foresee and make a correct
judgment about, even for a GM.
23 ... hxg3
Now Black breaks in.
 24 Rae1
Or 24 fxg3 Nxg3.
24 ... Rbd8 25 Bg4?
Cracking up. He had to try 25 Bg2,
though Black is still in command after 25 ...
Bf8 26 Na4 Qg5 27 R4e3 gxf2+ 28 Qxf2
Bg7.
25 ... Qh4 26 f3 Rxe5! 0-1

Seeing that 27 Rxe5 Bxe5 28 Rxe5 fails
to 28 ... Rd1+, White gives up the ghost.
The last game was rather poor by White.
We will now see a much better
representation of his chances.
Game 18 I.Blechzin-J.Ager World 65+
Team Championship, Rhodes 2019
1 c4 g6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nf3 Bg7 4 g3 0-0 5 Bg2
d6 6 0-0 Nc6
This is another Panno Variation (we
already saw one in Game 10). Again, the
early development to c6 is provocative
because White can drive the knight to the
edge of the board with d4-d5. It’s also very
sharp and interesting and is still frequently
played today. The fate of the knight on a5 is
central to the line. There are games where
this knight stays as a spectator, out of play,
and White crashes through in the centre or
on the kingside.
7 d5
White opts to hit the knight straight
away, which is slightly unusual, though it
reaches the same position as after 7 Nc3 a6
8 d5 Na5 9 Nd2 c5 in Chapter Four.
7 ... Na5 8 Nfd2 c5 9 Nc3 a6 10 Qc2
Rb8 11 b3 b5
Now White must pay close attention as
the knight on a5 comes into the game.
12 Bb2
White is unconcerned, sees no threat,
and prepares play in the centre.
12 ... e5
Ager tries to use his pawns to good
effect. If White takes on e6, there will be a
square in time on c6 for the offside knight. If
White does not capture, Black could obtain
kingside pressure by moving the knight from
f6 and playing ... f7-f5.
In Game 58 we’ll see Nakamura try 12
... h5!? here.
13 dxe6 Bxe6 14 cxb5 axb5 15 Nce4!
 16 Nxe4 Bxb2 17 Qxb2 f6 18 Rfd1 Nb7
19 Qd2
Exchanges have not really helped Black
in this example, as his pawns on d6, c5 and
b5 are prime targets.
19 ... Qe7
It is worth noting that 19 ... d5 20 Nc3
d4 21 Nxb5 Qb6 22 Na3 Rfe8 23 Rac1 Nd6
24 e3! does not give Black enough value for
a pawn.
20 Qf4 g5 21 Qd2 Rbd8 22 Nc3 b4 23
Nd5 Qf7 24 a3!

A fluid position has arisen where White

is slightly for choice. Black’s pawn structure
in the centre is compromised, with the pawn
on d6 a glaring weakness. This is the price
Ager has had to pay to get the c6-square
back. Yet many strong players have been
happy to go into this as Black.
15 ... Nxe4
15 ... Bf5 is the most popular move here;
for example, 16 Nxf6+ Bxf6 17 Ne4 (17
e4?! not only blocks in the bishop on g2, it
also weakens the d4-square and allows the
black knight on the rim to come back to c6 Black’s over-extended pawns offer
without hassle) 17 ... Bxb2 18 Qxb2 Bxe4 White a number of targets to aim at.
19 Bxe4 d5 20 Rfd1 d4! (Black presses 24 ... Na5
forward, and the unprotected bishop on e4 Back to his favourite spot.
gives him tactical opportunities) 21 Rac1 25 Qb2 Nc6 26 axb4 Nxb4 27 Nxb4
(instead, 21 b4 Qe7! 22 Bg2 Nc4 23 Qc2 cxb4 28 Rd3 Qc7 29 Re3 Bf5
cxb4 24 Rxd4 Rfd8 25 Rad1 Rxd4 26 Rxd4 29 ... Rde8 30 Rxe6 Rxe6 31 Bd5 Qe7
Rd8 seems okay for Black, as the knight on 32 Qd4 Kh8 33 Ra7 looks horrible for
c4 is very well placed; likewise 21 Bf3 Qb6! Black.
22 Rac1 Rfd8 does not seem too stressful; 30 Bd5+ Kg7 31 Qd4 Qc5 32 Re7+
the conclusion we can draw from this game Kg6 33 Qxc5
is that careful exchanging appreciably So far, Blechzin has played this game
decreases the pressure White can put on extremely well, but here I definitely prefer
Black’s pawn structure) 21 ... Qb6 22 b4 33 Rd1!, with White retaining his
Nc4 23 Qb3 cxb4 24 Qxb4 Rfe8 25 Bf3 Qf6 advantages of a superior pawn structure and
26 a4 Ne5 27 Qxd4?? (a blackout! – after 27 more active pieces.
axb5 d3 the game continues with all to play 33 ... dxc5 34 e4
for) 27 ... Nxf3+ 28 exf3 Re1+ 0-1
V.Chekhov-V.Tseshkovsky, Sochi 1983.

34 ... Kh6
According to Deep Fritz 14, Ager misses
a chance now in 34 ... Rxd5! 35 exd5 Rd8,
which is quite hard to appreciate for a
normal player (as these guys are). I certainly
did not consider this possibility until I
turned on the engine. All the same, I think
White should be winning, and his best try is
to open it up with 36 h4! (36 Rd1 Bc2 37
Rc1 Bxb3 38 Rxc5 Bxd5 is a probable draw)
36 ... h6 (now if 36 ... Bc2?! then 37 hxg5
Bxb3 38 Ra6 Kxg5 39 d6) 37 Raa7 Rxd5 38
f3 g4 39 Rg7+ Kh5 40 Ra6, when Black’s
king is in peril.
35 Raa7 Bg6 36 g4!
Black is now in serious trouble, as his
king is cut out of the game and very
vulnerable.
36 ... Rfe8 37 Rxe8 Rxe8 38 f3 Rd8
38 ... Rc8 39 Kf2 Be8 40 Kg3 Bc6 (or
40 ... Rd8 41 Rc7 Rd7 42 Rxc5) 41 Be6 Re8
42 Bf5 Rh8 43 Rc7 is decisive.
39 Rc7 f5 40 gxf5 Bxf5 41 Rxc5 Bh3 42
Kf2 Rf8 43 Kg3 Bf1 44 Rc6+ Kg7 45 Rc7+
Kg6 46 e5 Bd3 47 Rb7 Rd8 48 Bf7+ Kf5
49 e6 1-0
In the Fianchetto Variation, White settles
for an opening edge based on small things;
Black is offered freedom to respond. A wide
variety of rich, complex positions may
result, but with White still holding his space
advantage, a compact pawn structure, and a
rock-solid king. Black must be careful! The
Delayed Benko Gambit I realize that
readers may not know much about the
Benko Gambit, so there will be a longer than
usual introduction to this section. In fact this
positional gambit is one of Black’s main
weapons against 1 d4 and is in many ways a
relation of the King’s Indian. Let’s see the
gambit in action:
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 b5 4 cxb5 a6 5
bxa6 Bxa6
Black sacrifices a pawn early on. White
does not have to accept.
6 g3 d6 7 Bg2 g6 8 Nf3 Bg7 9 0-0 0-0
10 Nc3 Nbd7 11 Re1 Qb6 12 Qc2 Rfb8
We can now list Black’s compensation:
1. He has been able to play a string of easy
pre-programmed moves to complete his
development.
2. Black has a safe king.
3. Black has a bomb-proof pawn structure.
4. There is obvious pressure on the
queenside files.
5. It will be a long time before White is able
to realize his extra pawn. Meanwhile White
has a defensive task ahead of him.
Putting this all together, we can see why
the Benko Gambit is so popular. However,
there are also many dangerous variations
where White declines the gambit which put
a lot of players off. This is all another story
for another book.
13 e4 Ng4 14 Rb1 Nge5 15 Nxe5 Nxe5
16 Rd1 Qb4 17 Bf1 Bxf1 18 Kxf1 Nc4 19
Rd3 Bxc3!
An unexpected and very strong move!
20 Qxc3
20 Rxc3 Na3! is surely the point that
was missed by White.
20 ... Rxa2 21 Qxb4 Rxb4 22 b3 Na3
23 Bxa3 Rxa3
Black has regained his pawn, White is
completely tied down, and the threat of ...
c5-c4 is very serious. The game St.Gordon-
P.Benko, Las Vegas 1976, concluded:
24 Re3 c4 25 Ke2 Ra2+ 26 Ke1 Rc2 27
h4 h5 28 Kf1 Kf8 29 Kg2 Ke8 30 Ra1
cxb3 31 Ra8+ Kd7 32 Ra7+ Rc7 33 Ra1
b2 34 Rb1 Rc1 0-1
If Black wishes to try a delayed Benko
Gambit-style sacrifice via the King’s Indian
move order, the situation is a lot more
complicated. Black can play this way but
can only hope for success under certain
circumstances. In my opinion, these are:
1. White is some way from castling.
2. White is making a lot of pawn moves
at the expense of piece development.
3. White has developed his king’s bishop
early, meaning that a subsequent capture on
a6 by that bishop is going to cost him a
tempo.
Game 19 S.D.Swapnil-V.Antonio Indian
Championship, Jammu 2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 Bg5 c5 7 d5 b5 8 cxb5 a6
Here we are. Black is following the rules
laid down above. White has already moved
his bishop to e2. Nevertheless, I don’t like
the sacrifice in this particular position.
9 a4!
Jamming up the works. White would
never be able to play like this in the Benko
Gambit proper. Swapnil takes advantage of
his extra development.
9 ... Qa5
9 ... axb5 10 axb5! is the point, with
advantage to White after 10 ... Rxa1 11
Qxa1 Nbd7 12 Nf3. This is certainly not lost
for Black, but he does not have the usual
compensation, if any compensation at all.
10 Bd2 axb5 11 Bxb5 Ba6
Still following the script. If White takes
on a6 he has made a lot of moves with his
light-squared bishop. But why should he
take?
12 Nge2! Bxb5 13 Nxb5 Qb6 14 Nec3
Na6 15 0-0 c4

A typical gambit position has arisen but
in an unfavourable guise from Black’s
perspective. Perhaps Black can zero in on
the d3- and b3-squares? White stops him.
16 Qe2 Rfc8 17 a5 Qb7 18 Ra4! Nc5
19 Rxc4 Nfxe4
19 ... Nb3 might have been a bit better,
but once again Black does not have enough
after 20 Rxc8+ Qxc8 21 Be3 Rxa5 22 f3.
20 Nxe4 Qxb5 21 b4
The two passed pawns are going
to win, as long as White can
negotiate a brief period of tactics.
21 ... Nd3 22 Rxc8+ Rxc8 23 Bg5 Qxd5
24 Rd1 Rc4 25 Rxd3 Qxe4 26 Qxe4 Rxe4
27 Bd2!
Consolidating. White wins.
27 ... Rc4 28 a6 Rc2 29 Kf1 Ra2 30 b5
f5 31 Be3 Kf7 32 a7 f4 33 b6 fxe3 34 fxe3
d5 35 b7 1-0
This game is inserted as a cautionary
tale. There will be situations in the King’s
Indian where you can launch the queenside
pawn sacrifice, but apply discretion and
good judgment before doing so.
Game 20 A.D.Martin-J.Fedorowicz
Hastings 1984/85
1 d4 g6 2 c4 Nf6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5
Nge2
The Kramer System. I used to play this a
lot. I still think it’s a decent weapon against
the King’s Indian, but the knight on e2
almost always goes to g3 which is not a
great square. Fedorowicz reacts sharply with
a delayed Benko Gambit, and it was after
this game that I learned that this might be a
very effective way to meet 5 Nge2.
5 ... c5!? 6 d5
Perhaps I should have preferred 6 dxc5
dxc5 (6 ... Qa5?! 7 cxd6 Nxe4 8 dxe7 Nc6 9
Qd5 is good for White) 7 Qxd8+ Kxd8 8
Be3 Nbd7 9 f3 b6 10 0-0-0, as in
L.Remlinger-J.Fedorowicz, New York Open
1991, which does rather take the fun out of
Black’s idea.
6 ... b5 7 cxb5 a6!
White’s development plan is slow to
take shape, so John feels justified in
sacrificing the pawn.
8 Ng3 0-0 9 bxa6 h5
Very original and aggressive play. He is
certainly waiting for the f1-bishop to move
before taking on a6 and so plays the sharpest
move he can find. I remember feeling
concerned about the knight on g3. I didn’t
want to move my bishop but felt I had to
make room for the knight to drop back.
Already, stylistically, I preferred the Black
position.
 There is nothing wrong with taking on
a6 either: 9 ... Bxa6 10 Be2?! (10 Bxa6
Rxa6 11 0-0 should have been played) 10 ...
Qb6 11 0-0 Nbd7 12 Bxa6 Qxa6 13 Qc2
Rfb8 14 b3 c4 15 bxc4 Qxc4 16 Bd2 Ng4 17
Nge2 Rc8 18 Qd1 Nc5 19 Rb1 Ne5 and
Black has a heavenly gambit position with
White in a complete mess, L.Szabo-
Sl.Martinovic, Amsterdam 1984.
10 Be2
I suppose I could have played 10 h4, but
then where is White going to put his king?
10 ... Qa5 11 Bd2 Nbd7 12 Nf1 Bxa6
Delayed until the very last moment.
Black has an excellent Benko, as it is not
easy for White to come up with a good plan.
My idea was to get castled, exchange light-
squared bishops, and then to try to entrench
a knight on c4. Thirty five years later I still
believe this to be the right plan, but it does
not lead to any sort of advantage. Black will
have strong pressure for the pawn.
13 Ne3 Rfb8 14 Rb1 Ne5 15 0-0 Bxe2
16 Qxe2 Qa6!
It’s all about active and passive pieces.
The white queen has the potential to aid a
later attack on the king, so Black happily
exchanges the queens, despite remaining a
pawn down.
17 Qxa6 Rxa6 18 b3 Nd3 19 Nc4?
This is where the knight often belongs in
Benoni positions, especially when the d6-
pawn is undefended, but I underestimated
the counterplay that Fedorowicz now
creates. To me this shows that defending
these positions is not a lot of fun for White,
and how little chance you have of realizing
your extra pawn.
Perhaps White should play 19 a4 as
suggested by the engines. I didn’t like giving
Black complete command over b4, but
White is going to try to put his knight on b5,
jamming the position up. Play may proceed
19 ... Ng4! 20 Nxg4 (or 20 Nb5 Nxe3 21
Bxe3 c4) 20 ... hxg4 21 Nb5 c4! (time and
again it is this advance that maintains
pressure for Black) 22 bxc4 Rxa4, which
looks about equal.
19 ... Ng4! 20 a4
Ready for Nb5, but ...
20 ... Ndxf2!
Did I miss this? I truly cannot remember.
At the very least I didn’t take the idea
seriously enough.
21 Nb5
Possibly I thought I could play 21 Rxf2
but completely underestimated 21 ... Bd4 22
Nd1 Nxf2 23 Nxf2 Rxa4, when White is
very tied down. Try finding a good move for
him, given that 24 Rc1 Rxb3 25 Kf1 Ra2 26
Nd1 f5! leads to a situation where Black can
improve his position move by move and
White has no play at all. Here we see the
fire-proof Benko pawn structure coming into
focus.
21 ... Nxe4 22 Rfe1 f5 23 Bf4 g5! 24
Be3
White has lost the plot and is condemned
to a long and unsuccessful defence.
24 ... Nc3!
Fedorowicz now starts to play
straightforwardly, holding a large advantage.
24 ... Be5 25 Nxe5 Nxe5 26 Nc7 Rab6 27
Ne6 Nd3 also seems terrific for Black.
25 Bxg5
A desperate sacrifice. I knew I was
going down in lines such as 25 Nxc3 Bxc3
26 Bd2 (or 26 Rec1 Nxe3 27 Rxc3 Nxd5) 26
... Bd4+ 27 Kf1 Kf7 28 Bxg5 Nxh2+ 29 Ke2
Rg8, and so tried to mix it up.
25 ... Nxb1 26 Rxb1 Nf6 27 Bxf6 Bxf6
28 Kf1 Kf7 29 Ke2 Rg8 30 Kf3 Rg4 31
Re1 Rxc4! 32 bxc4 Rxa4 33 Rc1 Be5
Black has an extra pawn, more activity,
and bishop against knight. It must be
completely winning, though until Black
creates a passed pawn, White can keep
playing.
34 h3 h4 35 Nc7 Ra3+ 36 Ke2 Ra2+ 37
Kf3 Bd4 38 Rf1 Rc2 39 Ne6 Be5 40 Rb1
Bg3 41 Rb8 Kf6 42 Rf8+ Ke5
King Kong has arrived at the scene.
43 Rf7 Rxc4 44 Nc7 Rc3+ 45 Ke2 Rb3
46 Rxe7+ Kd4 47 Ne6+ Kxd5 48 Ng7
Rb2+ 49 Kd1 f4 50 Nf5 Rxg2 0-1
A nice and instructive game by John,
who certainly showed that the Benko
Gambit response is a good idea against 5
Nge2.
White Castles Queenside It does not
happen often but White will occasionally
castle queenside in a King’s Indian, and this
gives rise to a new set of ideas which are
worth thinking about. Conditions have to be
right. They usually include:
1. A blocked centre, giving White more
space and time to organize the game.
2. Black has attacked too early on the
kingside, with the white king still in the
middle.
3. There is the possibility of a kingside
attack by White.
4. There is the possibility of a squeeze,
where Black has little play and no chance of
opening up the game successfully.
In my opinion, Black must try to play as
energetically as possible against a scheme
like this, and knowing how to open up the
game using pawn breaks is the key.
Our first game is an object lesson in how
to release the hidden energy in the King’s
Indian set-up.
Game 21 Wang Yue-I.Cheparinov
World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk 2007
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 0-
0 6 Be3 e5 7 d5 Nh5 8 Qd2 f5
An alternative to the queen sacrifice with
8 ... Qh4+ 9 g3 Nxg3 10 Qf2 Nxf1 etc, seen
in Game 3.
9 0-0-0
 Black has played the Uhlmann Variation
against the Sämisch, which involves him
opening up with ... f7-f5 a little early. By
castling long White gets his king out of the
danger zone and will try to turn the tables on
this premature-looking advance. It is not
unknown in this variation for White even to
play on the queenside with ideas like Kb1-
a1 and Rc1, planning a quick c4-c5.
Cheparinov is alert to the potential squeeze
and starts immediate queenside counterplay.
9 ... a6! 10 Kb1 Nd7 11 Bd3 Nc5 12
Bc2 b5! 13 cxb5
White cannot keep the queenside closed.
After 13 b4 Nd7 14 c5 Black continues 14 ...
a5!.
13 ... axb5 14 Nxb5 Ba6 15 Nc3 Qb8
A transformation has taken place and,
for a pawn, Black has a dangerous queenside
attack.
16 Nge2 Qb4
Planning ... Rfb8.
17 Bxc5
With Black’s attack in full swing was it
time to consider 17 exf5 gxf5 18 g4!? - ?
Perhaps not, as after 18 ... Rfb8! 19 b3 Nf4!
the knight can scarcely be taken and has
found a beautiful square Note that 20
Bxf5?? is met by 20 ... Nxb3 with
immediate carnage.
17 ... dxc5
18 a3?!
Advancing pawns in front of the king
makes the defence more difficult as it gives
Black a new target to zone in on. White
should perhaps have tried 18 Ng3 Nf4 19
Na4, when things are not totally clear.
18 ... Qa5 19 Nc1 Bc4 20 Bb3 Bxb3 21
Nxb3 Qb6 22 Qc2 Rfb8
The engine claims that the position is
still okay for White, but stylistically I am
sure we would all prefer to be Black, who is
pounding down on the queenside files.
23 Ka2 Nf4 24 Nc1?
Obvious, but bad. He should have
retreated the other knight: 24 Nb1, intending
N1e2 and Nc4, or if 24 ... Nxg2 then 25 Rd3
Nf4 26 Rd3 and White is still in the game. It
just goes to show how difficult defence is,
even for super-grandmasters.
23 ... c4 25 Rd2 Bf8
Black’s bishop joins the attack in order
to land the decisive blow.
26 g3?
White simply had to play 26 Nb1 now.
26 ... Bxa3!

Simple and nice. Black wins by force.
27 bxa3 Rxa3+ 28 Kxa3 Qb4+
Not yet 28 ... Ra8+?? 29 Na4 and White
wins.
29 Ka2 Ra8+ 30 Na4 c3! 31 Ka1 cxd2
32 Na2 Rxa4 33 gxf4 Qd4+ 34 Kb1 Rc4 35
Qb3
Or 35 Qd1 fxe4.
35 ... fxe4 36 d6 cxd6 37 fxe4 Qxe4+ 38
Kb2 Qxh1 39 Qxc4+ Kg7 40 Qe6 d1N+!
Not 40 ... d1Q?? 41 Qe7+ Kh6 (or 41 ...
Kg8 42 Qe8+) 42 Qg5+ Kg7 43 Qe7+ and
White draws.
41 Kc2 Ne3+ 42 Kd3 Nf5 43 fxe5 Qf3+
44 Kd2 Qf2+ 45 Kd3 Qd4+ 46 Kc2 dxe5
47 Nc3 Qf2+ 48 Kb1 Qg1+ 49 Kb2 Qxh2+
50 Ka3 Qg3 51 Kb4 Qf4+ 52 Ka5 Qd4 53
Nd5 Qc5+ 54 Ka4 Qd6 0-1
By displaying the right level of energy at
the right moment, Cheparinov was able to
gain the initiative and create a position
which White, who expected a traditional
Sämisch squeeze, did not enjoy. Aggressive
thinking is the key for Black when White
castles long.
The next game is a massacre. It’s hard to
pinpoint a direct mistake by Black, apart
from to make a poor judgment call by his
choice of variation.
Game 22 B.Alterman-Mi.Barnes
London Lloyds Bank 1994
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 Bg5 Na6 7 Qd2 e5 8 d5 Nc5
8 ... Qe8 is probably a better move here,
as featured later in Game 74.
9 f3 h6 10 Be3
It is worth pointing out that 10 Bxh6?
again runs into 10 ... Nfxe4! 11 Nxe4 (or 11
fxe4 Qh4+) 11 ... Nxe4 12 fxe4 Qh4+ 13 g3
Qxh6, when Black is left with a strong and
unopposed dark-squared bishop. We saw the
identical trick in Game 15.
10 ... a5 11 0-0-0!
Alterman judges that his kingside
attacking prospects outweigh anything Black
can do on the queenside.
TIP: When the kings have castled on
opposite sides, whoever attacks quickest
usually holds the advantage.
11 ... Kh7
After seeing the game, I wondered
whether 11 ... h5 might have slowed White
down a bit, although the black kingside
starts to look very open. This position in fact
arose via a different move order in Game 15,
where White certainly had the better
prospects after the further 12 h4!, but at least
the attack is not as speedy as it is now.
12 g4! Ng8 13 h4 f5
This is what you are often supposed to
do in these situations, but it surely helps
White accelerate his attack.
14 h5! f4 15 hxg6+ Kxg6 16 Bf2 Bd7
17 Kb1!
A club player might ask “why?”, but 17
Kb1 is an excellent move, putting the king
on a slightly safer square than before. And
who knows, much further down the line
White might utilize the extra option of Rc1
and an eventual b2-b4 and c4-c5. The last
plan seems way over the horizon, but I have
seen it happen.
17 ... a4 18 Nh3 Ra6 19 Rdg1
Shunting everything over to continue the
attack with g4-g5.
19 ... Bf6 20 Bd1 Qe7 21 g5
Seems like it couldn’t be stopped.
21 ... hxg5 22 Nxg5!
22 ... Bxg5 23 Bh4 Kf7 24 Bxg5 Nf6 25
Rh6 Ke8 26 Bh4 Bc8 27 Rxf6 1-0
This game is an object lesson to King’s
Indian players, both present and future. On
no account, in any line, almost at any point,
must you render your position inflexible.
Denied a pawn lever, with less space and a
poorly placed king Barnes was simply
unable to offer any resistance to Alterman’s
crushing attack.
Before we leave this topic, I have to
show you a game where Black castles
queenside, which in the King’s Indian is
rarer than a hen’s tooth. The only reason
Black would ever do this is to demonstrate
flexibility and, presumably, to head off a
direct kingside attack by White. I have to
say, after reviewing this game, that this idea
should be used very sparingly indeed.
Game 23 J.Cori Tello-E.Izquierdo
Peruvian Championship, Lima 2017
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 b6 3 f3 Bb7 4 e4 d6 5 Nc3
g6 6 Be3 Bg7 7 Qd2 Nbd7 8 g4
As Black isn’t really doing anything
active, White feels the urge to expand.
Noting this, Black continues to do nothing.
8 ... c6 9 h4 h5 10 g5 Ng8 11 d5 c5 12
f4
Black’s position is already horribly
passive. The only way he can open the game
is via the pawn levers ... b6-b5 or ... f7-f6
and neither looks especially attractive. So
Black must sit and wait, not exactly the right
idea against superior opposition.
TIP: When you are playing someone
much stronger than you, mix it up and
have a go!
Create complications. What have you
got to lose?
12 ... a6 13 a4!
Preventing any breaks.
13 ... Qc7 14 Bh3 0-0-0
Here we are. I like Black’s style, but I
dislike his position. He can’t do anything!
15 Nge2 Kb8 16 Rb1 Re8 17 0-0!
 17 ... e6?
This is terrible. Opening the game up
when you have less space and undeveloped
pieces is not a good idea. However horrible
it looks, Black must shut up shop with 17 ...
a5!? and hope that White cannot break
through after, say, 18 Nb5 Qd8 19 Rbe1 Ba6
20 Nec3. Of course, in time White will play
either e4-e5 or f4-f5 and Black will still be
under the cosh.
18 dxe6 fxe6 19 Rbd1 Bf8 20 e5
Did Black overlook this simple move?
20 ... Ne7 21 exd6 Qc6 22 dxe7! Qh1+
23 Kf2
Nothing to see here.
23 ... Qxh3 24 exf8Q Qxh4+ 25 Ng3
Rhxf8 26 Qxd7
26 Rh1 Qg4 27 Nge4! Rd8 28 Qe2 was
perhaps strongest of all.
26 ... Qh2+ 27 Ke1 Qxg3+ 28 Bf2 Qg2
29 Qd6+ Kc8
29 ... Ka8 30 Qxb6 is equally hopeless.
30 Qxb6 Rxf4 31 Qxc5+ Bc6 32 Rd6
1-0
Black has had his thrill, he got a few
checks in, and now nothing is left.
Joking aside, castling queenside in the
King’s Indian may very occasionally be
playable, but don’t make a habit of it.
Summary Let’s see if we can summarize
the lessons of this long chapter:
1. White dominates the centre early on in all
main lines of the King’s Indian.
2. Black cannot allow this dominance to
extend to the middlegame. He must hit back
in the centre, and the usual responses are
either ... e7-e5 or ... c7-c5. Other ways are
possible but slower, and Black runs the risk
of getting into a passive position if he plays
this way.
3. When White develops his c1-bishop
early, ... c7-c5 is usually best, freeing the
black queen to come to a5 or maybe to
attack b2. In other cases, ... e7-e5 is most
common.
4. When White delays castling, a more
aggressive response than usual is needed
from Black. This may involve sacrificing.
Aggression also comes into play if White
castles queenside.

Chapter Three
The Classical System
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3
0-0
The Classical System is an
unpretentious, yet fundamental challenge to
the King’s Indian. White develops quickly,
takes space, sets up a solid three pawn
centre, and asks Black how he is going to
equalize. This question cannot be answered
simply and thus the variations stemming
from the position in the diagram above can
be complex and varied. As this is a First
Steps book and not an encyclopaedia, I will
try to introduce them in a clear way. We will
start with the main lines after 6 Be2.
6 Be2
White continues in solid, classical style,
seemingly preparing to castle. Yet he
sometimes delays that move, hoping to
make gains by other means. Another
possibility is 6 h3, which is covered at the
end of the chapter.
6 ... e5!
I think this has got to be the best move
here, tried and tested over decades by many
of the strongest players in history. I’ll show
a couple of alternatives at the end of the
chapter, but I strongly recommend 6 ... e5.
Black wastes no time in staking out a claim
in the centre.
At this point, it is worth mentioning that
White cannot simply win a pawn with 7
dxe5 dxe5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9 Nxe5, as 9 ...
Nxe4! is then a good move: 10 Nxe4 (10
Nxf7?? loses a piece after 10 ... Bxc3+ 11
bxc3 Kxf7) 10 ... Bxe5 11 Bg5 Re8 12 Nf6+
Bxf6 13 Bxf6 Nc6 14 Rd1 Bf5 with an equal
position.
The Petrosian System 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3
Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 d5
The Petrosian System. White blocks the
centre and, while he can castle at any point,
often prefers to probe the Black position,
starting with Bg5. I think Black has good
chances against this idea and that he should
begin with the flexible 7 ... a5!.
Game 24 L.Vrolijk-M.Vachier Lagrave
PRO League, chess.com (rapid) 2019
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 d4
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 d5 a5
If queenside expansion was ever on
White’s mind, then 7 ... a5 slows him down.
Black may also transfer a knight to c5,
unworried about b2-b4. There could be
chances on the kingside after moving the
knight from f6 and following up with ... f7-
f5. Thus 7 ... a5 is a many-sided move.
8 Bg5
This is Petrosian’s purely strategic idea.
By pinning the knight White entices ... h7-
h6 and ... g6-g5, after which the bishop on
g7 starts to look very bad. Moreover,
permanent light square weaknesses cannot
be discounted. Modern players have learned
that Black shouldn’t necessarily push the
kingside pawns just yet and can seek
counterplay elsewhere first.
8 ... Na6
We’ll look at 8 ... h6 in the next game.
9 Nd2 Qe8!
Comfortably stepping out of the pin.
10 a3 Bd7 11 b3
It takes White ages to force his b-pawn
to the fourth rank.
11 ... c5!?
Both 11 ... Kh8 and 11 ... h6 have been
preferred to the move chosen by Vachier-
Lagrave, but 11 ... c5 is certainly interesting.
Black continues his campaign to stop White
from advancing his b-pawn and more or less
announces that he is going to play on the
kingside from now on.
12 Nb5 Qe7 13 0-0 h6 14 Bh4 Rfc8
A strange-looking move, until we
understand that Black is trying to play ... f7-
f5 and cannot do this until he unpins the
queen and moves his knight on f6. Thus ...
Qf8 is the idea.
15 Bd3 Qf8! 16 Re1 Nh5 17 Nb1 f5
An essential move.
18 N1c3 f4
Here I would go for 18 ... Nf4! 19 Bc2
Nc7 20 Nxc7 Rxc7, when it would be harder
for White to play the position with Black’s
kingside attack coming up.
19 Be2! Nf6 20 Bxf6 Bxf6 21 Bg4! Rd8
22 Be6+
I much prefer something like 22 Bxd7!
Rxd7 23 Na4 Bd8 24 Qg4 Qf7 25 Qh3 Kg7
26 f3, when White is quite a bit better.
TIP: The light-squared bishop is a key
piece for Black in these kingside attack
scenarios
after ... f7-f5. That’s because:
1. The bishop covers the weak square e6.
2. The bishop may be needed to sacrifice
itself on h3 at some stage in the proceedings.
22 ... Kh7 23 Qg4 Be8! 24 Na4 h5 25
Qh3 Qg7 26 Nb6 Rab8 27 Qc3 Nc7 28
Na7 Bf7 29 Bxf7 Qxf7 30 Qxa5 f3
 This is not difficult fare. Black has been
gradually organizing a kingside pawn storm
and finds a moment to strike. Note that this
was a rapid game and practical chances are
the key to success. By seizing the initiative
with both players short of time, Vachier-
Lagrave puts the pressure on.
31 b4?
According to the machines, White does
better to play 31 g3, but it is entirely
understandable that he does not. Visions of a
black queen appearing on h3 prevent him.
Another possibility was 31 Qc3 fxg2 32
Qh3, bringing his own queen back across to
defend.
31 ... Na6 32 Nb5 fxg2 33 bxc5 Bh4 34
Re2 Qf3
Suddenly, Black’s attack looks very
menacing. The preliminary 34 ... Nxc5! is
even stronger.
35 Rae1?
He had to play 35 Qd2 Nxc5 36 Qe3 in
order to expel the black queen from its
dominant position, with chances for both
sides.
35 ... Nxc5 36 Qc3 Nd3!
The attack now wins.
37 Qd2 Rf8 38 Nd7 Nxf2! 39 Nxf8+
Rxf8 0-1
To repeat the saying again: “When
White wins the battle of the queenside, the
game continues. When Black wins on the
kingside, it’s mate!”
It would be inappropriate to leave this
section of the book without giving a game
by Petrosian himself. The one below is a
classic King’s Indian masterpiece.
Game 25 T.V.Petrosian-A.Lutikov
USSR Championship, Moscow 1961
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 Nf3 e5 7 d5 a5 8 Bg5 h6
This time Black opts to hit the white
bishop first.
9 Bh4 Na6 10 Nd2
 White has not castled and argues that
Black is a long way from organizing any
kingside counterplay. Petrosian holds more
space and continues with the usual
preparation for b2-b4.
10 ... Qd7!?
Black is anxious to break the pin and
does not want to play the drastic ... g6-g5,
but this already starts to look like an
uncomfortable square for his queen. I prefer
10 ... Qe8 which does not block in the
bishop on c8.
11 a3 Nh7 12 f3 f5 13 b4!
Since Black has made queenside
development difficult for himself, White is
able to achieve a key pawn advance
effortlessly.
13 ... axb4 14 axb4 Rb8 15 Rb1 Nf6 16
Bf2 Qe7 17 c5 Kh7
Noting that 17 ... dxc5 18 Bxa6 bxa6 19
Bxc5 wins an exchange.
18 cxd6 cxd6 19 0-0!
I would say this is a perfect example of
what White is trying to achieve with 7 d5.
His play on the queenside is well advanced,
whereas Black’s counterplay on the other
flank is nowhere near as fast as it usually is.
Black has been enticed to make a number of
moves that he would never normally make,
with ... Qd7 and ... Rab8 the stand-out
examples. White is better.
19 ... f4 20 Nc4 Nc7 21 Nb6 g5 22 Ra1
White’s advantage grows, with
infiltration on the queenside so easy.
Meanwhile, Black is still struggling to
generate play.
22 ... Rg8 23 Kh1!
A very typical prophylactic move from
Petrosian who, like no other, knew how to
take the sting out of the enemy attack. White
may even start to play on the kingside
himself!
23 ... Bd7
After 23 ... h5 24 Nc4 g4 White can
safely win the exchange with 25 Ba7 Ra8 26
Nb6.
24 Nxd7 Qxd7 25 Na4 Bf8 26 Nb6 Qg7
27 g4!
 With the light-squared bishops off the
board, there is no possibility of a sacrifice
on g4 and thus White is now able to block
the Black attack completely.
27 ... h5 28 h3 Rh8 29 Kg2 Kg8 30 Rh1
hxg4 31 hxg4 Rxh1 32 Qxh1
Lutikov hopes to make a draw with these
exchanges, but White still owns more space
and the bishop pair. Black faces a tough, if
not impossible defence.
32 ... Nd7 33 Qc1
33 Nc4! seems a bit better, keeping
Black very cramped.
33 ... Nxb6 34 Bxb6 Na8 35 Ba7 Rd8
36 Bb5 Be7 37 Bf2 Kf7 38 Qc2 Rh8 39
Rh1!
White does not fear further exchanges as
all his remaining pieces are superior to their
black counterparts.
39 ... Rxh1 40 Kxh1 Qh8+ 41 Kg2 Qb8
It is possible that more resistance could
have been offered after 41 ... Qd8 42 Qa4
Kf8 43 Qa7 Qc8 44 Qa1 Bd8, but eventual
light square penetration is the major
headache.
42 Bd7! Nc7 43 Qc1 Na6 44 Qh1 Kg7
45 Bf5 Qh8 46 Qb1 Qe8 47 Qh1 Qh8 48
Qa1!
48 ... Qb8?
Cracking under pressure. Black had to
play 48 ... Qe8 and hope that White cannot
break in.
49 Qa4 Kf8 50 Qd7 Nxb4 51 Qe6 Qc7
52 Bh7 Ke8 53 Bg6+ 1-0
Since 53 ... Kd8 54 Qg8+ leads to mate.
Control of the board is what strong
players are after. They like to take away
enemy counterplay and have access to
plenty of forward-going plans. I’m sure we
have all had the uncomfortable experience
of sitting on a position with nothing to do,
just watching the opponent play. This is the
type of game that Petrosian’s 7 d5 is trying
to create.
The Gligoric System 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3
Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 Be3
 played the slow 7 ... Nbd7, White decides to
castle) 8 ... Ng4 (via the 7 0-0 Nbd7 8 Be3
move order, 8 ... Re8 is seen in Game 49
later in the chapter) 9 Bg5 f6 10 Bh4 Nh6 11
Qd2 Nf7 12 Rad1 a5 13 Rfe1 c6 14 Bf1 a4
15 Qc2 Qa5 (there has been no real prospect
of a black pawn avalanche on the kingside,
so Gligoric has had to organize his game in
a different way; White is still a bit better
with a more compact formation and nicely
developed pieces, but where does he go
from here?) 16 h3 Re8 17 Bg3 Nf8 18 d5!

With 7 Be3 White makes a strong

developing move and does not commit his
king just yet. The Gligoric System is
primarily aimed against mechanical play by
Black, who may now try 7 ... Nc6?! 8 d5
Ne7 (as in Game 7) but then finds there is no
white king on g1 to attack! White is
therefore content to make all manner of
flexible moves and start pushing his
queenside pawns before castling, in order to
throw Black off the scent.
This is a very popular and respectable
idea by White. Black has to be careful. And 18 ... c5?! (a complex game results after
where better to start than with a game from 18 ... a3 19 b3 Nd7 and I think that is what
the man after whom the system is named? Black should have preferred; by blocking
Game 26 S.Gligoric-Z.Kozul Yugoslav the centre he reduces his options)
Team Championship 1990
TIP: When you are playing with less
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 space it is rarely a good idea to block the
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 Be3 Na6 position.
Realizing that the c6-square is Instead, keep flexible, aim for
unattractive at the moment (as we’ve just exchanges, make small improvements move
mentioned), Black develops his knight by move.
elsewhere. It is also possible to put the
knight on d7 and, curiously, the first 19 Nh4 Bd7 20 Bd3 Qd8 21 Rb1 Bh6 22
Gligoric game featuring this system was a b4! (despite ... c6-c5, Black did not manage
loss with this move as Black! He clearly to prevent White from expanding on the
recognized the potential of White’s idea and queenside) 22 ... axb3 23 Rxb3 Bc8 24 Reb1
went on to play 7 Be3 frequently. Bg5 25 Nf3 Bf4 26 Nh4 (alternatively, 26
I.Bilek-S.Gligoric, Stockholm Interzonal Bh2! Bxh2+ 27 Kxh2 Nd7 28 Nd2
1962, saw 7 ... Nbd7 8 0-0 (since Black has maintains a space advantage for White) 26
... Re7 27 Be2 Nh6 28 Bd3 Rg7 29 Ne2
Bxg3 30 fxg3 Nf7 31 Rf1 Nd7 32 Nc3 Qe7
33 Qf2 Nd8 34 Be2 Rf7 35 Bg4 Nf8 36
Bxc8 Rxc8 37 Qe2 Ra8 38 Nd1 Nd7 39 Ne3
Rf8?? (it looks like time trouble coloured
the latter stages of the game; 39 ... Ra4!
keeps it going) 40 Nef5! gxf5 41 Nxf5 (the
black queen has no good square) 41 ... Rf7
42 Nxe7+ 1-0 I.Bilek-S.Gligoric, Stockholm
Interzonal 1962.
I can just imagine Gligoric walking
away from this game and thinking “I didn’t
get what I wanted as Black. It was not easy
to play against 7 Be3. I’m going to research
and try this idea out myself.” Thus a new
opening variation was born.
8 0-0
Part of the Gligoric System’s appeal is
its flexibility. If Black responds with simple
development, White may decide to castle
after all, reaching a main line (7 0-0) with a
secondary move by Black (here 7 ... Na6).
8 ... Qe8
Kozul plays very much in the modern
style, with the knight on a6 and the queen on
e8. Black rules nothing out, including a
kingside pawn storm, and meets White with
a flexible idea of his own! The more forcing
8 ... Ng4 9 Bg5 Qe8 is seen via the 7 0-0
Na6 route in Game 44.
9 dxe5
This scores well for White but feels a bit
insipid. 9 h3 is a good alternative.
9 ... dxe5
9 ... Ng4! is very interesting here, when
White should definitely prefer 10 Bc1 to 10
exd6? Nxe3 11 fxe3, which is as ugly as sin.
10 Nd2 Qe7 11 Nd5 Qd8 12 b4 c6 13
Nxf6+ Bxf6 14 b5 Nc7 15 bxc6 bxc6 16
Qa4 Bd7 17 Nb3
White is satisfied with a slight edge. He
is putting a little bit of pressure on, though
Black has everything covered for the time
being and owns the d4-square.
17 ... Ne6! 18 c5
18 Rfd1 Qc7 19 Qa3 Rfd8 20 Bd2 Bc8
21 Ba5 looks strong, but even here 21 ...
Rxd1+ 22 Rxd1 Qb7 makes it hard for
White to find a way in.
18 ... Qc7 19 Rad1 a5 20 Bc4 Rfb8 21
a3
It is important to stop ... Rb4. Another
way is 21 Bd2, eyeing a5, but then 21 ...
Nf4! 22 Nxa5 (22 Bxa5 Qa7! generates
good play for Black) 22 ... Ne6! 23 Bxe6
Bxe6 24 Qxc6 Qxc6 25 Nxc6 Rc8 26 Nb4
Rxc5 is roughly equal, with Black very
active and unlikely to stay a pawn down for
long.
21 ... Be7 22 Rd3 Qc8 23 Rfd1 Be8 24
f3 Rb5! 25 Bf2
 Not 25 Bxb5?? cxb5 and the queen is
trapped.
25 ... Nf4 26 R3d2
White’s position looks great, but he has
yet to find a way in. Meanwhile, Black
remains active.
26 ... Qc7 27 Nc1 Rb1 28 Qc2 Rab8 29
Nd3 Rxd1+ 30 Rxd1 Nxd3 31 Bxd3 Qa7
32 Qc3 f6 33 Bc4+ Kg7 34 Ba2 Rb5
34 ... Bf7?! leads to some issues after 35
Bxf7 Kxf7 36 Qc4+ Kg7 37 Qe6! Qb7 38 g3
Rd8 39 Rxd8 Bxd8 40 a4.
35 Rc1 Bf7 36 Bxf7 Kxf7 37 Qc4+ Kf8
38 Be3
Now if 38 Qe6 Qb7 39 g3 then 39 ...
Rb1 40 Rxb1 Qxb1+ 41 Kg2 Qb5 is equal.
38 ... Kg7 39 h3 Qd7 40 Kh2 Bf8 41
Qc2
41 ... Qe6?!
Mistakes are possible even in quiet
positions. It looks like the game is heading
for a stone-cold draw, but Kozul’s last move
takes his queen away from defending the
queenside. 41 ... Qb7! was technically more
correct.
42 a4 Rb7 43 Qd2 Be7 44 Qxa5
Suddenly, White is a pawn up.
44 ... Qa2 45 Rd1 Qe2 46 Qd2 Rb2 47
Qxe2 Rxe2 48 Rd7! Kf7 49 Bg1 Ra2 50
Rc7 f5 51 exf5 gxf5 52 Rxc6 f4
52 ... Rxa4 53 Rh6 Kg7 (or 53 ... Rh4 54
Rxh4 Bxh4 55 g4 Ke6 56 gxf5+ Kxf5 57 c6)
54 Re6 Bg5 55 g3 Ra2+ 56 Kh1 Bf6 57 g4
fxg4 58 hxg4 leaves White better if no clear
win.
53 Rh6 Kg7 54 Re6?!
There was no need to give up the a-
pawn. 54 Ra6 keeps his advantage.
54 ... Bf6 55 c6 Rxa4 56 c7 Rc4 57 Bb6
Kf7??
Fatal. After 57 ... Bh4! 58 Rxe5 Bg3+ 59
Kh1 Rc1+ 60 Bg1 Rxc7 Black can still
draw.
58 Rd6 Bh4 59 Rd1
Securing his back rank, and White now
threatens Kg1-f1, followed by Rd8.
59 ... Ke6 60 Kg1 e4 61 fxe4 1-0
Solid by White all the way through and
an indicator of the potential of his system
with 7 Be3. White is not trying to refute the
King’s Indian. but he is certainly asking
Black how he intends to equalize against
what is basically sensible play.
Game 27 Se.Volkov-B.Belyakov
Taganrog 2019
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 Be3 exd4 8 Nxd4 Re8
This is a rather aggressive system from
Black, which scores reasonably but is a little
bit loose. For starters, Black has to accept an
isolated pawn in the centre.
9 f3 c6
9 ... Nc6 is the alternative, with Black
relying on activity to compensate for his
slightly less space. White should avoid
exchanges for the time being; e.g. 10 Nc2!
Nh5 11 0-0 Be5 12 Qd2 Qh4 13 f4 Bxc3 14
Qxc3 Rxe4 15 Bf3 Re8 16 Rae1 Bf5 17 Nd4
Nxd4 18 Qxd4 with an edge in M.Brown-Gu
Xiaobing, PRO League, chess.com (rapid)
2019. White’s bishop on e3 has the potential
to do some damage.
10 Bf2 d5
This is the main point. By opening the
centre, Black gains a measure of activity.
11 exd5 cxd5 12 0-0 Nc6
12 ... dxc4 13 Bxc4 Nbd7 avoids the
isolated pawn but does not leave Black in
great shape after either 14 Qb3 or 14 Ndb5!.
13 c5! Nh5!
With the plan of ... Be5 and then ... Nf4
or ... Ng7-f5. As this line was an old
recommendation of mine from 1989, I have
an attachment to it, and it is good to see that
7 ... exd4 is still popular 30 years later.
14 g3
14 Qd2 is far more common but not
necessarily better for White in any way: 14
... Be5! 15 g3 Ng7 16 Rfd1 Bf5 17 Ncb5 (17
Ndb5 d4! 18 Nxd4 Bxd4 19 Bxd4 Bc2! 20
Qxc2 Nxd4 21 Qa4 Nxe2+ 22 Nxe2 Qe7 is
equal) 17 ... a6 18 Nxc6 bxc6 19 Nd4 Qf6
20 Rac1 a5 21 b3 h5! (White has failed to
pin Black down in the opening phase and
chances are level in this sharp middlegame)
22 a3 Bh3 23 f4 Bxd4 24 Bxd4 Qf5 25 Re1
h4 26 Bb2 f6 27 Qd4 Re6 28 Bd3 Qg4 29
Rxe6 Nxe6 30 Qe3 (30 Qxf6 looks like it
might win, but no: 30 ... hxg3! 31 Qh8+ Kf7
32 Qh7+ Kf8 is a draw) 30 ... Kf7 31 Re1
Re8 32 Kf2 Qh5 33 b4 axb4 34 axb4 hxg3+
35 Qxg3 (35 hxg3 Bg4! wins) 35 ... Bf5 36
Bf1 Rb8 (Black has obtained the upper
hand) 37 Bc3 Ra8 38 Ra1 Rxa1 39 Bxa1
Qd1 40 Bc3 0-1 Se.Volkov-D.Kokarev,
Taganrog 2019. This game was played two
days after our featured example. Volkov was
either dissatisfied with 14 g3 or suspected an
improvement, hence 14 Qd2.
14 ... Bh3 15 Re1 Nxd4 16 Bxd4 Qg5
17 Bf2 Rad8 18 Bf1 Bxf1 19 Rxe8+ Rxe8
20 Kxf1
20 ... Nf6
Perhaps this is the moment where Black
can improve: 20 ... Bxc3! 21 bxc3 Ng7! 22
Kg2 (or 22 Qb3 Qd2) 22 ... Nf5 23 Rb1
Ne3+ 24 Bxe3 Qxe3 25 Rxb7 Qxc5 is equal.
Such is the level of preparation in 2019 at
GM level that it is very possible both players
could have analysed this line before the
game began! Engines have made this type of
accuracy possible.
TIP: Work with analysis engines to
improve your game. Trust them, but
always
check the variations yourself at the end.
A final look harms nothing.
21 Qd3 a6 22 Rd1 Rd8 23 Bd4
Black’s pieces are nowhere near as
active in the game as they would have been
after 20 ... Bxc3 etc. Belyakov doesn’t seem
to know how to play the position and simply
loses his central pawn.
23 ... Re8 24 b4 h5 25 Bxf6 Qxf6 26
Nxd5
Black has nothing for the pawn.
26 ... Qe6 27 a3 h4 28 g4 h3? 29 Nc7
White rightly doesn’t fear the small
counterattack.
29 ... Qa2 30 Nxe8 Qxh2
Or 30 ... Qg2+ 31 Ke1 Be5 32 Rd2
Qg1+ 33 Qf1.
31 Qd2 Qh1+ 32 Ke2 Qg2+ 33 Ke3 1-0
Since 33 ... Bh6+ 34 f4 is the end of the
road, Black prefers to resign.
7 ... exd4!? certainly leads to a difficult
middlegame. You may venture this line as
Black if you like aiming for an early
initiative, but note that there is a positional
price to be paid.
Game 28 P.Smirnov-D.Kryakvin
Belorechensk 2009
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 Be3 Ng4
I would call 7 ... Ng4 one of the most
critical moves, as Black is forcibly unseating
the well-placed bishop on e3. He pays a
price though, as the knight on g4 is also
exposed. Tricky play can ensue, with Black
trying to organize a kingside attack and
White attempting to prove he gains
something from luring Black forward.
8 Bg5 f6 9 Bh4 g5 10 Bg3 Nh6
When Black sets up like this he simply
has to play ... f6-f5, and sooner rather than
later. We will follow a well-trodden main
line for some time to come.
11 d5 Nd7 12 Nd2 f5 13 exf5 Nf6 14
Nde4 Nxe4 15 Nxe4 Bxf5 16 Bd3
The e4-square is of critical importance,
as White’s grip on this point can often mean
that Black has no kingside pressure at all
and must wait helplessly for White to
organize c4-c5. This is a positional theme
that crops up time and time again in the
King’s Indian. Fortunately, in this particular
position Black has plenty of play.
16 ... g4 17 0-0 Qe8!
 The black queen heads for g6 to negate
the pressure.
18 Re1 Qg6
19 Qd2
After 19 c5 Nf7 20 Bh4 Rae8 21 Rc1
dxc5 22 Rxc5 Nd6 23 Qc2 Rf7 24 Qa4 Ref8
25 Bg3 h5 26 Bh4 Kh8 27 Rc3, peace was
signed in E.Karavade-Zhang Xiaowen,
Asian Women’s Championship, Tehran
2007. Black’s active pieces counterbalance
White’s slightly superior pawn structure and
safer king.
19 ... Rf7 20 b4 Raf8 21 Bh4 Bxe4!
Just to get his knight back into the game.
22 Bxe4 Nf5 23 c5
It has been quite hard work for White to
organize his thematic pawn break. The
question is: does he gain anything from it?
23 ... Bh6! 24 Qd3 Bg5!
Sensibly nullifying the white bishop.
25 Bxg5 Qxg5 26 Bxf5 Rxf5 27 Re2
h5!
The game already starts to become
favourable for Black, as his kingside attack
holds more promise than anything White can
achieve on the queenside. The impression
now is that Smirnov starts to dislike his
position.
28 c6 b6 29 Qa6?
A wild goose chase.
29 ... h4 30 Qxa7? Rxf2! 31 Rxf2 Qe3
0-1
To cover the entire Gligoric System
complex is beyond the scope of this book.
All I can say is that, in 2019, it is not
regarded as a critical test of the King’s
Indian but, at the same time, keeps a solid
and respectable reputation.
The Exchange Variation 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6
3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 0-0 5 Nf3 d6 6 Be2 e5 7
dxe5 dxe5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8

This is the Exchange Variation, which is
not dangerous but is good enough to
command a lot of respect from Black. I
often think in the following way about the
positions to come: Black has d4, which is a
hole; White does not have d5, which is only
an outpost. Just keeping this simple, positive
thought in mind should help Black to
negotiate any complications that may arise
in this line.
White can exchange on e5 in many
variations of the King’s Indian. He usually
does this when he wants to outplay a weaker
opponent. By playing the Exchange, White
bypasses mainline theory and angles the
game towards a battle of technique, a
strategy which Black should be happy to
embrace. It would be incorrect to say that
this line is drawish. Black perhaps even
starts off with a positional edge, thanks to
the central pawn situation outlined above.
Game 29 S.Prasannaa-P.Thipsay New
Delhi 2019
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 d4
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 dxe5 dxe5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9
Bg5
The immediate 9 Nd5 is rather dull and
is satisfactorily met by 9 ... Nxd5 10 cxd5
c6!.
9 ... Re8
Take your pick from 9 ... c6, 9 ... Na6, 9
... Nbd7, and the text. All are theoretically
adequate. We’ll look at the two knight
moves in the next two games. Thipsay’s 9 ...
Re8 is a simple solution which gets out of
the pin and protects e5.
10 Nd5
Prasannaa thinks he is going to get a
draw by more exchanging. Things can go
wrong against a stronger opponent when you
adopt this type of approach. Thus 10 0-0-0 is
more ambitious, though it does not get
White very far after the accurate 10 ... Na6!.
Note that 11 Nxe5 can be answered by 11 ...
Nc5! (or even 11 ... Rxe5! 12 Rd8+ Re8 13
Bxf6 Rxd8 14 Bxd8 Bxc3 15 bxc3 Bh3! 16
Rd1 Bxg2, while 12 ... Ne8 13 f4 Re6 14
Bg4 Rb8 is more complicated) 12 Bxf6
(both 12 Nf3 Nfxe4 and 12 f3 Nfxe4 13
Nxe4 Nxe4 14 fxe4 Bxe5 are better for
Black) 12 ... Bxf6 13 f4 c6. White scores
very poorly in these lines.
10 ... Nxd5 11 cxd5 c6!
It is important to challenge the d5-pawn
immediately.
12 Bc4 cxd5 13 Bxd5 Na6!
Heading for c7 or b4. Black has a nice
active position now.
14 Ke2
 White has tried 14 0-0-0, but once again
Black gets good play after something like 14
... Nc7 15 Bb3 a5! 16 a3 a4 17 Ba2 b5.
14 ... Nc7 15 Bb3 Bd7!
A check on b5 is in the offing.
16 Be3?!
White’s theory runs out and he makes a
mistake, after which his rook on h1 will be
shut out of play. Any of 16 Nd2, 16 Rhc1 or
16 Rac1 is better, though Black is fully in
the game in all cases.
16 ... Bb5+ 17 Ke1 Ne6
Suddenly, the position has become
unpleasant for White. The black knight is
looking at either d4 or f4, and both black
rooks can quickly come to the centre, which
is more than can be said for the prisoner on
h1.
18 Rc1?
A further, more serious error. White
needed to sort out his kingside as a priority,
to which end 18 Ng5 was correct, seeking
exchanges as well as allowing f2-f3 and Kf2
to free his rook.
18 ... Nf4
The twin threats of ... Nxg2+ and ...
Nd3+ compel White to capture.
19 Bxf4 exf4 20 Ng5
Too late now, due to Black’s reply.
20 ... Re5!
The grandmaster gets the tactics right.
Black is winning, as White’s threat on f7
turns out to be a damp squib.
21 h4
Or 21 Bxf7+ Kf8, while 21 Nxf7?
Rxe4+ 22 Kd2 Rd4+ 23 Kc2 Bd3+ 24 Kd2
Bc4+ wins a piece.
21 ... h6 22 Bxf7+
Or 22 Nf3 Rxe4+ 23 Kd1 Rd8+.
22 ... Kf8 23 Bxg6 hxg5 24 Rc7 Bc6 25
f3 Rc5 26 Rh2 Rd8 27 e5 Rc1+ 28 Ke2
Bb5+ 29 Kf2 Rd2 mate
The final position tells a story. 29 ... Rf1
is mate as well.
Game 30 W.So-I.Nyzhnyk PRO League,
chess.com (rapid) 2019
1 c4 Nf6 2 Nc3 g6 3 e4 d6 4 d4 Bg7 5 Nf3
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 dxe5 dxe5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9
Bg5
If Black is to enjoy success against
exchange variations, he must keep an eye on
c7, e5, f6, and the open d-file. These are the
points in his position where disaster can
occur. Specifically:
1. c7 – a white knight may land up on
this square.
2. e5 – connected to the open file; a
sudden Nxe5 by White may lead to
penetration on Black’s back rank.
3. f6 – the pin on a black knight could be
awkward.
4. The open d-file – a white rook could
arrive on Black’s back rank, causing chaos.
Does all this seem obvious? Even very
strong players can get into trouble in these
lines.
9 ... Na6
A reasonable-looking move; Black
protects c7, develops a piece, and leaves the
bishop on c8 unobstructed.
10 Nd5

10 ... Rd6
10 ... Nxd5!? is a very unexpected move,
suggested by my analysis engine. Black
cheerfully sacrifices the exchange for
positional compensation. I’m not sure that I
would play this myself, but there can be no
doubt that Black gets excellent squares for
his minor pieces. For example, 11 Bxd8 (or
11 cxd5 f6) 11 ... Nf4 12 g3 (12 Bf1 could
lead to 12 ... Bg4 13 Be7 Re8 14 Ba3 Bf8! –
so that Black has full control over d4 and c5
– 15 Bxf8 Kxf8 16 Ng5 h6 17 f3 Bc8 18 g3
hxg5 19 gxf4 gxf4, when the position is
roughly level: Black has a pawn for the
exchange and all entry squares to his
position are covered) 12 ... Nxe2 13 Kxe2
Be6 14 Rhd1 Bxc4+ 15 Ke3 f6 (or 15 ...
Nb4 16 Rac1 b5 17 b3 Nxa2!) 16 Ne1 (not
16 Rac1 Bxa2 17 Bxc7?? Bh6+) 16 ... Be6
is roughly equal.
11 Nxf6+ Bxf6 12 Bxf6 Rxf6 13 Nxe5
Re6 14 f4 Nc5
Black has deliberately sacrificed his e5-
pawn to achieve pressure. He hopes this will
be a temporary offer as it is difficult for
White to keep the e4-pawn. The drawback is
that he falls behind in development,
allowing So to take advantage of the open d-
file.
15 0-0-0! Re8
15 ... f6 16 Rd8+ Kg7 does not seem like
the sort of thing Black should be doing. He
has invited the white rook to invade his back
rank and faces problems. After 17 Nd3!
Nxe4 18 Bf3 a5 19 Re1 Nc5 20 Rd1! Nxd3+
21 R1xd3 Re7 22 Kd2, White has a
substantial advantage, as it is tough for
Black to unravel his back rank.
16 Bf3 f6 17 Nd3 Nxe4
If Black does not capture he will remain
a pawn down for good, but removing the e-
pawn opens him up to new pressure on the
e-file.
18 Rhe1 Nd6
If 18 ... f5 19 Nc5, White regains the
pawn.
19 c5 Rxe1 20 Rxe1 Nf5
20 ... Nf7 21 Re8+ Kg7 22 Bd5 is even
worse.
21 Re8+
Penetration occurs again and with it goes
any hope for Black.
21 ... Kf7 22 Rh8 Kg7 23 Rd8 c6 24
Bg4 Ne7 25 Be6 b5 26 Re8 1-0
So made 9 ... Na6 look like a bad idea.
Naked exchanging in the hope of a draw
rarely succeeds for White in the Exchange
Variation. Conceding the d4-square to Black
is a major issue and can often lead to a very
bad ending.
 Game 31 S.Danailov-G.Kasparov World
Junior Championship, Dortmund 1980
1 c4 g6 2 Nf3 Bg7 3 Nc3 d6 4 d4 Nf6 5 e4
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 dxe5 dxe5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9
Bg5 Nbd7
This is another option for Black. On d7
the knight reinforces its colleague on f6, and
it can always go on to c5 later, freeing the
c8-bishop.
10 Nd5
Danailov decides to chop some pieces
off. If 10 0-0-0, Black would play 10 ... Rf8
breaking the pin, followed by ... c7-c6
consolidating his position.
10 ... c6! 11 Ne7+ Kf8 12 Nxc8 Rdxc8
13 0-0-0
White has two bishops, but the one on e2
is nothing to write home about and in fact is
a potential liability in an ending. Danailov
continues to exchange, presumably thinking
the draw is going to turn up at any moment.
13 ... Nc5! 14 Bxf6 Bxf6 15 Bd3 a5
Although there are opposite-coloured
bishops, the position is far from easy for
White. Compare the bishops to see why.
Black already has a slight initiative thanks to
his more active pieces, and Kasparov now
commences a slow but logical build-up.
16 Rhe1 Re8 17 Bf1 Bd8!
Black finds an excellent way to activate
his bishop.
18 g3 a4 19 Kc2 Ba5 20 Re3 Rad8 21
Rxd8 Rxd8 22 Bh3 f6 23 Re2 Ke7 24 Bg2
Nd3 25 a3 Nc5!
Taking note of the weakened b3-square.
26 h4 h5 27 Re3 g5! 28 hxg5 fxg5 29
Re2
If 29 Nxg5 then 29 ... Bd2 is a crusher,
with 29 ... Rd2 not far behind.
29 ... Nb3 30 Kb1 Kf6 31 Kc2 g4 0-1
Black’s knight will finally arrive on d4.
A sorry tale for White, a game almost
without variations and all the better for it.
King’s Indian players really have nothing to
fear by early exchanging in the centre.
The Main Line 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3
Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0

We now enter the labyrinth of the main
line. White castles and opens himself up to a
potential kingside attack. There doesn’t
seem to be any sign of this at present, but I
promise you it will come. As whole books
have been written about this one variation, I
cannot cover everything in depth, but I will
try to give a good overall picture of what is
going on. It must be noted that Black has
several different ways of playing:
a) 7 ... Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 (Games 32-41) is
the ultimate main line where White
generally pushes forward on the queenside
while Black moves his f6-knight, plays ...
f7-f5, and tries to attack the white king.
Since play is very sharp, an enormous
amount of theory has built up in all the
variations.
b) 7 ... Nbd7 (Games 47-49) is the old-
fashioned, rather solid way of proceeding.
Play is slow moving, and current thinking
gives White an edge, although the line is
very playable for Black, especially if you are
patient.
c) 7 ... Na6 (Games 42-46) is the
modern, flexible improvement on 7 ... Nbd7.
Play is positional and the bishop on c8 is left
unobstructed. Not a bad line at all.
Black has other options too, including 7
... c6 (Game 50). We’ll also consider a
couple on the previous move: 6 ... Bg4 and 6
... Qe8 (Games 51 and 52). Rare tries by
comparison, but among these sidelines I
think there may be some gems waiting to be
found.
Time to wade in.
Game 32 S.Pogosyan-Ma.Carlsen
World Rapid Championship, St. Petersburg
2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 b4
This is the Bayonet Attack, where White
begins his thematic queenside advance
without delay and hopes to make decisive
inroads while holding Black on the other
flank. 9 b4 is logical and sharp, although
White’s position is temporarily loose and
perhaps Black can exploit this looseness.
Note that White has numerous other
options here which we will examine further
on: 9 Ne1 (Games 34-37), 9 Nd2 (Games 38
and 39), 9 Bd2 (Game 40) and 9 a4 (Game
41).
9 ... a5!
I am now convinced that this is Black’s
most reliable reply to 9 b4. In the next game
we’ll have a look at 9 ... Ne8!?.
 For decades, 9 ... Nh5 was the main line
and is still okay. In Games 5 and 6 we saw
White reply to this with 10 Nd2, but Black
also has to be prepared for the modern 10
Re1!, which is the start of an effective plan
to quash his kingside ambitions.
Importantly, White can now answer 10 ...
Nf4 with 11 Bf1, avoiding exchanges, and
meanwhile keeps his knight on f3 so that he
can answer ... f7-f5 with Ng5!. For example,
10 ... f5 11 Ng5 Nf6 12 Bf3 h6 13 Ne6 Bxe6
14 dxe6 c6 15 b5 fxe4 16 Nxe4 Nxe4 17
Bxe4 d5 18 cxd5 cxd5 19 Ba3 dxe4 20
Qxd8 Rfxd8 21 Bxe7 Re8 22 Bc5 Rxe6
(yes, 2019 theory extends to here; Black has
just about equalized)
23 Be3 a6 24 a4 Bf8 25 Rac1 axb5 26
axb5 h5 27 g3 Bd6 28 Red1 Kf7 29 Rc4 Ra5
30 Rd5 g5!? (White has some pressure for
the pawn, so Black returns it to activate his
pieces) 31 Bxg5 Rg6 32 Bd8 Ra1+ 33 Kg2
Ke6 34 Rd2 Rb1 35 b6 Rg4?! 36 h3?! (36
Bc7 was better) 36 ... e3! 37 Rxd6+ Kxd6
38 hxg4 e2 39 Re4 e1Q 40 Rxe1 Rxe1 41
gxh5 Ke6 42 g4 (the remaining play is not
the most accurate, which I can only suppose
is a result of time trouble) 42 ... Rb1 43 g5
Rd1 44 Bf6 Kf5 45 h6 Rd7 46 Bg7 Kg6 47
Kf3 Rd3+ 48 Ke4 Rd2 49 Ke3 Rd5 (49 ...
Rb2 50 Bxe5 Rxb6 51 Ke4 does not look
comfortable for Black, even if the engine
says equal) 50 f3 Rd1?? 51 Ke4?? (51 Bxe5
wins) 51 ... Rd6 52 Bxe5 Rxb6 53 f4 Rb1 54
Kd5 Rd1+?? 55 Ke6 Rf1 56 Bf6??
(catastrophe; 56 h7! wins on the spot: 56 ...
Kxh7 57 Kf7 Rg1 58 Bf6 b5 59 f5 etc) 56 ...
Rxf4 0-1 Y.Gozzoli-K.Movsziszian, Catalan
Team Championship 2019. Similar Black
experiences have turned heads in the
direction of 9 ... a5.
10 Ba3
This is not necessarily a move White
wants to play at this stage.
10 ... b6 11 bxa5 Rxa5 12 Bb4 Ra8 13
a4 Ne8 14 Nd2
Here 14 a5 c5! is a nice point, enabling
Black to repel boarders: 15 dxc6 (or 15 Ba3
Rxa5) 15 ... Nxc6 16 Qd5 Bb7 is equal.
14 ... f5 15 Nb3 Nf6 16 f3 Bh6!
Instructive play by Carlsen, improving
the activity of his King’s Indian bishop.
There is no need for Black to rush in with
something like ... f5-f4, as his pieces are
well placed and his position flexible.
17 Qd3 Nh5 18 g3 fxe4 19 fxe4
19 Nxe4 Nf5 20 a5 bxa5 21 Rxa5 Be3+
22 Kh1 Rb8 is fine for Black.
19 ... Nf6 20 a5 Bh3! 21 Rf2 bxa5 22
Bxa5 Qd7 23 c5
 Later, rather than sooner. White has to
be a bit careful here as his king is rather
open.
23 ... Ng4 24 Rxf8+?!
24 Bxg4 Bxg4 25 c6! Qc8 26 Rxf8+ was
definitely a better way to handle the
position. The finish of the game will show
how dangerous Black’s attack has become.
24 ... Rxf8 25 Nd1
Now 25 c6 is met by 25 ... Nxc6!! 26
dxc6 Qf7 and White is suddenly lost; e.g. 27
Rf1 Qxf1+ 28 Bxf1 Be3+ 29 Kh1 Nf2+ 30
Kg1 Nxd3+ 31 Kh1 Rxf1 mate.
25 ... Nc8 26 Bd2 Bxd2 27 Qxd2 Qf7
Threatening ... Qf1+.
28 Qe1 c6
29 Bxg4??
Forgetting the threat. 29 Nd2! holds on;
e.g. 29 ... cxd5 30 exd5 dxc5 31 Bxg4 Bxg4
32 Ne3 Bf5 (or 32 ... Bf3 33 Ndc4 Qf6 34
Ra5!) 33 Nxf5 Qxf5 34 Qe3! Qc2 35 Rf1
Rxf1+ 36 Nxf1 Nd6 37 Qxe5 Nf7 38 Qe8+
Kg7 39 d6!.
29 ... Qf1+ 0-1
A typical Carlsen game. He looks for an
interesting position in the opening and fears
nobody in the resulting complications.
Game 33 S.Arun Prasad-O.Perez
Mitjans Badalona 2012
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 b4
Ne8!?
Black is not limited in the Bayonet
Attack and may try lots of different ideas,
including 9 ... Ne8, where he prepares ... f7-
f5 without delay and protects d6 against
later threats. This will appeal to those
players who like the idea of a kingside pawn
avalanche, though in my view ideas other
than 9 ... a5 and 9 ... Nh5 are not 100%
reliable.
10 Nd2 f5 11 c5 Kh8 12 a4 Ng8
This is a system which has been played
many times by the English grandmaster
Mark Hebden, who has scored reasonably
well with it. Moves like 11 ... Kh8 and 12 ...
Ng8 look slow, but Black will argue that he
is organizing his kingside attack as best he
can under the circumstances.
13 Ba3
13 Nc4! is also critical, as can be seen in
the following Hebden game: 13 ... Nh6!? (13
... fxe4 14 Nxe4 Ngf6 is a safer way to
proceed and if 15 Bg5 then 15 ... h6!) 14
Bd2 f4 15 Rc1 g5 16 g4! (a mechanism
which is rather common in Classical main
lines; White puts the brakes on Black’s
attack) 16 ... Rf6 (16 ... fxg3 17 hxg3 merely
exposes the black king) 17 f3 Nf7 18 Be1 h5
19 h3 Rh6 20 Bf2 Qf6 21 Kg2! (the hatches
have been battened down and White can
now turn his attention to the queenside) 21
... Bf8 22 Nb5 a6 23 Nxc7! Nxc7 24 Nb6
Rb8 25 c6! hxg4 26 hxg4 Qd8 27 Qc2 Rh7
28 cxb7 Rxb7 29 Nxc8 Qxc8 30 Bxa6
(Black is in a terrible tangle) 30 ... Nh6 31
Qc6 Nxg4 32 Rh1 Ne3+ 33 Bxe3 g4 34
Rxh7+ Kxh7 35 Rh1+ 1-0 Y.Pelletier-
M.Hebden, Neuchatel 2002. Games like this
one dampen my enthusiasm for the entire
variation.
13 ... Ngf6 14 b5 Bh6 15 Bd3 Nh5 16
Nc4 Nf4 17 f3
17 ... Nxd3?!
This is the point at which Black gets it
wrong. It is not yet time to surrender his
well-placed knight. A holding operation
could have been commenced with 17 ... b6!
and I think Black is okay; e.g. 18 cxd6 cxd6
19 g3 Nxd3 20 Qxd3 Qc7 21 Bc1 Bxc1 22
Raxc1 Nf6 23 Nd2 Nd7!, heading for c5
with equality.
18 Qxd3 f4 19 a5 g5 20 h3 Rg8 21 b6
This is exactly the type of position
White aims for with the rival flank attacks of
the Classical main line. White is all over the
queenside, whereas Black’s kingside
counterplay is yet to start. The speed of the
bayonet attack is felt at this moment.
21 ... cxb6 22 axb6 axb6 23 cxd6! Bg7
24 Nb5
White piles in. Black can only defend.
24 ... Bd7 25 Nc7 Ra4
25 ... Nxc7 26 dxc7 Qxc7 27 Bd6! Qd8
28 Rxa8 Qxa8 29 Bxe5 introduces a
situation where White may win with a
kingside attack and, even if he doesn’t, there
are two massive passed pawns in the centre
which will see him through.
26 Nxb6 Rd4 27 Qc3 g4 28 hxg4 h5
Far too late.
29 Bc5 hxg4 30 fxg4! Bxg4 31 Nxe8
Qxe8 32 Kf2! Rf8 33 d7 Bxd7 34 Bxf8
Bxf8 35 Ra8 Qh5 36 Nxd7 Rxe4 37 Qh3 1-
0
It is impossible to cover all the highways
and byways of 9 b4 in this book, but you
will get a good feel for the line simply by
studying the few games on offer. While 9 b4
remains an important and popular way for
White to play in the Classical, I think that 9
... a5! (Game 32) is an adequate counter.
Game 34 S.Lenderman-H.Nakamura US
Championship, St. Louis 2018
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 d4
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 Ne1
With 9 Ne1 White tries to find the best
way of deploying his minor pieces in
readiness for the middlegame. The knight
almost always goes to d3, where it has many
functions:
 1. The advance c4-c5 is supported.
2. In some cases the knight drops back to
f2 to defend the white king.
3. White occasionally plays f2-f4, in
which case the knight puts pressure on e5.
The amount of theory on the Mar del
Plata Variation is colossal and whole books
have been written on this one subject. In a
First Steps volume we have to limit our
ambition. Describing the usual plan for both
sides is easy: White seeks to make inroads
on the queenside, while Black attacks on the
other flank. There are ways to depart from
this overall scheme, but they are much less
critical. Supporting his planned c4-c5, which can
9 ... Nd7 be backed up further by Rc1. In Game 9
9 ... Ne8 is another main line (see Game White in fact played 13 Rc1 first.
36). 9 ... Nd7 is designed to take the sting 13 ... Nf6 14 c5 Ng6 15 Rc1 Rf7
out of an early f2-f4 by White, as the black Both sides have been following the
knight covers e5. We’ll also look at 9 ... a5 script, but with 15 ... Rf7 Black shows
(Game 37). respect for White’s queenside chances, as
10 Be3 the rook covers the c7-square. Later on,
This move introduces perhaps the most Black hopes the rook will go to g7 to aid the
frequently played modern line in the entire attack.
King’s Indian Defence. 10 Bd2 is another 16 Kh1 Bf8
common option, but 10 Be3 is much more Nakamura has a lot of experience
active. Of course White takes a risk, as playing the Black side of this line, and one
Black will hit the bishop with ... f5-f4 in a of his most famous victories runs as follows:
short while and gain time. 16 ... h5 17 cxd6 cxd6 18 Nb5 a6 19 Na3
White can also leave the c1-bishop at b5! (preventing Nc4-b6) 20 Rc6 g4 21 Qc2
home for the time being: 10 f3 f5 11 g4 is Qf8 22 Rc1 Bd7 23 Rc7 Bh6 24 Be1 h4! 25
seen in the next game, while 10 Nd3 f5 11 fxg4? (he should play 25 Bb4 h3 26 gxh3
f3 f4 featured back in Game 2. and try to ride out the storm) 25 ... f3 26
10 ... f5 11 f3 f4 12 Bf2 g5 13 Nd3 gxf3 Nxe4!
 GM Krisztian Szabo annotated this game
for ChessBase Magazine, giving the
following variations:
a) 27 fxe4 Rf1+! 28 Kg2 Be3! 29 Bxf1
h3+! with forced mate.
b) 27 Rxd7 Rxf3! 28 Bxf3 Qxf3+ 29
Qg2 Qxd3 30 Rd1 Bd2!! (the key move) 31
Bxd2 Nf4! and Black wins.
c) 27 Nc5 dxc5 28 Rxd7 Rxd7 29 Qxe4
Bxc1 30 Qxg6+ Rg7 wins again.
d) 27 Nf2 Nxf2+ 28 Bxf2 Bxc1 29
Qxg6+ Rg7 and Black emerges the
exchange up.
The game actually continued 27 Rd1
Rxf3! 28 Rxd7 (28 Bxf3 Qxf3+ 29 Qg2
Bxg4 wins) 28 ... Rf1+! 29 Kg2 Be3!
(another fantastic move, and 29 ... h3+! was
even stronger: 30 Kxh3 Rf2! 31 Bxf2 Qxf2!!
32 Nxf2 Nf4+ 33 Kh4 Bg5 mate) 30 Bg3
hxg3 31 Rxf1 Nh4+ 32 Kh3 Qh6! 33 g5
Nxg5+ 34 Kg4 Nhf3 35 Nf2 Qh4+ 36 Kf5
Rf8+ 37 Kg6 Rf6+! 38 Kxf6 Ne4+ 39 Kg6
Qg5 mate.
W.So-H.Nakamura, Sinquefield Cup, St.
Louis 2015. An astonishing final position.
17 Rg1 Rg7 18 b4 h5 19 Qd2 g4 20 g3!
I guess the main thing to understand is
that this type of play is nothing new. You
would be mad to play into this line with
either colour without a comprehensive
knowledge of modern theory. I am sure that
both of these grandmasters were still
following pre-game preparation.
20 ... fxg3 21 Rxg3 a5!
I think this is a sensible recognition that
Black is not going to deliver mate, and so he
adjusts his overall strategy, softening
White’s queenside grip. For me this is one
of the best moves of the game.
 22 a3 axb4 23 axb4 c6!
Very good! The idea of g2-g3 and then
Rxg3 took away some coordination from the
white forces, so Black is able to continue his
quest for counterplay by opening the centre,
which is unusual but White is unable to take
advantage.
24 dxc6 bxc6 25 cxd6 Qxd6 26 Bc5
Qd8 27 Bxf8 Qxf8 28 fxg4 Bxg4 29 h3
Bxe2 30 Qxe2 Raa7
31 Rf1
Here 31 Rcg1 Nf4 32 Nxf4 exf4 33
Rxg7+ Rxg7 34 Qc4+ Kh8 35 Qxc6 was a
possible winning try, but Black has
counterplay thanks to his passed f-pawn
after 35 ... Rxg1+ 36 Kxg1 Qg7+ 37 Kf1 f3.
31 ... Nf4
A general liquidation now takes place.
32 Rxg7+ Rxg7 33 Nxf4 exf4 34 Qc4+
Qf7 35 Qxf7+ Kxf7 36 Rxf4 Rg3 37 Kh2
Rxc3 38 e5 Ke6 39 exf6 Kf7 40 h4 c5 41
bxc5 ½-½
This game is pretty much state of the art
in 2019.
On the face of it, with the white pieces
and a 400 point rating difference, the
following game might at the outset have
been considered a straightforward win for
me. The fact is that no game is easy these
days. Nobody can be underestimated. There
is an opening surprise waiting for you
around every corner. Thus I decided to play
my favourite Classical variation and see
what transpired. I’ve had a lot of experience
with King’s Indian positions over the years
and was confident that the surprises could be
kept to a minimum.
Game 35 A.D.Martin-S.Meek British
League 2015
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 d4 g6 3 c4 Bg7 4 Nc3 0-0 5 e4
d6 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7
Here I became seized with indecision.
My opponent was rattling out the moves and
seemed confident. I normally play 9 b4 but
decided on this one occasion to give 9 Ne1 a
try.
9 Ne1 Nd7 10 f3 f5 11 g4
The Benko Attack, my own surprise for
him. I knew the plan: to stabilize the
kingside before turning to the queenside
advance. Less theory to know and,
hopefully, unfamiliar problems for the
person sitting opposite to solve. It sounds
great, but in practice 11 g4 is not as good as
the main lines after 11 Be3 or 11 Bd2, which
preface rapid action on the queenside, rather
than manoeuvring first.
11 ... Nf6 12 Ng2 Kh8
 A reasonable idea, keeping all options
open. However, 12 ... c6! is a good answer
to the Benko Attack, after which Black
develops fluid counterplay: 13 Bd2 (or 13
Rb1 cxd5 14 cxd5 Bd7 15 Be3 f4 16 Bf2 g5)
13 ... cxd5 14 cxd5 Qb6+ 15 Kh1 fxg4 16
fxg4 Bd7 with equality. I’m not sure what I
would have done against 12 ... c6. Probably
13 Rb1 and take the medicine.
13 Be3 b6
Again, 13 ... c6 is definitely playable. I
think I was planning something like 14 Rc1
f4 15 Bf2 c5 16 a3, but of course White’s
play on the queenside is progressing very
slowly.
14 h4 a5 15 Rc1 Bd7 16 Rc2
The best I could come up with. Black’s
plan of shutting down the queenside seemed
effective to me and I was wondering how I
was going to break in. I guess this is the
issue about using the Benko Attack – it
gives Black time to organize his defence,
whereas a rapid advance on the queenside is
more challenging.
16 ... Qc8 17 exf5 gxf5 18 g5 Nh5 19 f4
I wasn’t over the moon about
surrendering my light-squared bishop, but
White doesn’t really have any choice other
than to play f3-f4, or Black will play ... f5-f4
himself.
19 ... Ng3 20 Rf3 Nxe2+ 21 Nxe2 e4
At the risk of repetition, 21 ... c6!? is
again interesting, trying to open up
prospects for the d7-bishop. I was a bit
worried about that at the board, though my
analysis engine assures me it is survivable
for White, and who am I to doubt it?
Nonetheless, this is the type of position
where things could go wrong rather quickly.
22 Rh3 Qe8 23 Ng3
Now I was getting more confident. I
have a useful majority on the kingside and
can put my knight on h5. Black will have to
do something fast to avoid a major
disadvantage.
23 ... Qf7 24 Nh5 Be8 25 Nxg7 Kxg7
26 h5
26 Bd4+ Kg8 27 Bc3 was stronger, with
terrible dark square pressure, or indeed 27
h5 now that the black king can’t run. When I
look at my recent games I see a lack of
assurance borne out of not playing as much
as I should. Twenty years ago I would not
have taken long to play 26 Bd4+. Then
again, 26 h5 is not bad either.
26 ... Rg8 27 Bd4+ Kf8 28 Ne3 Bd7 29
Rg2 Ke8 30 Rhg3 Kd8 31 b3?!
Why not just push the g-pawn? After 31
g6! hxg6 32 hxg6 Nxg6 (or 32 ... Rxg6 33
Rxg6 Nxg6 34 Qh5 Be8 35 Nxf5) 33 Qh5
Be8 34 Nxf5 Rf8 35 Nxd6! cxd6 36 Rxg6
Qxf4 37 Qg4!, White has a big advantage.
With a lack of practice comes a lack of
incisiveness.
31 ... Be8 32 Rh3 Kc8 33 Bc3 Kb7 34
Qd4 Bd7 35 a3
Here 35 Qf6! Raf8 36 Qxf7 Rxf7 37
Rhg3 leaves White clearly better but still
with a game to play.
35 ... Ra7?
Time pressure as I recall. He is trying to
anticipate b3-b4 which I wasn’t intending at
this point. A more stubborn defence could
have been created after 35 ... Raf8! 36 Qf6
a4 (or 36 ... Qe8 37 Qh6 Qf7 38 Rhg3 Be8)
37 Qxf7 Rxf7 38 bxa4 Bxa4 39 Rhg3 Bd7. I
guess Black is waiting for g5-g6, but he can
fight.
36 Qf6 Be8 37 Qxf7 Bxf7 38 g6
Very strong, now that the rook on a7 is
out of play.
38 ... hxg6 39 Bf6 gxh5 40 Bxe7 Raa8
41 Nxf5 Rg4 42 Rxg4 hxg4 43 Rg3 1-0
TIP: Learn from modern champions
like Carlsen. Instead of obsessing about
theory,
he tries to get an interesting position out
of the opening and outplay his opponent
thereafter. A player with a rigid
repertoire is, in 2019, a sitting duck.
Game 36 M.Staszko-Al.Sokolov Czech
League 2019
1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 c4 Bg7 4 Nc3 0-0 5 e4
d6 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 Ne1 Ne8
Kasparov liked this move. Essentially,
Black’s plan is the same as after 9 ... Nd7, in
that he is getting ready for ... f7-f5. In
addition the knight covers c7 and d6 (but not
e5) and the bishop on c8 is open. Small
differences, which don’t really add up to
much.
10 Be3
10 Nd3 f5 11 Bd2 can also be met by 11
... Kh8.
10 ... f5 11 f3 Kh8!?
Sokolov chooses a slower way of
organizing kingside pressure, and in order to
understand 11 ... Kh8 we must consider the
fate of the knight on e7. This piece is a
problem for Black. It often gets in the way
and is difficult to improve. So Black takes
time out to get it into the game. Can he
afford this luxury? White presses forward as
normal.
12 a4 Ng8 13 c5
After seeing the game maybe White
should prefer 13 Qd2, when he might be a
little better; e.g. 13 ... fxe4 14 fxe4 Rxf1+ 15
Bxf1 Ngf6 16 h3 Nh5 17 Nd3.
13 ... Bh6
Sokolov seizes the opportunity to
improve the lot of his second ‘bad’ piece,
the locked-in bishop on g7.
14 Bf2
 14 Bxh6 Nxh6 15 Nd3 might be met by
15 ... Nf7 16 a5 Nf6 17 Qb3 Qe7 which is
quite messy. White has an advantage in
space but no clear way to utilize it.
14 ... Ngf6 15 Nd3 Nh5 16 a5 Nef6
Black’s manoeuvres seem awfully slow,
but counterplay is coming.
17 a6
B.Gelfand-Ju.Polgar, Dos Hermanas
1996, went a different way: 17 b4 a6 18 Nb2
Nf4 19 Nc4 Qe7 20 Kh1 Bd7 21 cxd6 cxd6
22 Nb6 Rad8 23 exf5 gxf5 24 b5 Bxb5 25
Nxb5 axb5 26 Bxb5 (Black has satisfactory
chances in this complex situation) 26 ... Rg8
27 Rg1 Rg5 (27 ... Qf7! is better, eyeing d5)
28 Bf1 Rdg8 29 g3 N4h5 30 Nc4 Bf8 31 a6
bxa6 32 Rxa6 Qd7 33 Be2 R5g6 34 Ra7
Qc8 35 Nb6 Qd8 36 Qc2 (Gelfand has
outplayed his eminent opponent) 36 ... Ng7
37 Ra8 Qe7 38 Rga1 Nfh5 39 R8a7 Qg5 40
Rg1 Ne8 41 Bd3 Nhg7 42 g4 Qf4 43 Qe2
Rh6 44 Bg3 Qg5 45 Nd7 Nf6 46 Nxf8 Rxf8
and Polgar opted to resign since 47 gxf5 is a
crusher.
17 ... b6 18 cxb6 cxb6 19 Qb3
He could try 19 Nb4, at the risk of
allowing 19 ... Nf4.
19 ... fxe4!
White’s e-pawn now becomes a target to
attack.
20 Nxe4 Nxe4 21 fxe4 Nf6 22 Qb4 Bg5
22 ... Bg4 also seems very reasonable.
23 Ra3 Bg4 24 Qe1 Rc8 25 Rc3?
It looks natural to contest the open file,
but in fact 25 Rc3 is a serious error which
leaves White nursing three separate pawn
weaknesses with nothing to compensate him
for his troubles. Instead, the calm 25 Bxg4
Nxg4 26 Qe2 Qd7 27 h3 leads to rough
equality.
25 ... Rxc3 26 bxc3 Qc8! 27 Bxg4 Qxg4
28 h3 Qc8
White cannot hold the weak pawns on
a6, c3 and e4. Inevitably, he goes a pawn
behind.
29 Nb4 Qc4! 30 Qa1?
Maybe 30 Bh4 was the best try, when
Black may have to sacrifice his queen to
keep the advantage; i.e. 30 ... Bxh4 (30 ... h6
31 Bxg5 hxg5 32 Nc6 Kg7 33 Qf2 is equal)
31 Qxh4 Kg7 32 Nc6 Qxa6 33 Nd8! Qxf1+
34 Kxf1 Rxd8 35 Qe1 Rf8, which is still
awkward for White, but not totally lost in a
practical sense.
30 ... Nxe4 31 Bxb6 Ra8!
32 Ba5
Or 32 Bf2 Nxc3 and wins.
32 ... Be3+ 33 Kh2 Bf4+ 34 Rxf4 exf4
35 Qe1 Re8 36 Nc6 Qb5 37 Nxa7 Qxa5 0-1
A game that shows different possibilities
for Black in the 9 Ne1 main line.
 Game 37 S.Mareco-T.Radjabov World
Blitz Championship, Doha 2016

1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 d4

0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 Ne1 a5
Various attempts have been made by
Black to depart from the somewhat
predictable play of the main lines. Here we
see a holding move on the queenside,
delaying any kingside advance. Note that
this is a blitz game, so the element of
surprise comes into play. Mareco would not
have been expecting 9 ... a5.
10 Nd3 c6!?
There will be no black pawn avalanche
today. Instead, it could be White pouring
forward with the pawns.
18 ... Qxd6 19 Bxc5 Qd7 20 Bf2
The analysis engine suggests that trading
on f4 is better: 20 Nxf4 exf4 (or 20 ... gxf4
21 d6 Nc6 22 Qd5+ Rf7 23 exf5 Bb7 24
Qe6) 21 Bd4 Ng6 22 c5, when White seems
to keep more control in comparison with the
game.
20 ... Neg6 21 c5 Nxe2+ 22 Qxe2 Ba6!
23 c6 Qf7 24 Qc2 g4 25 Bc5 Rfd8 26 fxg4
Bxd3 27 Qxd3 fxe4

Further muddying the waters.

11 f3
I wonder whether it was worth
considering 11 f4!, opening the game. White
seems to have a nice position after 11 ...
exf4 12 Bxf4 or 11 ... Nd7 12 f5!?.
11 ... Nh5 12 Be3
White is making natural moves, as one
does in a quick game after a surprise, but
they don’t seem to give him any advantage,
as Black is able now to switch play back
into the normal queenside vs. kingside rival
attacks.
12 ... c5!? 13 a3 f5 14 b4 b6 15 bxc5 28 Qb3
bxc5 16 Rb1 Nf4 17 Nb5 g5 18 Nxd6!? 28 Qxe4 might have been tried, leading
to the following sharp line: 28 ... Qxd5 29
Qxd5+ Rxd5 30 c7 Rxc5 31 Rb8+ Bf8 32
Rxa8 Rxc7 33 Rxa5 Bc5+ 34 Kh1 Bd4 35
g3 Rc2 36 a4 and a tough endgame has
arisen. Black’s passed pawn has a way to go
before touchdown. Both kings are confined.
White has an outside passed pawn of his
own. Difficult to call.
28 ... Nf4?!
28 ... a4! is stronger, followed by ...
Qxd5. The text allows White to regain his
sacrificed piece via 29 g3.
29 d6? Qxb3 30 Rxb3 Bf8?
Black should play 30 ... Ne6.
31 c7 Rdc8 32 Rfb1?!
And here 32 Rb5! e3 33 g3 Ne6 34 Rf6
is better for White.
32 ... Ne6 33 Rb8?? Nxc7 34 dxc7
Bxc5+ 35 Kf1 Bd6 36 R1b7 Kf8 37 Ke2
Raxb8 0-1
The finale can be taken with a pinch of
salt, as the players probably had no time left.
Nonetheless, 9 ... a5 seems playable.
We conclude our brief tour of 9 Ne1 at
this point. If you wish to play 7 ... Nc6 on a
regular basis it will be hard to avoid the
need for serious research, such is the
frequency and importance of this line.
Game 38 P.Pultinevicius-M.Illingworth
Batumi Olympiad 2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 Nf3 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 Nd2
The reason White puts his knight here,
rather than e1 (as in the previous few
games), is because he would like to station
this piece on c4. Fortunately for Black, the
knight takes some time to get there (b2-b4,
c4-c5, and then Nc4), if it gets there at all.
Black usually puts the brakes on this plan
with either 9 ... a5 or 9 ... c5.
9 ... a5
We’ll look at 9 ... c5 in the next game.
10 a3 Nd7 11 Rb1 f5 12 b4 Kh8
12 ... f4 is answered by 13 Bg4!, which
Black would be unwise to permit.
13 Bb2 Ng8 14 Rc1 Ngf6
Black waits for f2-f3 before he even
thinks of pushing ... f5-f4.
15 Bf3 Bh6 16 Rc2 Rf7 17 Re1 Rg7 18
c5
Play has taken a slightly unusual twist
with both sides making all sorts of
preparatory moves before the main event,
which has just started with c4-c5. The
bishop on f3 is notable, holding both e4 and
g2. The engines show “equal”, but White is
a bit better as far as I can see, Until Black
shows how he is going to deploy his
queenside pieces he can claim only near, not
full, equality.
18 ... axb4 19 axb4 dxc5 20 Nb5 c6?
 20 ... Ra2, planning a sharp exchange
sacrifice, might have been a better way
forward: 21 bxc5 (or 21 d6 c6 22 Nc7 Qg8
23 bxc5 Rxb2 24 Rxb2 Nxc5) 21 ... Rxb2!
22 Rxb2 Nxc5 23 Rc2 b6 and Black has
reasonable compensation.
21 dxc6 bxc6 22 exf5 gxf5 23 Nd6 e4
Black was relying on this move, but he
has underestimated a tactical blow.
24 Nxf5! exf3 25 Qxf3
Surely 25 Nxf3! was a killer; e.g. 25 ...
cxb4 (or 25 ... Bf4 26 Nxg7 Kxg7 27 Rxc5!)
26 Nxh6 Ra6 27 Ng5! Qf8 28 Qd6 and wins.
25 ... Rg6 26 Ne4 Kg8 27 Nxf6+ Nxf6
28 Ne7+
This is obviously winning as well.
28 ... Kf7 29 Nxg6 hxg6 30 Rd1 Qh8
31 Qxc6 Bf4 32 g3 Bf5 33 Qb7+ Ke6 34
Re2+ 1-0
Game 39 M.Gurevich-M.Hebden Clichy
2001
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 Nd2 c5
Although 9 ... a5 has overtaken 9 ... c5 in
terms of popularity, there is still nothing
wrong with this older move. Black tries to
block the queenside before turning his
thoughts to the other flank. 9 ... c5 was
Fischer’s favourite.
10 Rb1
Preparing b2-b4. We saw 10 a3 with the
same idea in Game 1.
Alternatively, 10 dxc6 bxc6 11 b4 is an
interesting independent try, and this could
be the reason that 9 ... a5 is preferred these
days. The position becomes more open than
we are used to in the Classical main line. 11
... d5 has been Black’s most popular reply,
but I recommend 11 ... Be6! which seems
nice and fluid to me. A couple of games
show the positive side to this idea:
a) 12 Nb3 Ne8 13 Ba3 f5 14 Qd2 Kh8
15 Rad1 Qb8 (before c4-c5 comes) 16 c5 d5
17 exd5 Nxd5 18 Bc4 Nef6 19 Na5 Qc7 20
Qc2 (not 20 Nxc6? Nxc3) 20 ... e4 21 Ne2?!
Ng4! (White’s pieces on the queenside seem
irrelevant) 22 g3 Bg8 23 Nd4 e3 24 f3 Nf2
25 Naxc6 Nxd1 26 Qxd1 Rae8 27 Qc1 h5
28 b5 f4 29 Ne2 Nc3 30 Bd3 Nxe2+ 31
Bxe2 fxg3 32 Nb4 gxh2+ 33 Kh1 Be6 34
Na6 Qg3 35 Qe1 Qg5 0-1 L.Ogaard-
J.Pinter, Bucharest 1976. A very good
example of Black’s chances.
b) 12 b5 cxb5 13 cxb5 Rc8! (White has a
queenside pawn majority but finds himself
lagging in development; Black is active and
stands very well) 14 Na4 (after 14 Bb2 d5!
15 Nxd5 Nfxd5 16 exd5 Nxd5 17 Bc4 Qd7
18 Re1 Nf4, Black is at least equal) 14 ...
Qa5 15 Rb1 (or 15 Nb2 d5) 15 ... Bxa2 (why
not?) 16 Rb2 Be6 17 Rb1 Bh6 18 Bc4 Bxc4
19 Nxc4 Rxc4 20 Bxh6 Rd8 21 Bg5 Kg7 22
f4 Nxe4 23 Bxe7 Rd7 24 fxe5 Rxe7 25 exd6
Rd7 26 b6 axb6 27 Nxb6 Qc5+ 28 Kh1
Rxd6 29 Qb3 Nf2+ 30 Rxf2 Rxb6 0-1
I.Dudukin-S.Voitsekhovsky, Nizhnij
Novgorod 2008. Not a great game by
Dudukin, but then I don’t think he was
expecting 11 ... Be6!.
10 ... Ne8
10 ... b6 11 b4 cxb4!? is unusual but
very playable. Black is going to put his
knight on c5. Then 12 Rxb4 Nd7! 13 a4 f5
14 a5 Nc5 15 axb6 axb6 16 Na4 Ra6 17
Nxc5 bxc5 was equal in Tan Zhongyi-R.De
Guzman, Makati 2018. It has all worked out
rather well for Black, who has achieved
effortless equality and maybe a little bit
more.
11 b4 b6 12 bxc5 bxc5 13 Nb3 f5
The contours of the game take on a
familiar shape. Can White make inroads on
the queenside? Gurevich finds a way of
placing a knight on c6.
14 Bg5
14 f3 Kh8 15 Bd2 is a less committal
way to handle things. Black may play either
15 ... Ng8 or 15 ... f4, according to taste.
14 ... h6 15 Bxe7 Qxe7 16 Na5 Nf6 17
Nc6 Qe8 18 Bd3 Rf7
I should mention that Gurevich had had
this position once before, against world-
class GM Victor Bologan. That game was
drawn too. The analysis engines will show
an advantage for White, but with careful
defence Hebden snuffs out any initiative that
White has.
19 Rb3 f4 20 Be2
20 Nb5 Bf8 makes it tough for White to
go any further.
20 ... Bf8 21 Qc2 Bd7! 22 Rfb1 Bxc6!
23 dxc6 Qxc6 24 Nd5
Although White has plenty of
compensation for the pawn, as the black
bishop is walled in, he still has the problem
of finding weaknesses to attack. His
attempts come to nothing.
24 ... Kg7 25 Rb5 Be7 26 Qd3 Bd8
Getting ready for ... a7-a6.
27 Bd1
27 Nxf4 exf4 28 Bf3 is a shocking
tactical idea, but with 28 ... Rc8 29 e5 Qe8!
30 exf6+ Bxf6 31 Qxd6 Qe5 Black escapes
difficulty.
27 ... a6! 28 R5b2 Raa7 29 h3 Ba5 30
a3 h5 31 Bc2 Nh7 ½-½
The evidence shows that 9 ... c5 is a
pretty solid way for Black to play.
Game 40 M.Taimanov-R.J.Fischer
Candidates (3rd matchgame), Vancouver
1971
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 Bd2!?
A flexible move, whereby White keeps
options open. A transposition to other lines
could occur. As usual, while the white
knight remains on f3 Black must watch out
for Ng5, once he has played ... f7-f5. We
will take a look at one of the most famous
ever games in this variation.
9 ... Ne8 10 Rc1 f5

11 Qb3!?
A very interesting move. White seems to
be threatening c4-c5. The queen may also go
to a3, and then b2-b4 and c4-c5 follows.
This was Taimanov’s improvement on
game one of the match: 11 exf5!? gxf5 12
Ng5 h6 13 Ne6 Bxe6 14 dxe6 Qc8 15 Qb3
c6 16 Bh5 Qxe6 17 Qxb7. A critical position
has arisen where White is hoping to make
something of his bishop pair. Black is fine
though, as his pieces are well coordinated
and active, whereas the white army is rather
spread out and gives the impression of not
working together. Taimanov was not happy
to repeat this situation. The game continued
17 ... Nf6 18 Be2 Rfb8 19 Qa6 Rxb2! 20
Rfd1 e4 21 Qa3 Rb7 22 Bf4 d5 23 cxd5
cxd5 24 Nb5 Ng6 25 Nd4 Qd7 26 Qe3 Kh7
27 h3 Rf8 28 Ba6 Rb6 29 Rc7 (tempting,
but the safe 29 Be2 was better) 29 ... Qa4 30
Rxg7+ Kxg7 31 Bxh6+ Kf7 (31 ... Kh7! was
stronger, intending 32 Bxf8? Qxd1+ or 32
Be2 Rf7) 32 Be2 Rfb8 33 Nxf5 Rb1 34
Rxb1 (perhaps 34 Kh2) 34 ... Rxb1+ 35 Kh2
Qd7 36 Nd4? (36 Ng3 or 36 g4 would have
been tougher for Black to break down) 36 ...
Qd6+ 37 g3 Qb4 38 Nc6 Qb6 39 Nxa7 Qxe3
40 Bxe3 Re1 0-1 M.Taimanov-R.J.Fischer,
Vancouver (1st matchgame) 1971. Black
will follow by putting his knight on e5.
11 ... b6
Caught perhaps by surprise, Fischer
plays the safest move he can find.
The current state of the art seems to be
11 ... h6! 12 c5 Kh8 (allowing White to do
his thing) 13 cxd6 (13 exf5 gxf5 14 cxd6
Nxd6 15 Rfd1 Bd7 isn’t dangerous for
Black, whose hanging pawns are controlling
a lot of central squares) 13 ... Nxd6 14 Bd3
c6 (the point: Black rejects any prospect of a
kingside advance and settles for central
play) 15 dxc6 (or 15 Rfd1 cxd5 16 Nxd5
fxe4 17 Ba5!? Qxa5 18 Nxe7 Bf5) 15 ...
Nxc6 16 Be3 Nd4 17 Bxd4 exd4 18 Nb5
Nxe4 19 Nc7 Rb8 20 Na6 Ra8 21 Nc7 Rb8
22 Na6 Ra8 23 Nc7 ½-½ H.Melkumyan-
A.Grischuk, Isle of Man 2018. A game
which promised to be exciting but didn’t
quite get there.
12 exf5 gxf5 13 Ng5 Nf6 14 f4!
Showing a key difference between
games one and three of the match. White
gets to put more pressure on Black’s centre
and forces Fischer to tread carefully.
14 ... h6
Black can push past with 14 ... e4, but
then 15 h3! gives White an edge.
15 fxe5?!
Taimanov is getting excited. Again he is
being tempted to try to blow Fischer away.
Instead, 15 Ne6! was crying out to be
played: 15 ... Bxe6 16 dxe6 c6 17 fxe5 dxe5
18 Be3 Qc8 (or 18 ... Qc7 19 g3 Rad8 20 c5) 24 ... Qc5+ 25 Kf1 Rfd8
19 c5 b5 20 Rcd1 with an edge for White. Black is on top. His bishops rake the
15 ... dxe5 16 c5 Nfxd5! board and he has an extra pawn to boot.
Maybe White thought this was
impossible in view of his forthcoming 19th
move.
17 Nxd5 Nxd5 18 cxb6 axb6 19 Rc6!
The exclamation mark is for effect; the
point is firstly to prevent ... Be6. Fischer
keeps cool.
19 ... Kh8

26 Rxd8+ Rxd8 27 Qa4 Qc1+ 28 Kf2

20 Nf3?!
Going backwards.
a) 20 Ne6?! Bxe6 21 Rxe6 Qd7 22 Rg6
Rf6 23 Rxf6 Nxf6 24 Bc3 Ne4 is also good
for Black.
b) 20 Qh3 was suggested as best after
the game, but even here Black defends: 20 ...
Rf6! 21 Bc4 f4 22 Rxf6 Bxh3 23 Nf7+ Kh7
24 Nxd8 Bxf6 25 Nc6 (25 Bxd5? Rxd8 26
Be4+ Kg7 27 Bc3 Be6 leaves Black a pawn
up) 25 ... Be6 26 Re1 with rough equality
after White takes on e5.
20 ... Bb7 21 Rg6?
A further mistake, though 21 Rxh6+ is
successfully countered by 21 ... Bxh6 22
Bxh6 Qe7! 23 Bxf8 Rxf8.
21 ... Nf4
21 ... f4! is good too.
22 Bxf4 exf4 23 Rd1 Qe7 24 Re6
Or 24 Qe6 Qxe6 25 Rxe6 Rae8!.
Bf8 29 b4 Be4 30 Re8 Bc6
There was no bluffing Bobby Fischer.
31 Qxc6 Qxc6 32 Rxd8 Qf6 33 Rc8
Qe7 34 Kf1 Kh7 35 Nd4 Bg7 36 Nb5 Be5
37 a3 Qd7 38 Ra8 f3 39 gxf3 Bxh2 40 Kg2
Qg7+ 41 Kxh2 Qe5+ 42 Kg1 0-1
As is well known, Taimanov lost this
match against Fischer 0-6. Looking at the
figures alone, it seems like a massacre, but
all the games were hard fought and some
extremely interesting. Perhaps it is fair to
call 9 Bd2 the Taimanov Variation in his
honour.
Game 41 E.Iturrizaga Bonelli-
D.Popovic Batumi Olympiad 2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 0-0 5 Be2
d6 6 Nf3 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 a4!?

Viktor Korchnoi, not the greatest fan of
the King’s Indian, once tried this idea
against Garry Kasparov. It is yet another
way of trying to organize queenside
pressure. Today, it is thought that Black
should put a temporary brake on White’s
advance.
9 ... a5! 10 b3 Nd7 11 Ba3 Kh8
Black has to be watchful: 11 ... f5?! 12
Ng5! Nc5 13 Bxc5 dxc5 14 Ra2! gives
White a slight edge.
12 b4 axb4 13 Bxb4 Ng8 14 Nd2 b6 15
a5 Nc5 16 axb6 Rxa1 17 Qxa1 cxb6 18
Qa7
Play has taken the usual course, except
that Black has focused on defending his
queenside rather than pushing kingside
pawns. He keeps ... f7-f5 in the wings. Can
White make headway?
18 ... Nf6!
Another careful move. It would be
unwise to allow 18 ... f5?! 19 Na4! Nxa4 20
Qxa4 Rf7 21 Qa8 Bf8 22 Rb1, when Black
has been pushed on to the defensive.
19 Rb1
Or 19 Na4 Nfd7.
19 ... Bh6 20 Nf1
My computer is suggesting 20 Bxc5
bxc5 21 Nf3 with a White edge, but I’m not
sure I believe it. If Black continues to show
common sense, he must be able to defend;
e.g. 21 ... Nd7 22 Nb5 Nf6 23 Bd3 Bg4 24
Ne1 Ne8 25 h3 Bd7 is a fractional
advantage, if that, for White.
20 ... Nfxe4 21 Nxe4 Nxe4 22 Be1 Nc5
23 Rxb6
23 Qxb6 just encourages equality: 23 ...
Bf5 24 Qxd8 Rxd8 25 Rb6 Bd3.
23 ... e4 24 Bc3+ Bg7 25 Bxg7+ Kxg7
26 Rc6 Qf6 27 h4
27 Qc7 Rd8 28 Ng3 h6 would leave
White wondering how to continue his
winning attempt. Maybe 29 Rxc5!? dxc5 30
Nxe4, but then 30 ... Qa1+ 31 Bf1 Re8 32
Nd6 Re1! 33 Qxf7+ Kh8 34 Qf8+ Kh7 is a
draw, if Black can find nothing better.
27 ... h5 28 Ne3 Nd3 29 Bxd3 exd3
30 Qa3?
 Bringing the rook back to defend with
30 Rb6 was called for. White thinks he
should still be attacking and doesn’t note the
change in the position.
30 ... Qd4! 31 Rxd6 d2 32 Nd1 Re8 33
Qc3 0-1
In view of 33 ... Qxc3 34 Nxc3 Re1+ 35
Kh2 Rc1 etc.
Summary Through limitations of space,
we have come to the end of our brief
introduction to the 7 ... Nc6 8 d5 Ne7
version of the Classical main line. All I can
say is that there is a lot more to learn! I
guess if you are starting out with the King’s
Indian, you need some good general tips, as
opposed to being overwhelmed by theory
and all the latest developments. Let me try
to help:
For White: 1. Your main theatre of
action is the queenside.
2. Pawns are advanced to lever open the
position, usually via a capture on d6 or b6.
3. The c7- and c6-squares are the most
common points of invasion.
4. You may benefit from keeping your
knight on f3, hoping for a premature ... f7-
f5, when Ng5 may be strong.
5. Speed is of the essence, as Black’s
kingside pawn avalanche can become very
powerful. Don’t go blindly into a rival flank
attack position.
6. Ultimately, if you don’t like learning
theory or want an easy life, this line is
probably the wrong one for you.
For Black: 1. Ultimately, if you don’t like
learning theory or want an easy life, this line
is probably the wrong one for you. Yes, I
have repeated myself, but the attraction of
the overwhelming attack on the white king
often blinds Black players to the complexity
of the task.
2. You are looking to move the knight from
f6 and play ... f7-f5. After that, a direct
attack with pawns may begin with moves
such as ... f5-f4 and then ... g6-g5.
3. You must watch out for Ng5.
4. The knight on e7 is your problem piece.
5. Slower approaches are possible, usually
starting with ... Kh8. These are worth
investigation.
6. At higher levels, be prepared to win or
lose games without a single original move
being played, even if they’re full of
fascinating chess. It would be easy to fudge
the truth, but I will leave you with that
thought.
Black plays 7 ... Na6 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3
Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0
Na6
Options-preserving; flexible; the knight
defends c7, and the bishop on c8 is left
unobstructed. These are all positives. The
knight is on the edge but may come back
into the game via the c5- or b4-squares at
the right moment. All in all, the 7 ... Na6
variation is strategic and a very good choice
if you are the stronger player who needs to
win. I wouldn’t necessarily trust it 100% if
the roles are reversed, as it is not quite sharp
enough to pose White difficult problems.
Game 42 Y.Zilberman-I.Smirin
European Cup, Panormo 2001
1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 c4 Bg7 4 Nc3 0-0 5 e4
d6 6 Be2 Na6 7 0-0 e5
You’ll notice that Black played an early
... Na6, but the game has quickly transposed.
White now has to decide how to react to
Black’s set-up. Should he stay flexible
himself or push forward in the centre right
away?
8 d5 Nc5!
The game now levels up with the 7 ...
Nbd7 variation, as Black has nothing better
than to put his knight on c5 in either case.
9 Qc2 a5
To delay b2-b4 and cement the good
position of the knight on c5.
10 Bg5 h6 11 Be3
This position appears again in the
section on 7 ... Nbd7, where John Nunn
plays 11 ... Nfd7 (see Game 47).
11 ... b6
A later game between the two same
players diverged with 11 ... Qe7 12 Nd2 Bd7
13 b3 h5 14 f3 Kh7 15 a3 Bh6 16 Bxh6
Kxh6 17 b4 Na6 18 Rab1 axb4 19 axb4 Kg7
20 Qd3 c5! 21 dxc6 bxc6 with equality,
Y.Zilberman-I.Smirin, Israeli League 2011.
This is obviously satisfactory for Black, who
went on to win.
12 Nd2 Bg4!
Trying to provoke f2-f3, after which
Black would drop his bishop back and
continue ... Nh5.
13 h3 Bd7 14 b3 Nh7 15 a3
White must try to get b3-b4 in, or he will
be facing the usual kingside attack from
Black, starting with ... f7-f5, and have no
play to speak of himself.
15 ... f5 16 exf5
On the immediate 16 b4 White perhaps
didn’t like 16 ... Nxe4! (16 ... Na6 is also
reasonable) 17 Ndxe4 fxe4 18 Nxe4 Bf5 19
Bg4 Bxg4 20 hxg4 Qd7, but he should
probably have gone for this, as after 21 f3
Nf6 22 Nxf6+ Rxf6 23 Bd2 a4 24 Rae1
White seems to have a little more control
over the position.
16 ... gxf5 17 f4
 I’m very doubtful whether action in the
centre or on the kingside is going to get
White anywhere, as he is playing right into
Black’s hands. Smirin is now able to whip
up an attack.
TIP: It is rarely a good idea to play on
the side of the board where your
opponent is stronger.
17 ... exf4! 18 Bxf4 Qh4 19 Rae1 Ng5
20 Kh2 Rae8 21 Qc1
You would think that 21 b4 would be
high on the list of White’s priorities, but in
this case 21 ... axb4 22 axb4 Na6 makes it
awkward for him to defend his b4-pawn, as
the natural 23 Qb3? is met by 23 ... Be5! (23
... Nf3+?! 24 Rxf3 Qxe1 25 Rg3 is less
clear) 24 Bxe5 Rxe5, intending ... f5-f4, ...
Bxh3, etc.
21 ... Be5!
Securing the d4- and e5-squares for
future use, by removing a key defender of
the white king.
22 Bxe5 Rxe5 23 b4
Finally, but far too late.
23 ... axb4 24 axb4 f4!
25 Nf3
Capturing the knight was not possible:
25 bxc5 Bxh3 26 gxh3 Qxh3+ 27 Kg1
Nf3+! 28 Nxf3 Qg3+ 29 Kh1 Rh5+ mates.
25 ... Nxf3+
25 ... Qg3+! 26 Kh1 Bxh3 was even
stronger.
26 Rxf3 Nb3 27 Qd1 Nd4!
By ingenious means Smirin has
completely outplayed his opponent.
28 Rd3
Or 28 Qxd4 Qxe1.
28 ... Nxe2 29 Rxe2 Bg4 30 Qc2 Bxe2
31 Nxe2 Re3 0-1
The line with 8 d5 is a bit out of fashion,
though it may feature in club chess quite
frequently, as the push in the centre is a
natural move. At master level, more subtlety
is required if White is to achieve an
advantage against 7 ... Na6.
Game 43 A.D.Martin-A.J.Mestel
British Championship, Eastbourne 1990
1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 c4 Bg7 4 Nc3 0-0 5 e4
d6 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0 Na6 8 dxe5
I think a lot of King’s Indian players
have an irrational fear of exchange
variations, because they think these systems
will dry the game up. Look at it another
way: White is presenting Black with
immediate equality! I wouldn’t play 8 dxe5
these days, as it leads to nothing. I had great
respect for Mestel at that time (and still do)
and thought the exchange would preface an
easy draw. Nothing could be further from
the truth.
8 ... dxe5 9 Qxd8 Rxd8
 10 h3!?
Just preventing ... Bg4 and hopefully
taking the sting out of any plan involving
placing a black knight on d4, such as ...
Nc5-e6-d4. Instead:
a) 10 Be3 is simply met by 10 ... b6!.
b) 10 Nxe5 Nxe4! is also worth noting,
as it is a common Black tactic. Again, White
achieves nothing: 11 Nxe4 (not 11 Nxf7??
Nxc3 12 Nxd8 Nxe2+ 13 Kh1 Nxc1 14
Raxc1 Nc5) 11 ... Bxe5 12 Bg5 Re8! 13 Bf3
Kg7 14 Rfe1 h6 and Black is at least equal.
10 ... Nc5 11 Bg5 c6 12 Rfd1 Re8 13
Bd3 Be6 14 b3 a5
Black has shown great care over the past
few moves and has a very comfortable
game. I actually prefer Black thanks to his
strong knight on c5, though objectively the
game remains equal.
15 Bc2 Nfd7 16 Be3 h6 17 Rac1
I could have plunged my rook in to d6,
but what does it achieve, especially as Black
is going to play ... Bf8 anyway.
17 ... Bf8 18 Bb1 f6 19 Ne1 Red8
The position is equal but not drawn. The
problem with playing in this way with White
is that you can’t resolve the d4 vs. d5 issue.
Black always has d4, whereas you do not
have d5. I was regretting my opening choice
by this stage. Who wants to grovel for a
draw with the white pieces?
20 Nd3 Nxd3 21 Bxd3 Ba3! 22 Rb1
Nc5 23 Bc2 Bb4 24 Rxd8+ Rxd8 25 Rd1
Rxd1+ 26 Nxd1
The vacuum cleaner is out, sucking the
pieces off the board at high speed. You’d
think this would be a simple draw, but it is
not. The fact is that Black has more ways to
improve his position than White. Thus
Mestel is justified in playing on and on.
26 ... h5 27 Nb2 Kf7 28 Kf1 f5 29 exf5
Bxf5 30 Bxf5 gxf5 31 Ke2 Ne4 32 Nd1 Ke6
33 Kd3 Nc5+ 34 Ke2 e4 35 f3 Ke5 36 fxe4
fxe4 37 g4?!
I couldn’t resist the temptation to get one
more pair of pawns off the board, but this
poor move just ends up making the g-pawn
vulnerable. The quiet 37 g3 was better, after
which it should be very tough for Black to
win.
37 ... hxg4 38 hxg4 Ne6
I think I was expecting 38 ... a4, when
39 Bxc5?! Bxc5 40 bxa4 Kf4! 41 Nc3 Bb4
42 Nd1 Kxg4 promises to be uncomfortable
for White.
 39 Nf2 Be7 40 Nd1 Nf4+ 41 Kf1 Bb4
42 Bc1 Ne6 43 Ke2 Nf4+ 44 Kf1 Bc5 45
Bd2 b6 46 Ne3 Bb4 47 Bxb4 axb4 48 g5
Kd4
49 Nf5+??
After fighting hard, I make a silly
mistake. White should play 49 Ng2! Ng6 50
Ke2 and challenge Black to win. A
queenside invasion does not seem to do the
business: 50 ... Kc3 51 Ke3 Kb2 52 Nf4!
Nf8 53 g6 Nxg6 54 Nxg6 Kxa2 55 Kxe4
Kxb3 56 Kd3 Ka3 57 Ne5! (the knight gets
back in time) 57 ... b3 58 Nf3 b2 59 Nd2
Ka2 60 Kc2 b5 61 c5 (or 61 cxb5 cxb5) 61
... b4 62 Kd3 b1Q+ 63 Nxb1 Kxb1 64 Kc4
Kc2 65 Kxb4 Kd3 66 Kb3 Kd4 67 Kb4 Kd5
68 Kb3 Kxc5 69 Kc3 with a draw.
49 ... Kd3! 50 Nh4 Kc2 51 g6 Nxg6 52
Nxg6 Kb2
The difference between the game and the
variation in the previous note is that the
black e-pawn remains on the board.
53 Ne7 c5 54 Nd5 Kxa2 55 Ke2 Kxb3
56 Nxb6 Kc2 57 Ke3 b3 58 Na4 b2 59
Nxb2 Kxb2 60 Kxe4 Kc3! 0-1
In the end, a delicate endgame. I felt
frustrated with myself for opening the game
in such a dull way. One thing is for sure: 8
dxe5 does not threaten 7 ... Na6.
As is the case in many King’s Indian
variations, the pace of the game can pick up
very quickly if the centre is not blocked.
Game 44 Ja.Gustafsson-A.Naiditsch
Dortmund 2012
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0 Na6 8 Be3
Reaching a position that can also arise in
the Gligoric Variation, as we have seen
already.
8 ... Ng4!
I prefer this to the immediate 8 ... Qe8
from Game 26. Black should not let White
settle.
9 Bg5 Qe8!
From this square the black queen eyes
both sides of the board and can come out to
g6 to aid a kingside attack in certain
circumstances; she also supports the e5-
pawn. This is a typical idea in the 7 ... Na6
variation.
10 Re1 exd4 11 Nxd4
After the tactical 11 Nd5, play can
become sharp; e.g. 11 ... f6 12 Bf4 d3! 13
Qxd3 (or 13 Bxd3 Qd8 14 h3 Ne5 15 Be2
c6) 13 ... Ne5 14 Qd2 Qf7 15 Rad1 Nc5 16
Qc2 c6 17 Nc3 f5 and Black has good
counterplay, B.Gelfand-T.Radjabov, Medias
2010.
11 ... Qe5
 The black queen zips into the centre,
creating direct threats as she goes.
12 Nf3 Qc5 13 Bh4 Be6 14 Nd2 h5!?
15 Nb3 Qb6 16 Bxg4 Bxg4
17 Qd3?!
This is definitely not the best move as
the white queen becomes an immediate
target, but Black’s game is preferable in any
case. He has two strong bishops and the
white knights are unimpressive. For
instance, 17 Qd2 Be6 18 Nd5 Bxd5 19 cxd5
seems better, but even there 19 ... Rae8!
retains the advantage, with ideas of ... f7-f5
and/or ... Qb4.
17 ... Nb4! 18 Qb1
18 Qd2 allows 18 ... Nxa2.
18 ... a5 19 Nd2 Qd4
19 ... Bh6! looks very good indeed,
intending 20 Nf1 Be6 with the twin threats
of ... Bxc4 and ... g6-g5!.
20 Bg5 Qd3 21 Nd5 Qxb1 22 Raxb1
Nxd5 23 cxd5 a4 24 Rec1?
Here 24 Rbc1 Rfc8 25 h3 Bd7 26 Bf4
Bxb2 27 Rb1 a3 28 Nc4 was a better stab at
hanging on.
24 ... Rfc8 25 Be3?
But 25 f3 Bd7 26 Be3 f5! is still good
for Black.
25 ... Be2 0-1
This seems like a premature resignation,
but the threat of ... Bd3 is hard to meet; for
instance, 25 ... Be2 26 b4! Bd3 27 b5 Bxb1
28 Nxb1 f5! 29 Nd2 fxe4 30 Nxe4 Re8 31
Ng5 Bh6! 32 Ne6 Bxe3 33 fxe3 Rac8 34
Rc4 c6 wins. Rather than test Black’s
technique in what is bound to be a long
drawn-out unpleasant experience,
Gustafsson writes the game off.
I have mentioned that one of the benefits
of 7 ... Na6 is that the bishop on c8 is free to
go. In the next game we will see Black
making use of this detail.
Game 45 B.Navrodsky-D.Kryakvin
Moscow 2019
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0 Na6 8 Re1
This one of the main lines. White makes
a useful move, improves his position
slightly, and awaits events.
8 ... c6
Black does likewise. In the next game
we’ll see him play 8 ... Qe8 again.
9 Bf1 Bg4!
Suddenly, White has to think about the
pressure on d4.
10 d5
10 Be3 is answered by 10 ... exd4 11
Bxd4 (White would probably rather have a
knight on this square) 11 ... Re8 12 h3 Bxf3
13 Qxf3 Nb4! (Black is causing mischief)
14 Rac1 c5! 15 Be3 Nc6 16 Rcd1 Qa5 and
Black has active play, A.Garcia Luque-
J.Magem Badals, Spanish Championship,
Linares 1990.
10 ... c5 11 h3 Bd7
There is no sense in giving up the
bishop, so Black retreats, getting ready for
the usual plan of preparing ... f7-f5. The
position is about equal. Black has a bit less
space but is very flexibly placed.
12 Be3
From my chair 12 a3 seems correct.
12 ... Kh8 13 Qd2 Ng8 14 Bg5 f6 15
Bh4 Bh6
A useful option, which the knight on g8
has assisted Black to play.
16 Qd1 Bf4 17 Ne2 g5 18 g3 gxh4 19
gxf4 Qe8 20 f5 Qh5
Structurally, the position looks nice for
Black, and the white bishop on f1 runs the
risk of becoming worse and worse as the
game goes on. I would be happy over the
board. Surprisingly, when I switch on the
engine it is showing me a healthy advantage
to White, presumably based on extra space,
but I am not sure at all about that evaluation.
21 Nc3 Nh6 22 Kh1 Rg8
Black masses his pieces logically.
23 Be2 Nxf5!
This had to come, and the positive
evaluation for White now dips. Over the
board, with the clock ticking, I would not
like to be in White’s shoes.
24 exf5 Qxf5 25 Bf1 Qg6 26 a3
26 Ne4 hopes for 26 ... f5 27 Nxd6!
Qxd6 28 Rxe5 Rg7 29 Qd2 with advantage.
Black has no need to allow this though. He
can play the patient 26 ... Rad8, intending 27
Nxd6?! Ba4!, and otherwise leading up to ...
f6-f5 more slowly.
26 ... Bf5 27 Qd2?? e4! 28 Qf4 exf3
Black’s practical sacrifice has worked.
White blundered and all he can do is watch
as his opponent piles in.
29 Qh2 Rg7 30 Nb5 Rd8 31 Re3 Nc7
32 Nc3 Re8 33 Rae1 Re5 34 b4 b6 35 bxc5
bxc5 36 a4 a6 37 a5 Ne8 38 Na4 Be4! 39
Nb2 Rg5 0-1
Kryakvin manufactured an excellent
kingside attack in this game.
We finish our coverage of 7 ... Na6 with
a White win, just to give some balance. We
have only scratched the surface of this solid
line. If you want more you must explore
outside the brief of this book, which is to
introduce and enthuse. I can say that the line
is solid, interesting and reliable, with the
advantage that it is much less theoretical
than 7 ... Nc6.
 Game 46 T.Gareyev-D.H.Gong Auckland
2019
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 Nf3 e5 7 0-0 Na6 8 Re1 Qe8 9 Bf1
Bg4 10 d5
With the e4-pawn overprotected, d4-d5
is more attractive to White, especially as 10
... Nc5 can be met by 11 b4!.
10 ... Nh5
Black gets ready for ... f7-f5. Instead:
a) 10 ... Nc5 11 b4 Ncd7 (and not 11 ...
Ncxe4? 12 Nxe4 Nxe4 13 Rxe4 f5 14 Rxg4!
fxg4 15 Ng5) 12 Rb1 is good for White.
b) 10 ... Nb4! seems best to me, with the
idea of ... Bxf3. For instance, 11 a3 (11 Be2
is more popular) 11 ... Bxf3 12 gxf3 Na6 13
b4 reaches a position which has been seen
numerous times in master chess, with White
scoring around 70%. Personally, I think that
Black has a reasonable game after, say 13 ...
Nh5!. I would be happy to play this.
TIP: Don’t believe what the books and
the machines say, without carefully
going over it yourself.
11 h3 Bd7 12 Rb1 f5 13 b4!
Cutting the a6-knight out of the game. I
guess White must be sure that Black’s
chances on the kingside can be contained.
13 ... Nf6
13 ... fxe4 14 Nxe4 Nf4 runs into 15 b5!
Nc5 16 Nxc5 dxc5 17 Rb3! and White is in
control, with the superior pawn structure and
no kingside attack for Black at all.
14 c5! Nxe4
Or 14 ... fxe4 15 Ng5!.
15 Nxe4 fxe4 16 Ng5 Bb5
After 16 ... dxc5 17 Bxa6 bxa6 18 bxc5
Black’s position is pretty poor.
17 Nxe4 Bxf1 18 Rxf1 Rd8 19 Bg5
White is solidly better. Why?
1. He has more space.
2. He controls the key central square
(e4).
3. Black has two problem pieces: the
knight on a6 and the blocked-in bishop on
g7. White has no such problems.
Putting this all together results in an
unenviable situation for Hanwen Gong.
19 ... Rd7 20 c6 bxc6 21 dxc6 Rdf7 22
Qd5 Nb8
The poor knight is unable to improve its
position, from now until the end. Black is
effectively a piece down. 22 ... Kh8 23 b5
Nc5 24 Nxc5 dxc5 25 Be3 is no better.
23 Rfc1 Kh8 24 b5

24 ... Rf4
Black is desperate, but there was no
adequate answer to White’s simple idea of
Be3 and Bxa7, followed by a queenside
pawn advance.
25 Bxf4 exf4 26 Nxd6! cxd6 27 c7 Qc8
28 b6
He doesn’t even have to take the knight.
28 ... axb6 29 Rxb6 Na6 30 Qxd6 f3 31
Rxa6 fxg2 32 Qe6 1-0
A striking White victory to close the
section.
Black plays 7 ... Nbd7 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3
Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0
Nbd7
7 ... Nbd7 introduces a very solid line,
which avoids any premature simplification
involving 8 dxe5. This is the old-fashioned
way to play the Classical. It’s a little bit
passive compared to either 7 ... Nc6 or 7 ...
Na6, but that does not make it bad. I like this
line, always have done, and as White have
found it difficult to break Black’s position
down. To me, this is an ideal line for the
stronger player (with either colour) to be
able to outplay an opponent in a complicated
middlegame.
Game 47 A.D.Martin-J.Nunn
Manchester 1980
Playing John Nunn is always an interesting
experience. I have scored very badly against
him over the years but always enjoyed the
games.
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 d4 g6 3 c4 Bg7 4 Nc3 d6 5
e4 0-0 6 Be2 Nbd7
I recall that I was surprised to see this
move. I guess he was avoiding the Exchange
Variation.
7 0-0
Transposing to the standard 6 ... e5 7 0-0
Nbd7 variation.
Instead, 7 e5 is the only way to make the
line independent and an attempt to refute
Black’s move order. Today, I would give
this a try, as Black can go seriously wrong
quickly. After 7 ... dxe5 8 dxe5 Ng4 9 e6
fxe6 10 0-0,
 the sacrifice of a pawn has disrupted the
position, and all moves aside from 10 ...
Nde5 have scored poorly for Black. Having
said that, 10 ... Nde5 is quite okay; for
example, 11 Qxd8 (11 Nxe5 Nxe5 12 Be3
Nc6!, planning ... Nd4, seems good for
Black) 11 ... Rxd8 12 Ng5 h6 13 h3 Nf6 14
Nf3 Nxf3+ 15 Bxf3 c6 and White has
distinct positional compensation, but no
more than that.
7 ... e5 8 d5
8 Qc2 c6 9 Rd1 led to a grandmother
draw: 9 ... Qe7 10 Rb1 exd4 11 Nxd4 Re8
12 f3 Nc5 13 b4 Ne6 14 Be3 Nxd4 15 Bxd4
Be6 16 Bf1 Red8 17 Qc1 b6 18 Bf2 c5 19
b5 Ne8 20 Nd5 Bxd5 21 cxd5 ½-½
A.D.Martin-E.Mednis, Gausdal 1990. Have
you ever played at Gausdal, high in the
Norwegian mountains? The ski slopes
beckon right outside the hotel, nature thrives
in abundance, and the sauna, steam room
and swimming pool are first-class. Taking
everything into consideration, chess seemed
very low on the list of priorities that day.
8 ... a5 9 Qc2 Nc5 10 Bg5 h6 11 Be3
Nfd7
As we’ve seen, this position can also be
reached via the 7 ... Na6 variation. Smirin
opted for the solid 11 ... b6 in Game 42.
12 Nd2 f5
White’s way of playing the position
can’t threaten Black, who has organized his
game comfortably and achieved ... f7-f5,
which gives him excellent counterplay.
13 exf5 gxf5 14 f4 exf4!
Freeing up the e5-square for a knight.
15 Bxf4 Ne5 16 Nf3
I think that today I would play 16 Rae1
first.
16 ... Ng6 17 Be3 Qe7 18 Qd2 f4 19
Bxc5?!
The damned machines will show an
advantage to White after this move, but I
don’t really believe that. A King’s Indian
practitioner must have faith in the power of
his dark-squared bishop! Today, I would
play 19 Bd4, though White isn’t better after
that either.
19 ... dxc5 20 Bd3 Ne5 21 Nxe5 Bxe5
22 Rae1 Qg7 23 Kh1 Bd7 24 Ne4 b6 25 b3
Rae8
Black now seemed a bit more
comfortable to me, as White has to closely
monitor the bishop on e5, but I don’t recall
feeling in any sort of trouble. Unfortunately,
that complacency soon results in a mistake.
26 Be2
Maybe White should just go 26 a4 and
challenge Black to find a way in.
26 ... Qg6 27 Bf3?! Bd4! 28 a3?? Be3
I didn’t keep a careful enough eye on the
bishop!
29 Qc3 Rxe4 30 Bxe4 Qxe4 0-1
Both the solidity and the promise of
Black’s system are on view in this game.
Patience is the key to exploiting White’s
slight advantage in space. The following
game is a perfect demonstration of his
chances against 7 ... Nbd7.
Game 48 L.Polugaevsky-D.Minic
Vinkovci 1976
1 c4 g6 2 d4 Bg7 3 e4 d6 4 Nc3 e5 5 Nf3
Nd7 6 Be2 Ngf6 7 0-0 0-0 8 Re1
 A quiet move, planning Bf1, which
secures the centre. Should Black play ... f7-
f5 a bit later on, White goes e4xf5 and the
rook comes into the game.
8 ... c6 9 Bf1 a5 10 Rb1
More preparation. White hopes to play
b2-b4 at the right moment and gain space.
10 ... Re8
If Black is going to play ... Re8 at all,
then 10 ... exd4 11 Nxd4 Re8 seems a better
way of doing so. L.Polugaevsky-I.Nemet,
Vinkovci 1976, continued 12 f3 d5?! (Black
tries a little too hard; 12 ... Nc5 was
indicated) 13 cxd5 Nxd5 14 Nce2 Nc7 15
Be3 Ne5 16 Qc2 c5 17 Nb3 b6 18 Rbd1 Qe7
19 Nc3 a4 20 Nd2 Nc6 21 Nc4 Nd4 22 Qc1
b5 23 Nb6 Rb8 24 Nbd5 Nxd5 25 Nxd5
Qd6 26 Bf4 Be5 27 Bxe5 Rxe5 28 Nc3
(Black has been playing very well and
maintained what counterplay he could get
under the circumstances, but he now gets
overambitious) 28 ... Rh5? 29 e5! Rxe5 30
Rxe5? (a mistake in turn, missing 30 Nxb5!
Rxb5 31 Rxe5 or 30 ... Rxe1 31 Nxd6 Ne2+
32 Kf2 Nxc1 33 Rxe1 Rxb2+ 34 Kg3 with a
big advantage) 30 ... Qxe5 31 Re1 Qf5? (31
... Qc7 is okay) 32 Re8+ Kg7 33 Ne4 Rb6
34 Ng3 Qd7 35 Qxc5! Ne6? 36 Qxc8 Qd4+
37 Kh1 Qxb2 38 Rg8+ Kh6 39 Qd7 b4 40
Qe7 Qd4 41 Ne4 Rb5 42 Nd6 Qf2 43 Nxf7+
and Black resigned.
11 d5!
Two key ideas make this a good move:
1. White doesn’t permit ... e4xd4, which
would activate the rook on e8.
2. Now that the centre is blocked, Black
would like to play ... f7-f5 and in that case
the rook on e8 is suddenly misplaced.
11 ... Nc5 12 b3
The immediate 12 a3 would be a
positional mistake due to 12 ... a4!, when the
white queenside pawns are disjointed.
12 ... Bd7 13 Nd2 Bh6 14 a3
Now b3-b4 cannot be denied and with it
comes yet more space.
14 ... cxd5 15 cxd5 Rf8
Black is hoping that the blocked centre
means that the loss of time with his rook
won’t be serious. I’m not so sure. With
White making serious progress on the
queenside, any delay in Black’s counterplay
is likely to have an impact.
16 Nc4 Bxc1 17 Qxc1
Now the black king is also a concern.
17 ... Ne8 18 Qe3 Rc8
White threatened Nxd6.
19 b4 axb4 20 axb4 Na6 21 Rec1 f5
Rather late in proceedings.
22 Qb6!
Spot on! White uses the time given to
zone in on the black queenside weaknesses.
22 ... Nac7?
 22 ... Qxb6 23 Nxb6 is obviously
undesirable from Black’s perspective, but I
think it was relatively best. After 23 ... Rc7
24 f3 Kg7 White has more chances to
improve his position than Black, but no clear
win.
23 Nxd6 Nxd6 24 Qxd6 fxe4 25 Qxe5
Bf5 26 d6!
Suddenly, the game is gone.
26 ... Ne8 27 Nxe4 Bxe4 28 Qe6+ Kg7
29 Rxc8 Qb6 30 Rb2 Nxd6 31 Rxf8 1-0
It was games like this one that gave the 7
... Nbd7 variation a solid, but passive
reputation, which is maintained to the
present day. Is it a fair judgment? I was shocked to see that this is one of
Travelling forwards in time, we find that the modern main lines! I guess the bishop
play in this variation hasn’t changed too holds up a later c4-c5 by White and permits
much. Black’s set-up and ideas will suit ... Nh5-g7 if needed, but can Black really get
solid players who like to counterpunch, away with such slow play?
whereas White can be satisfied that, as long 11 Nd2 Nf4 12 Bf1 Nc5 13 Qc2 a5 14
as he is careful and doesn’t try too hard, he g3 Nh5 15 Bg2 Bd7 16 b3 f5
should be able to maintain a small edge. I suppose the bishop on e3 is in the view
of Black’s f-pawn and that will regain some
time.
Game 49 B.Ochsner-V.Kotronias 17 f3 f4 18 Bf2 fxg3 19 hxg3 Bh6
Aarhus 2019 Returning from the dead.
20 Rab1 Rf8
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 d4
0-0 6 Be2 e5 7 0-0 Nbd7 8 Be3

Transposing to a sort of Gligoric System

(7 Be3 Nbd7 8 0-0). As Black, Gligoric
himself played 8 ... Ng4 in the notes to
Game 26.

8 ... Re8 9 d5

Again we see White waiting for ... Rfe8

before he plays d4-d5.

9 ... Nh5 10 Re1 Bf8!?

Likewise. This really has been quite
unusual and surprising play by Black. He is
claiming that, as White’s preparation for b3-
b4 is so slow, Black can get away with
moves like ... Re8, ... Bf8, and ... Nh5-f4-h5.
The rest of the game suggests that he is
right!
21 a3 a4 22 b4 Bxd2 23 Qxd2 Nb3 24
Qd3 Qg5 25 Ne2 b5 26 Be3
The point being that 26 cxb5 Rab8!
gives Black serious counterplay. Maybe best
is now 27 Rxb3! axb3 (not 27 ... Bxb5?? 28
Qe3) 28 a4 b2 29 Rb1 Ra8 30 a5 Rfb8,
when it really is anybody’s game.
26 ... Qe7 27 cxb5 Rab8 28 b6 cxb6 29
Kh2 g5 30 Nc1 Qf6 31 Nxb3 axb3 32 Rxb3
Qh6 33 Kg1 Nxg3 34 Qd2 Nh5 35 Bxg5
Qg6 36 Kf2 Kh8
Kotronias has created a knife-edged
situation where every one of his pieces is
active, which cannot be said of the bishop
on g2 or even the rook on b3. White now
falters in defence, possibly under pressure
from the clock.
37 Rg1? Rg8 38 f4
Or 38 Be3 Qg3+ 39 Ke2 Bb5+ 40 Kd1
Ba4.
38 ... Rbf8! 39 Ke1 Nxf4 40 Bxf4 Rxf4
41 Re3 Rg4
As crushing a pin as you will see.
42 Re2 Bb5 0-1
Other Black Ideas Black has tried many
different approaches against the Classical
System. I will concentrate on the ideas I find
to be most playable.
Game 50 A.D.Martin-W.Watson British
Championship, Torquay 1982
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 Nf3 e5 7 0-0 c6!?
An old idea, dating from the era of
Geller and Boleslavsky and still very
playable today. Play could transpose back
into the ... Na6 or ... Nbd7 variations or take
an independent course; in all cases ... c7-c6
is a useful move. Willie Watson, who later
became a GM, liked the line and played it a
lot around that time. To me, it came as a
surprise.
8 Re1
A recent example involving Grischuk
saw 8 Qc2 exd4!? (otherwise 8 ... Nbd7
transposes to 7 ... Nbd7 lines) 9 Nxd4 Re8
10 Bg5 Qe7 11 Rad1 Na6 (the white queen
looks a little misplaced) 12 f3 h6 13 Be3
Kh7 14 Rfe1 d5!? 15 cxd5 Nb4 16 Qd2
Nbxd5 17 Nxd5 (17 exd5 Qxe3+ 18 Qxe3
Rxe3 19 dxc6 seems more to the point) 17 ...
Nxd5 18 Bf2 Nc7 19 Bc4 c5 20 Nb5 Nxb5
21 Bxb5 Rf8 22 Bc4 b6 and Black ground
out a win in this level endgame, M.Roiz-
A.Grischuk, World Rapid Championship, St.
Petersburg 2018.
We should also convince ourselves once
more that the capture on e5 leads to nothing;
i.e. 8 dxe5 dxe5 9 Qxd8 Rxd8 and then:

a) 10 Nxe5 Nxe4! 11 Nxe4 (not 11
Nxf7? Nxc3 12 Nxd8 Nxe2+ 13 Kh1 Nxc1)
11 ... Bxe5 12 Bg5 Re8 13 Bf3 (or 13 Rad1
Nd7 14 b3 Bxh2+ 15 Kxh2 Rxe4 16 Rfe1
f6) 13 ... Be6! 14 Bf6 (not 14 Nf6+? Bxf6
15 Bxf6 Nd7 16 Bc3 Bxc4) 14 ... Bf5 (or 14
... Bxc4 15 Rfe1 Kf8!) 15 Bxe5 Bxe4 16
Bxe4 Rxe5 is equal, T.Hillarp Persson-
B.Damljanovic, Zaragoza 1995. Showing
these lines is important, as this is the type of
stuff that could often happen at club level
when a player knows nothing about the line
and seeks simplification. In all these
exchange variations, Black needs to be
careful for a few moves and beware ideas
with Nf6+.
b) 10 h3 Nh5 11 Be3 Nf4 12 Rfd1
Nxe2+ 13 Nxe2 Re8 14 Rac1 Na6 15 Nc3 f5
(Black has already established a slight edge)
16 Rc2 f4 17 Bc1 Bf6 18 b3 g5 19 Ba3 h5
20 Ne1 Be6 21 Nd3 g4 22 hxg4 hxg4 23
Na4 b6 24 Bb2 Rad8 25 Rcd2 Bf7 26 f3 g3
27 Kf1 Nb8 28 Ke2 Kg7 29 Bc3 c5 30 Ne1
Rc8 31 Bb2 Nc6 32 Nc3 Nd4+ (Black’s
strategic play has been almost perfect) 33
Kd3 b5 34 Nd5 Bxd5 35 exd5 Nf5 36 Nc2?
(at last a mistake; 36 Re2 was better) 36 ...
Nd6 37 Na3 b4 38 Nb5 e4+ 39 fxe4 Nxe4
40 Bxf6+ Kxf6 41 Rf1 Nxd2 42 Kxd2 Re4
0-1 S.Videki-W.Watson, Kecskemet 1988.
8 ... Qb6!?
I think this move stems from Geller and
is a way to spice things up. 8 ... Na6 and 8 ...
Nbd7 transpose to lines covered earlier (see
Games 45 and 48 respectively).
9 c5!?
After long thought. I genuinely did not
know how to meet Black’s idea and wanted
the annoying queen to move. A key point is
9 dxe5 Ng4! 10 Rf1 dxe5 11 h3 Nf6, when
Black has tempted White into taking on e5
too early.
9 ... dxc5 10 Na4 Qc7 11 dxc5
11 ... Nxe4
Instead, 11 ... b5! is more to the point
and gives Black active play after 12 cxb6 (or
12 Nc3?! Nbd7! 13 b4 a5) 12 ... axb6.
12 Bc4 Nf6
If 12 ... b5!? here, I think I intended 13
cxb6 axb6 14 Nxb6 Qxb6 15 Rxe4.
13 Nxe5 Nd5 14 Nd3 Bf5 15 Bg5
At the time, I thought White might hold
an edge with his superior development. Now
I just think it’s about equal. The knight on
a4 isn’t great, and Black can get his b8-
knight and rooks into play quickly enough.
I’ve had some exciting tussles with Willie
Watson over the years and in all the games
Watson liked to take his time. He was one of
those players who revelled in clock pressure.
I remember him spending oceans of time on
these opening moves and this gave me extra
hope.
15 ... Nd7?!
15 ... h6 16 Bh4 Qa5, pointing at the
knight on a4, was better.
16 Bxd5! cxd5 17 Nb4 d4 18 Nd5
White’s initiative starts to build.
18 ... Qa5 19 b4 Qb5 20 Nb2!
I did not like 20 Nc7 Qxb4 21 Nxa8
Rxa8, and with good reason as it is now
Black who has assumed the initiative.
20 ... Ne5?
Black was already in time trouble and
makes a further mistake. However, his
position was unenviable; e.g. 20 ... Nxc5 21
a4! or 20 ... Rfe8 21 Nc7 Qxb4 22 Nxe8
Qxb2 23 Nxg7 Kxg7 24 Rc1 with a big
advantage for White.
21 Bf6 Nd3 22 Ne7+ Kh8 23 Bxg7+
Kxg7 24 Nxf5+ gxf5 25 Nxd3 Rfe8 26 Qf3
A piece is a piece.
26 ... Qd7 27 h4 Kh8 28 Ne5 Qe6 29
Qf4 Rad8 30 Nf3 Qf6 31 Rxe8+ Rxe8 32
Qxd4 Qxd4 33 Nxd4 Re4 34 Rd1 1-0
Despite the result of this game, I still
have a liking for 7 ... c6. So did Willie
Watson, who went on to score very well in
master play with his speciality.
Game 51 M.W.Brown-S.Mamedyarov
PRO League, chess.com (rapid) 2018
1 d4 d6 2 Nf3 g6 3 c4 Bg7 4 Nc3 Nf6 5 e4
0-0 6 Be2 Bg4!?
The bishop on c8 is often a problem
piece in Benoni and King’s Indian systems,
so Black aims to exchange it off at the
earliest possible opportunity. I have dabbled
with 6 ... Bg4 occasionally, without any real
liking for the idea. Nevertheless, it is clearly
playable and even really strong GMs use it
from time to time as a surprise weapon. The
line is particularly appropriate for quickplay.
7 Be3 Nfd7
8 Rc1
8 Ng1!? Bxe2 9 Ngxe2 is played a lot
here, when 9 ... e5 10 0-0! (if 10 d5 f5 11 f3
then 11 ... Bh6! reduces White’s advantage
to almost nothing, as neither 12 Bxh6 Qh4+
13 g3 Qxh6 nor 12 Bf2 Nf6 sets the pulses
racing) 10 ... exd4 (after 10 ... Nc6 11 d5
Ne7 12 b4 f5 13 f3 Nf6 14 c5, Black will
miss his light-squared bishop) 11 Bxd4! Nf6
12 f3 Nc6 13 Be3 gives White a slight edge
due to his extra space.
So Black more often opts for ... c7-c5
instead. For example, 9 ... a6 10 Rc1 c5 11
0-0 Nc6 12 f4 cxd4 13 Nxd4 Nxd4 14 Bxd4
Bxd4+ 15 Qxd4 Qb6 16 Qxb6 Nxb6 17 b3
and Black’s position should be defensible,
though he is only playing for one result (a
draw) and failed to get it in M.Rohde-
M.Khachiyan, PRO League, chess.com
(rapid) 2018.
8 ... c5 9 d5 Na6 10 0-0 Nc7 11 h3 Bxf3
12 Bxf3 Re8
It is logical to head for some sort of
Benoni position, with the bishop on c8
exchanged. White has the bishop pair and
the usual extra space, but these are no more
than nominal advantages.
13 Be2 a6 14 Qd2 e6
14 ... b5! looks good here, the tactics
proving satisfactory for Black; e.g. 15 b3 (or
15 cxb5 axb5 16 a3 c4 17 f4 Qb8) 15 ... Rb8
16 f4 bxc4 17 bxc4 Na8! 18 Rb1 Qa5 with
equality.
15 Rfe1
15 dxe6 Nxe6 16 Qxd6 Nd4 17 Bg4 Ne5
18 Qxd8 Raxd8 19 b3 h5 20 Be2 Nec6 gives
Black good compensation for the pawn.
15 ... exd5 16 exd5 Qh4 17 Bg4
17 ... Rxe3!?
In a rapid game the players are often
trying to find ideas which eat into the
opponent’s clock. The position after the
imaginative 17 ... Rxe3 may be objectively
good for White, but it’s not easy to play at
all. What does Black get for the exchange?
1. An unassailable dark-squared bishop.
2. Use of the e5- and d4-squares.
3. A strong initiative.
Thus 17 ... Rxe3 is a practical move, a
calculated risk to try and win the game.
18 Qxe3
18 Rxe3 f5 is very unclear.
18 ... Bd4 19 Qd2 Ne5 20 Nd1 f5 21
Be2 Rf8 22 Bf1
White is struggling to find ways to
improve his position.
22 ... Ne8 23 Kh1 Nf6 24 g3 Qh5 25
Bg2 Ne4
Meanwhile Black can play a whole
series of easy moves and by now stands
better.
26 Qe2 Qh6 27 Rc2 Bxf2! 28 Qxf2
Nxf2+ 29 Nxf2 f4 30 g4 f3 31 Bf1 Rf4 32
Kg1 Qh4
It’s all over.
33 Re4 Qg3+ 34 Kh1 Rxe4 35 Nxe4
Qe1 0-1
You wonder after looking at this game:
why isn’t 6 ... Bg4 more popular?
Game 52 H.P.Hansen-D.Fitzsimons
British League 2018
1 c4 Nf6 2 Nc3 g6 3 e4 d6 4 d4 Bg7 5 Be2
0-0 6 Nf3 Qe8!?
 Among the many ideas that Black can
essay against the Classical, this one caught
my eye. The advantages are straightforward:
1. Black prepares ... e7-e5.
2. He avoids exchange variations where
the queens come off quickly.
3. He keeps flexibility.
4. The rook stays on f8 to assist ... f7-f5.
5. An easy plan such as ... e7-e5, ... Nh5
and ... f7-f5 becomes available, should
White block the centre.
6. White has to think for himself early in
the game.
Not a bad list!
7 Bg5
Note that White cannot refute the queen
move by playing 7 e5, as then 7 ... dxe5 8
Nxe5 (or 8 dxe5 Ng4) 8 ... c5! 9 dxc5 Nc6
leads to equality.
7 ... Na6 8 0-0 h6 9 Bh4 e5 10 d5 Nh5
Black’s plan takes shape; the knight will
find a very good square on f4.
11 Ne1 Nf4 12 Nd3 g5 13 Bg3 f5
White seems to have ended up in a
version of the Petrosian System where Black
is well placed. The position is equal with all
to play for.
14 exf5
If 14 f3, Black can continue with 14 ...
Qg6 as in the game.
14 ... Bxf5 15 f3 Qg6 16 Nf2 Nc5 17
Qd2
17 b4? runs straight into 17 ... e4! which
is problematic for White.
17 ... a5 18 Rfe1 Rf7 19 Bf1 Raf8
Fitzsimons has been able to mass his
pieces on more or less ideal squares and can
now start a direct attack, commencing with
... h7-h5.
20 Nce4 Nxe4 21 fxe4
21 Nxe4 allows 21 ... g4!.
21 ... Bc8 22 Qxa5 h5!
The a5-pawn acted as a decoy to
drag the white queen offside, and
Black now starts his assault.
23 Nd1 h4 24 Bf2
If White captures, 24 Bxf4 gxf4 leaves
him facing ... f4-f3 or ... h4-h3, taking a can
opener to his king.
24 ... h3 25 g3 Ng2 26 Bxg2 hxg2 27
Re2
27 Kxg2 Bg4! leads to decisive light
square pressure.
27 ... Bg4 28 Qe1 Bxe2?!
28 ... Bf3! was stronger, after which
White seems paralyzed. As the game goes,
White continues the fight for quite some
time.
29 Qxe2 g4 30 Rc1 Rf3 31 Rc2 R8f6 32
Kxg2 Qh5 33 Kg1 Qh3 34 Qf1 Bh6 35
Qxh3 gxh3 36 Kf1 Kf7 37 Ke2 b6
38 b4?
It was better to sit tight with 38 Rc3
Rxc3 39 Nxc3, when Black has to find a
way to make progress. Instead, White does
his work for him.
38 ... Ke8 39 c5 dxc5 40 bxc5 bxc5 41
Rxc5 Ra3 42 Nc3?
But if 42 Rc2 Rfa6 43 Nc3 then 43 ...
Bf8, intending ... Bb4, keeps up the
pressure.
42 ... Rb6 43 Rxc7 Rb2+ 44 Kf1 Bd2
Infiltration is now complete and Black
starts picking White’s pieces off.
45 Nd1 Rb1 46 Rc2
Or 46 Ke2 Rxa2.
46 ... Rxd1+ 47 Ke2 Rh1 48 Rxd2
Rxh2 49 Rb2 Rxg3 50 Rb8+ Kd7 51 Rb7+
Kc8 52 Rf7 Ra3 53 d6 Rxa2+ 54 Ke3
Ra3+ 55 Ke2 Rg2 56 Kf1 Ra1+ 0-1
The h-pawn will have the final say. If
you are in a creative mood or would like to
try something a bit offbeat, why not give 6
... Qe8 a go?
TIP: Developing secret, surprise
weapons aligns you with modern chess.
You should not become a sitting duck for
your opponents’ preparation.
Classical with h2-h3
 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5
Nf3 0-0 6 h3
This is quite an important system, where
h2-h3 is substituted for Be2. The advantages
of this idea can be listed as follows:
1. White keeps options open about the
placement of his king.
2. White prepares Be3 without having to
worry about the pesky ... Ng4.
3. In some cases, White can play g2-g4,
both cramping Black and starting a kingside
initiative.
It’s worth noting that White can place
his queen’s bishop on e3 or g5. The system
with h2-h3 and Bg5 will be covered in
Chapter Five (see Games 77 and 78)
Game 53 S.Drazic-J.H.Lee Novi Sad
2019
1 e4 g6 2 d4 Bg7 3 Nf3 d6 4 c4 Nf6 5 Nc3
0-0 6 h3 e5!
There is no reason why Black should not
play this principled move, unless you are
afraid of the dreaded exchange on e5, which
there is no need to be. Black can try many
different ideas against 6 h3, but 6 ... e5 is
most reliable.
7 d5
If White does opt for 7 dxe5 dxe5 8
Qxd8 Rxd8 9 Bg5, then 9 ... Na6! is a solid
response. Black has everything protected
and can emerge from the swamp uninjured.
A recent example, Wang Yue-I.Saric, World
Rapid Championship, Riyadh 2017, went 10
Nd5 Rd6! 11 Bxf6 Bxf6 12 Rc1 b6 13 b4 c6
14 Nxf6+ (there are tactical lines even here;
for instance, 14 c5 is met by 14 ... bxc5 15
bxc5 Rxd5! 16 exd5 e4 17 Nd2 cxd5 and
Black has tremendous compensation for the
exchange – so strong is this line that Wang
avoids it!) 14 ... Rxf6 15 a3 c5 16 b5 Nc7 17
Rd1 a6 18 Rd8+ Kg7 19 bxa6 Bxa6 20 Rxa8
Nxa8 (Black is already better thanks to his
superior development and the poor bishop
on f1) 21 Be2 Nc7 22 Kd2 Rd6+ 23 Ke3
Kf6 24 Rb1 Ne6 25 g3 g5 26 h4 g4 27 Nd2
Nd4 28 Rc1 Bc8 29 Nb1 Be6 30 Bd3 Rd8
31 Nc3 Ra8 32 a4 Ke7 33 Rb1 Ra6 34 Rb2
h5 35 Bf1 Kd6 36 Kd3 Kc7 37 Be2 Ra8 38
Bd1 Ra6 39 Nd5+ Bxd5 40 cxd5 Kd6 41
Kc4 Kc7 42 Kd3 Kd6 43 Kc4 Kc7 44 Kd3
½-½. White was probably more pleased with
the result, as he remains worse in the final
position.
7 ... Nh5
Getting ready for both ... f7-f5 (in which
case Black will probably have to play ... Qe8
first) and ... Nf4. In the next game Black
opts for 7 ... a5 here.
8 g3 Na6 9 Nd2 Qe8!
 So that the knight will be protected after
... f7-f5, e4xf5 g6xf5.
10 a3 f5 11 b4 c5!
Not what we might be used to, but
effective nonetheless. If White does not
want his queenside attack to grind to a halt,
he must take on c6, and then a more fluid
position emerges where moves like g2-g3
and h2-h3 look a bit out of place. I really
like the way Black plays this game.
12 dxc6 bxc6 13 Nb3 Nc7
Heading for d4.
14 Ra2 Ne6 15 exf5 Nd4!
15 ... e4!? was sharp and interesting too.
16 Ne4 Nxf5 17 Nxd6 Nxd6 18 Qxd6
e4
Keeping the white king stuck in the
middle is the number one priority.
19 Be3
If he tries to escape with 19 Bg2, then 19
... Be6! is very strong; e.g. 20 0-0 Bxc4, or
20 Qc5 Rf5 21 Qe3 Bxc4, or 20 Rc2 Rd8 21
Qc5 Rd3.
19 ... Be5 20 Qc5 Bc3+ 21 Nd2?
21 Rd2 was necessary.
21 ... Rf5
21 ... Nxg3! 22 fxg3 Rf5 was also
possible!
22 Qd6 Be5 23 Qc5 Nxg3 24 Rg1 Nxf1
25 Rxf1 Be6
White’s dream of a safe haven for his
king has been shattered.
26 Rc2 Bb2! 27 Qd6 Rd8 28 Qg3 Bxa3
29 Ke2 Bxb4 30 Nxe4 Qd7 31 Bd2 Qd4 0-
1
Black highlighted the possible drawback
of 6 h3 in the above game: it introduces a
rather slow plan! However, if White is
allowed to settle, then Black’s counterplay
can dry up and he can become cramped, as
we’ll see next. 6 h3 should not be
underestimated.
Game 54 Lei Tingjie-B.Assaubayeva
Women’s World Team Championship,
Astana 2019
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3
0-0 6 h3 e5 7 d5 a5
I prefer 7 ... Nh5, as in the last game,
which dissuades White from playing g2-g4
lest the knight come into f4. I have no doubt
that 7 ... a5 is okay, as Alexander Grischuk
has tried it in recent times, but it does rather
provoke White into doing her stuff.
8 g4!?
Both stifling and aggressive. Black is
hoping that 8 g4 is simply loosening, won’t
lead to anything, and will leave White with a
dodgy king position. To prove this, Black
must continue to play fluidly.
 8 ... Na6 9 Be3 Nd7
9 ... Nc5 10 Nd2 c6 11 Be2 a4 12 h4
Qa5 13 f3 a3 14 Qc2 axb2 15 Qxb2 h5 16
g5 Nfd7 17 0-0 f6! led to an edge for Black
in I.Nepomniachtchi-A.Grischuk, chess.com
(blitz) 2018.
10 a3 Nac5 11 Rg1!
Restraining ... f7-f5. Pushing the b-pawn
seems obvious, but White has other ideas. In
any case Black is okay after 11 b4 axb4 12
axb4 Rxa1 13 Qxa1 Nb3 14 Qd1 Nd4! (a
cheerful move) 15 Nxd4 exd4 16 Bxd4 Ne5
and for the pawn Black has ... f7-f5 coming
up with the promise of pressure against the
white king. Lei clearly did not like the
thought of continuations like this and
preferred a solid move, typical of this
system.
11 ... a4
11 ... f5? 12 gxf5 gxf5 13 Bh6 Rf7 14
Ng5 is not what Black wants at all.
12 Nd2 c6 13 Qc2 Qa5 14 0-0-0!?
Maybe Black wasn’t expecting this! It’s
a very sharp move indeed, arguing that
White’s chances on the kingside are better
than anything Black can drum up on the
other flank.
14 ... Nf6 15 Be2 cxd5 16 exd5 Bd7 17
g5 Bf5
17 ... Ne8 18 Bg4! gives White a solid
positional edge. Once the light-squared
bishops are exchanged, Black lacks an
effective pawn break.
18 Qxf5!!
A crusher! One senses Assuabayeva is
having problems predicting the moves of her
opponent.
18 ... Nfe4
18 ... gxf5 leads to a rout after 19 gxf6 f4
20 Bxc5 Qxc5 21 Nde4! Qb6 22 Bd3!.
19 Qxe4! Nxe4 20 Ndxe4

Let’s take stock. White has three pieces
for the queen and a total grip on the position.
She can organize a kingside attack at will,
and this is exactly what happens.
20 ... Rfd8 21 Nb5 Bf8 22 h4 Rac8 23
Kb1 Be7 24 h5 Kg7 25 Rdf1 Rd7 26 f4!
There is no advice that can be offered to
Black. She is going to be steamrollered.
26 ... Qa6 27 f5 gxf5 28 Rxf5 Bd8 29
h6+ Kh8 30 Rgf1 Kg8 31 Bh5 f6 32 Nxf6+
Bxf6 33 Rxf6 Rdd8 34 Bg4 1-0
A very nice game.
I could present dozens of games covering 6
h3, as Black has many different ways of
meeting the system. I cannot, as I will run
out of space; but what I can say is that Black
cannot be caught napping against this
variation. Active, pointed counterplay must
be sought. 6 ... e5 is the right way to go
about it. Sleeping on the job or sluggish play
will just lead Black to defeat.
Final Remarks We have come to the end
of this long section of the book, and I get the
feeling I have only scratched the surface of
the Classical System. There are plenty of
ideas for you to get your teeth into both with
White and Black, but I should warn you that
more work will be needed if you wish to
play these lines at higher levels. For the time
being, I hope you have enjoyed the richness
and the variety of the play. When you are
taking your first steps in any opening, this is
exactly what you need.

Chapter Four
The Fianchetto
Variation
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nf3 Bg7 4 g3 0-0 5
Bg2 d6 6 0-0
The Fianchetto Variation is regarded by
many as the acid test of the King’s Indian.
White takes the centre as usual, but provides
no target for Black to attack. White has a
safe king and more space. He has the
general plan of slow expansion at his
disposal, backed up by suitable
development.
So just how does Black equalize against
this deadly combination of ideas? The clue
lies in the slowness of White’s plan. Black is
not threatened immediately and will not be
threatened until at least the early
middlegame, which gives him time to
formulate a good response. There are many
different ways for Black to obtain
counterplay against White’s set-up.
Personally, I am not convinced that Black
should try to equalize or even have this
attitude in mind. He must seek a fight or
White’s advantages listed above will creep
up on him.
The Old Main Line 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3
Nf3 Bg7 4 g3 0-0 5 Bg2 d6 6 0-0 Nbd7 7
Nc3 e5
Here we have a traditional way for Black
to meet the Fianchetto Variation, where he
stakes an immediate claim in the centre,
backed up by a knight on d7. Play can be
very complex. My own view – which I am
quite willing to accept may not be shared by
all – is that this line is tough for Black to
handle. You will find examples in the chess
anthologies where a chess genius such as
Bronstein or Kasparov wins a brilliant game
after 7 ... e5, but for ordinary mortals there
are more straightforward lines to play.
Game 55 L.Gutman-A.D.Martin
Hastings 1984/85
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 g3 g6 3 Bg2 Bg7 4 0-0 0-0 5
c4 d6 6 d4 Nbd7
Throughout my chess career I have
received various lessons from strong
players. and I have tried to draw conclusions
from them. Here I learn that, stylistically,
the ... Nbd7 line is not for me.
7 Nc3
Another idea is 7 Qc2 e5 8 Rd1, which
we saw in Game 17.
7 ... e5 8 e4 exd4
 I had been wanting to try this line for a
while, having seen some games where Black
got active play. At that time Gutman was a
leading specialist on the g2-g3 King’s
Indian, so who better to give it a go against?
More traditional is 8 ... c6, not ceding
the centre just yet. We’ll look at this in the
next game, with Gallagher’s 8 ... a6!?
examined in Game 57.
9 Nxd4 Nc5 10 h3!
A key point in the game. With one small
move White achieves various objectives:
1. He cuts down on any Black activity.
2. He prepares Be3 by denying Black ...
Ng4-e5.
3. He prepares to play f2-f4 at the right
moment.
I knew Gutman would play this as he
was such an expert in this line. I was happy,
still following preparation.
10 ... Re8 11 Re1 a5 12 Bg5
White probes, encouraging Black to play
... h7-h6.
12 ... h6
Mission accomplished.
13 Bf4 Nfd7
Finding another route to get to e5.
14 Be3
A cold shower. This was long before the
era of computers and I remember carrying
all five volumes of the Encyclopaedia of
Chess Openings, plus several Informators, to
this Hastings event. Good for your muscular
development! Even so, preparation was
limited, but I was able to see a Fischer game
beforehand and was looking forward to
following Bobby’s example: 14 Qd2 Ne5 15
Bf1 Ne6! 16 Nxe6 Nf3+ 17 Kg2 Nxe1+ 18
Rxe1 Bxe6 19 Bxh6 Bxh6 20 Qxh6 (White
has some but not quite enough compensation
for the exchange) 20 ... Qf6 21 Qd2 a4 22 f4
Qe7 (22 ... a3 seems better here) 23 g4 c6 24
Qd4 f6 25 Rd1 Rad8 26 Nxa4 c5 27 Qd3
Kg7 28 Nc3 Rh8 29 Qd2 Rh4 30 a3 Rdh8?
(taking a huge risk that pays off in blitz) 31
Kg3? (after 31 Qxd6 White is probably
winning) 31 ... f5 32 exf5? Rxh3+ 33 Bxh3
Qh4+ 34 Kf3 Qxh3+ 35 Ke2 Bxc4+ 36 Kf2
Qh2+ 0-1 B.Ivkov-R.J.Fischer, Herceg Novi
(blitz) 1970.
14 ... a4 15 Rb1
What I didn’t know is that Gutman had
come this way before and that 15 Rb1,
forcing through b2-b4, was very likely his
improvement on his own game: 15 Qe2 c6
16 Rad1 Qb6 17 Qc2 Ne5 18 b3 Qb4 19
Rb1 axb3 20 axb3 Ne6 (20 ... b5! is logical)
21 Nce2 Ra3 22 Red1 Qa5 23 Qc1 Nxd4 24
Bxd4 Qa8?! (24 ... Qb4 25 Bc3 Qc5 would
still have been roughly equal) 25 Be3 d5 26
cxd5 cxd5 27 Nc3 dxe4? 28 Nb5 1-0
L.Gutman-P.Cramling, London Lloyds Bank
1982.
15 ... c6 16 Qc2 Qa5 17 b4 axb3 18
axb3 Qb4 19 Re2 Nf8 20 Rd2 Nfe6
I felt I was playing well. Black’s pieces
have maintained position on active squares,
but the problem all along is the pawn on d6,
which is hard to liquidate. By comparison,
the white pawns on b3 and e4 are less
obviously vulnerable. Black plays a juggling
act in this 6 ... Nbd7 variation. If he cannot
keep active, the d6-pawn drops almost
automatically and the game is gone.
21 Nde2 Ng5 22 g4 Ra3 23 Rdd1
A very tricky move.
23 ... Nxb3?
Which I fall straight for. Black should
prefer 23 ... Rxb3! and is able to survive the
tactical lines that follow by sacrificing an
exchange: 24 Bxc5 Rxc3 25 Nxc3 Qxc5 26
Na4 (or 26 Qd3 Qa3 27 Ne2 Qxd3 28 Rxd3
Bf8) 26 ... Qe5 27 Qd2 h5 28 Qxd6 hxg4 29
Qxe5 Bxe5 30 hxg4 Bxg4 and Black is no
worse with his strong dark-squared bishop.
Why didn’t I go for this? I didn’t appreciate
the strength of what Gutman was about to
play.
24 Bc1! Ra1 25 Bxg5! Rxb1 26 Rxb1
Qxc4 27 Be3 Nc5 28 Qd2 Kh7 29 Qxd6
As predicted, if Black gets it wrong, d6
will drop.
29 ... Nd3 30 Bd4 Ne5 31 Qb4 Qe6 32
Qb3 Qe7 33 f4
Gutman has made consolidation look
easy.
33 ... Nd7 34 Bxg7 Kxg7 35 Qb4 c5 36
Qb2 Kh7 37 Nd5 Qd6 38 e5 Qa6 39 Nec3
c4 40 Ne4 Re6 41 Ndf6+ Nxf6 42 Nxf6+
Kg7 1-0
A tactical wizard may enjoy the
positions that Black gets after 6 ... Nbd7, but
for mere mortals it is tough going.
Game 56 I.Ke-D.Naroditsky PRO
League, chess.com (rapid) 2019
1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 c4 Bg7 4 g3 0-0 5 Bg2
d6 6 0-0 Nbd7 7 Nc3 e5 8 e4 c6!
I am convinced that this is a better move
than the immediate capture on d4. Black
covers d5 and sets his queen free. As we will
see, he can still conjure up tactical chances
despite the eternal weakness of the d6-pawn.
9 h3 Qa5
9 ... Qb6 is also a very popular move
here. The choice between 9 ... Qa5 and 9 ...
Qb6 is purely a matter of taste.
10 Re1 exd4 11 Nxd4 Re8 12 Be3 Ne5
 Once White has played e2-e4, his pawns
on c4 and e4 become natural targets for
Black to attack; and once a knight gets to e5,
the f3-square has to be monitored as well.
White is a few moves away from his ideal
position (Qc2, b2-b3, f2-f4), so Black must
make that time count.
13 Bf1?!
A typical sequence arises after 13 Qe2!
a6 14 Red1, where White starts to train his
sights on d6. If Black tries to defend
tactically with 14 ... Qb4 then 15 f4! Nxc4
16 a3 Qc5 17 b4 shows just how quickly
White can gain the advantage. 14 ... Qc7,
planning ... b7-b5, is better.
13 ... Be6! 14 Nxe6 Rxe6
15 Rb1?
It’s probable that Ke missed the next
move completely! White should just settle
down, with careful moves such as 15 Kg2!
Rae8 16 Qb3 Qc7 17 Rad1 a6. White is a
little better, but Black is fully in the game.
15 ... Nxe4!
Easy to miss.
16 b4
The only decent move. The tactical point
is seen after 16 Nxe4 Qxe1 17 Qxe1 Nf3+.
16 ... Nxc3 17 bxa5 Nxd1 18 Rexd1 b6
Making sure that the a8-rook enters the
game.
19 axb6 axb6 20 Rxb6 h5 21 Bf4 Nf3+
22 Kg2 Ne1+! 23 Kg1 Rxa2
Naroditsky has played it well, ensuring
that all his pieces are in aggressive positions,
with the f2-square a focal point of attack.
24 Rb3
If 24 Rxc6 then 24 ... Nf3+ 25 Kg2 Bd4!
forces White to surrender the exchange. He
can fight for a draw with 26 Rxd4 Nxd4 27
Rxd6 Rxd6 28 Bxd6, but after 28 ... Ne6! it
will be a long, hard road.
24 ... c5 25 Rd5?
He should play 25 Be3 at once.
25 ... Bd4 26 Be3?
Unfortunately, the seventh rank is also a
concern.
26 ... Bxe3 27 Rxe3 Rxe3 28 fxe3 Nf3+
0-1
Large chess databases are becoming
more and more infected with blitz and rapid
games, many of which are worthless. Never
mind the quality, feel the width. But among
them one can occasionally find a gem or
instructive game which illustrates a point.
Here we have learned that the Black side of
6 ... Nbd7 and 7 ... e5 can still be attractive
to tacticians.
Grandmaster Joe Gallagher has always
been a great fan of the King’s Indian and has
managed to make his own theoretical
contribution.
Game 57 R.Markus-J.G.Gallagher
European Championship, Rijeka 2010
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nf3 Bg7 4 g3 0-0 5 Bg2
d6 6 0-0 Nbd7 7 Nc3 e5 8 e4
White can perhaps play more subtly by
delaying this move for the moment: 8 h3 a6
9 Re1 Rb8 10 e4 exd4 11 Nxd4 Ne5 12 b3
c5 13 Nc2 b5 (we see Black’s plan in full
flow; unfortunately, GM Nick Pert, a long-
time champion of the g2-g3 variation, has a
counter ready) 14 f4! Ned7 (not 14 ... Nc6?!
15 e5) 15 Qxd6 b4 16 Na4 Ne8 17 Qd2
Bxa1 18 Nxa1
We must pause for breath. Black has
won the exchange, but White has a pawn, as
well as a strong initiative. The practical
difficulties lie with Black, although no doubt
the analysis engines would be happy to take
the second player’s cause. For what it is
worth, I don’t like the Black position at all. I
think he could get mated.
The game N.Pert-K.Van der Weide, Isle
of Man 2003, went on 18 ... Qc7 19 Nc2
Nb6 20 Nxb6 Rxb6 21 Qf2 Bb7 22 Be3 Rc6
23 Rd1 Ng7 24 Rd5 Re8 25 Ne1 f5 26
Nd3?! (the pile-up on c5 continues, but
inserting 26 e5! first was very strong; e.g. 26
... Ne6 27 Nd3 Rc8 28 Qd2, followed by
Nb2-a4 with a total bind) 26 ... fxe4 27
Nxc5 Nf5 28 Rd7 Rxc5? (28 ... Qc8 was
correct and roughly equal) 29 Rxc7 Rxc7 30
Bb6? (30 g4 Nxe3 31 Qxe3 Rd7 32 Bf1 Rd1
33 f5 is very good for White) 30 ... Rce7?
(here 30 ... e3! would have turned the tables)
31 g4?! e3 32 Qe1 Bxg2 33 Kxg2 Re6 1-0. I
presume Black lost on time, as his position
is not at all resignable.
8 ... a6!?
A refinement of the Gallagher Variation.
When he first developed it, Joe would play 8
... exd4 9 Nxd4 Re8 10 h3 a6, followed by
... Rb8, ... c7-c5 and ... b7-b5. By starting
with ... a7-a6, he waits to see how White
responds and can often do without ... Rb8
altogether. It’s an easy and dynamic plan to
keep in mind and, if White doesn’t play
precisely, can work spectacularly well.
9 h3 b5
And here we go.
10 Qc2
White can take on b5, but this might
open lines to Black’s advantage; e.g. 10
cxb5 axb5 11 b4 (or 11 Nxb5 Ba6) 11 ... c6
12 Be3 Bb7 13 Re1 Re8 14 Qc2 exd4 15
Nxd4 Rc8 16 Qb3 Nb6 and if 17 f4? then 17
... Na4! undermines e4 and is very good for
Black.
10 ... b4 11 Nd5 exd4 12 Nxd4 Bb7 13
Bg5 c5
It looks as if Joe is getting what he
wants. A Benoni position will arise where
Black has an active queenside pawn
majority, and he gets to trade off a pair of
minor pieces which eases any cramp.
14 Nb3 Bxd5! 15 cxd5 a5 16 Nd2 Qc7
17 Rac1 Rac8
17 ... Rfe8 was a very decent alternative.
18 Rfd1
 18 ... h6
For the second time, Joe rejects the
natural 18 ... Rfe8!. I guess with e4 so well
protected he felt that his rook might end up
with nothing to do on e8, but it does support
the key idea of ... Ne5; for example, 19 Nc4
Ne5! (Black nullifies the pressure against d6
through exchanges) 20 Nxe5 Rxe5 21 Bf4
Ree8 22 a3 Nd7 and the game is roughly
equal.
19 Bf4 Nb6
Now 19 ... Rfe8?! 20 Nc4 Bf8 21 a3 is
suddenly uncomfortable for Black.
20 Nb3 Ne8
He reserved e8 for the knight, but Black
has been forced into passivity.
21 Qd2 g5?
21 ... Na4 was better, intending 22 Bxh6
Bxb2, when things are not so clear.
22 Rxc5!
One tactical strike decides the game.
22 ... Qd7 23 Rxc8 Qxc8 24 Be3 Nc4 25
Qc2 Qc7
If 25 ... Bxb2 then 26 Nxa5 Bc3 27 Nxc4
Qxc4 28 Rc1 Qa6 29 Qb3 and White is
winning.
26 Bd4 a4 27 Bxg7 Nxg7
Or 27 ... axb3 28 axb3 Nxg7 29 bxc4
Qc5 30 e5! dxe5 31 d6 Rd8 32 Rd5 Qc8 33
c5 and wins.
28 Nd2 Rc8 29 Rc1 b3 30 axb3 1-0
We cannot judge the Gallagher Variation
on the evidence of a couple of games. In my
opinion, below master level, if you must
play 6 ... Nbd7 and 7 ... e5, this is the way to
go for Black.
Lines with 6 ... Nc6 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3
Nf3 Bg7 4 g3 0-0 5 Bg2 d6 6 0-0 Nc6
 There are a variety of lines that Black 8 d5
can try beginning with 6 ... Nc6 and they are White intercepts Black’s plan and sends
very popular. 6 ... Nc6 is provocative, as the knight to the edge of the board.
White is invited to gain a move right away 8 ... Na5
with 7 d5. He may or may not take this A critical question now arises. Can
option. A whole book could be written about Black get the knight on a5 working for him
this one area of the King’s Indian, whereas I or will it be stranded on the edge for ever?
will have to settle for a basic introduction. Whole games have been decided on this one
small point. In particular, Black has to watch
Game 58 V.Ivanchuk-H.Nakamura out for a central pawn roller, which can
FIDE Grand Prix, Thessaloniki 2013 mow him down before the poor knight ever
gets to exert any influence.
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 g3 Bg7 4 Bg2 0-0 5 Nc3 9 Nd2 c5
d6 6 Nf3 Nc6 7 0-0 This is more or less forced, in order to
We saw White play the immediate 7 d5 prevent b2-b4.
in Game 18, albeit with 0-0 inserted before 10 Qc2 Rb8 11 b3 b5 12 Bb2
Nc3. Either way it usually transposes below;
for example, after 8 b3 (or 8 Nd2 c5 9 0-0
a6) 8 ... c5 9 Bb2 a6 10 0-0 Rb8 11 Nd2 b5
12 Qc2 here.
7 ... a6
We start with the Panno Variation,
Black’s most popular choice at this point.
Left to his own devices Black is planning ...
Rb8 and ... b7-b5, possibly followed by ...
e7-e5, expanding his position and his
chances. Other moves include 7 ... e5 and 7
... Bf5!?, which we will look at in Games 60
and 61 respectively.

12 ... h5!?
 A highly original move, which GM
Morozevich popularized some fifteen years
before our featured game. Black strikes out
on both flanks, hoping to make a gain.
Needless to say, there are many alternatives,
which include 12 ... e5 (as in Game 18), 12
... bxc4, 12 ... e6, 12 ... Bh6, and 12 ... Bf5.
Take your pick, but you will have to study
your choice carefully before playing it.
There have been a lot of games in each of
these lines. What strikes me is the variety of
good options available to Black at this point.
13 Rae1
Getting ready for e2-e4, f2-f4, and then
e4-e5.
13 ... bxc4 14 bxc4 e5! 15 Rb1
White sees no future on the e-file and
changes plans. He would not want to capture
on e6, as this gives the knight on the edge a
way back. For instance, a simple sequence
runs 15 dxe6 Bxe6 16 Nd1 Qd7 17 Ne3 Nc6
and Black has good chances.
15 ... h4 16 Ba3 Rxb1 17 Rxb1 hxg3 18
hxg3 Ng4!
While Black has still not rescued the
knight on a5, his play on the kingside is
starting to look menacing. The g4-square is
a great outpost for his other knight and ... f7-
f5 is coming fast. King’s Indian fans cannot
be unhappy here.
19 Na4 f5 20 Nb6
Planning to target the black knight with
Qa4.
20 ... e4!
An excellent retort. Nakamura conjures
up a tactical mêlée, which offsets his offside
piece.
21 e3!
Black’s point can be seen after 21 Qa4?
f4!, when White is suddenly in serious
trouble. The evidence: 22 gxf4 (22 Qxa5
fxg3 23 fxg3 Bd4+ 24 Kh1 Qg5, and 22
Nxe4 fxg3 23 fxg3 Bd4+ 24 Kh1 Qe7, and
22 e3 fxg3 23 fxg3 Qg5 24 Re1 Bc3 are all
curtains) 22 ... Qh4 23 Nxe4 Rxf4 24 Qe8+
Kh7 25 Bb2 Qh2+ 26 Kf1 Ne3+ 27 Ke1
Qg1+ 28 Kd2 Naxc4+ (who would have
believed the a5-knight would deliver this
lethal blow?) 29 Nxc4 Nxc4+ 30 Kc2 Qxg2
ends proceedings.
21 ... Bd7 22 Nxd7 Qxd7 23 Bh3 Ne5
24 Bb2 g5 25 Bc3 g4 26 Bf1 Nb7
The knight is now on a mission to reach
a good square.
27 Rb6 Nd8 28 Bxe5
He does not want the e5-knight to be
reinforced. 28 Rxa6 Ndf7 29 Be2 Ng5 30
Rb6 Nef3+ leads to a position where all
three results are possible.
28 ... Bxe5 29 Rxa6 Nf7 30 Qa4 Qxa4
31 Rxa4 Rb8!
 Black has lost a pawn but for
considerable positional compensation. His
pieces are very active and there are
opposite-coloured bishops which gives the
player with the initiative extra chances.
Firstly, White must stop ... Rb2.
32 Nb3 Bc3 33 Ra6 Kf8 34 Be2 Ke7 35
Ra7+ Kf6 36 Ra6 Ke7 37 Ra7+ Kf6 38
Ra6 ½-½
A fair result. Black is active enough to
prevent the passed pawn on a2 from rolling
up the board, and White has no other way to
make progress.
Lest you get the idea that everything is
fine and dandy for Black in the Panno, let
me provide you with a sobering example.
Game 59 V.Topalov-E.Sanchez Jerez
Gibraltar 2015
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 g3 Bg7 4 Bg2 0-0 5 Nc3
d6 6 Nf3 Nc6 7 0-0 a6 8 d5 Na5 9 Nd2 c5
10 Qc2 Rb8 11 a4!?
A way of promoting complications.
Topolov dissuades his lower-ranked
opponent from his natural plan and
introduces an original element into the
game. I am pretty sure that Black was more
or less on his own now.
11 ... e5
Since a capture on e6 lets the a5-knight
back into the game, Black readies himself
for a kingside pawn storm.
11 ... e6 is another possible response,
after which White seems to be able to work
up an edge: 12 b3 exd5 13 cxd5 Ng4 14 h3
Nh6 15 Bb2 f5 16 e3 Nf7 17 Ne2 Bxb2 18
Qxb2 Ne5 19 Qc3 Qb6 20 Rfc1 Bd7 21 f4
Nf7 22 Rab1 Rfc8 23 g4 Qb4 (23 ... fxg4 24
Ne4 is too dangerous for Black to
contemplate) 24 gxf5 Qxc3 25 Nxc3 gxf5 26
Nc4! (trading one advantage for another;
Korobov voluntarily lets Black get rid of his
bad knight in exchange for enduring
pressure) 26 ... b6 (26 ... Nxc4 27 bxc4 Rc7
28 Rb6 piles up on the b-file) 27 Nxa5 bxa5
28 Bf1 Re8 (if 28 ... Ra8 29 Kf2 Nh8 30
Nd1 Ng6 31 Nb2 Be8 32 Nc4, White wins a
pawn) 29 Kf2 Bc8 30 Bc4 Nh6 31 Rg1+
(now switching play to the other flank,
where he has an extra pawn) 31 ... Kh8 32
Rbe1 and White won in 53 moves,
A.Korobov-Ding Liren, World Team
Championship, Antalya 2013.
 Definitely worth consideration is 11 ...
Bd7 12 b3 b5, where Black refuses to be
intimidated. Even so, 13 axb5 axb5 14 cxb5
Bxb5 15 Ra3! still looks tough for Black to
play, with his clumsy queenside pieces.
12 b3 Ng4 13 e4 f5 14 exf5 gxf5 15 h3
Nf6 16 Bb2 Qe8 17 Rae1!
Topolov does not seem too worried
about the prospect of a Black attack. He
contemptuously leaves the a5-knight as a
spectator and moves his pieces into the
centre.
17 ... Qh5 18 f4 e4 19 Rf2 b6 20 Nf1!
Nb7?!
Black understands the danger and rushes
his knight back to help, but it just gets in the
way. 20 ... Rb7, followed by ... Re7 or ...
Rbf7, was more resilient.
21 Ne3 Nd8 22 Qd2 Nf7 23 g4!
A fine idea, which gets to the heart of
the position, even if it would have been
stronger on the previous move. When the
kingside/centre opens up, it will be White
who has the better placed pieces.
23 ... fxg4?
I suppose he could have tried something
like 23 ... Qh4 24 gxf5 Nh6 25 Nxe4 Nxe4
26 Bxe4 Bxb2 27 Qxb2 Kf7. White is still
better after 28 Ng2 Rg8 29 Bf3 Nxf5 (or 29
... Qxh3 30 Re6!) 30 Bg4 Qf6, but the
struggle is complicated. To play this way
against a world-class opponent takes
considerable self-confidence.
24 hxg4?
Topalov goes wrong in turn. The
immediate 24 Nxe4 was stronger.
24 ... Bxg4?
A third consecutive error. He had to take
with the knight.
25 Nxe4
Now the weakness of Black’s king is the
issue.
25 ... Nh6
There can be no survival after 25 ...
Nxe4 26 Bxe4 Bxb2 27 Qxb2 with a white
rook coming to the g-file.
26 Nxd6 Bh3 27 Bxh3 Qxh3 28 Rh2
Qd7 29 Rxh6!
Quite crushing. If 29 ... Bxh6 then 30
Nef5 and 31 Re7 wins.
29 ... Qxd6 30 Nf5 Qd7 31 Re6 Ne4 32
Ne7+ Kf7
Or 32 ... Qxe7 33 Rxe7.
33 Qh2! 1-0
You could view this as a one-sided
contest, but I don’t think it was. Instead, it
was a good representation of White’s
chances in the centre when playing against
the Panno. 6 ... Nc6 definitely encourages a
complicated game.
Game 60 An.Karpov-Ju.Polgar Las
Palmas 1994
1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 c4 Bg7 4 g3 0-0 5 Bg2
d6 6 0-0 Nc6 7 Nc3 e5
 This is the Uhlmann Variation, named
after Wolfgang Uhlmann, a grandmaster
from the former East Germany, who was
one of the strongest players in the world
during the 1960s and 70s. 7 ... e5 is a
straightforward move. Black encourages the
sequence 8 d5 Ne7, after which he will
move his f6-knight out of the way and try to
begin a kingside pawn storm, as in the Mar
del Plata Variation. The reason this line is
not more popular is down to the increased
safety of the white king that the fianchetto
has afforded. It is very tough just to throw
the pawns down, mass pieces behind them,
and mate White in this line. Nevertheless, I
would recommend 7 ... e5 to club players,
simply because Black’s plan of campaign is
easy to understand.
8 d5 Ne7 9 e4 Nd7 10 Ne1 f5 11 Nd3
Karpov positions his pieces flexibly. The
knight on d3 supports c4-c5 and holds up ...
f5-f4. A queenside advance may follow.
11 ... Nf6 12 Bg5!?
A surprise, at least to me. It’s the
introduction to a plan which may involve f2-
f4, an unusual twist.
12 ... fxe4
Another Karpov game went 12 ... h6 13
Bxf6 Bxf6 14 f4! (opening up the centre
before Black is fully developed) 14 ... exf4
15 Nxf4 Be5 16 exf5 Bxf5 17 Qd2 c6 18
Kh1 Qb6 19 Rae1 and White is a little
better, An.Karpov-B.Gelfand, Dos
Hermanas 1994. His king is safer and he has
ideas such as d5xc6 and Ne4 which Black
will have to deal with.
13 Nxe4 Nf5 14 Re1 h6 15 Nxf6+ Bxf6
16 Bd2
Karpov settles for a slight edge. We
notice the slightly airy black king and
White’s command of the e4-square. This is
enough for one of the greatest players ever
to work with.
16 ... Kh7 17 Bc3 Bd7 18 c5!

The queenside advance has happened
after all.
18 ... b6?
Too passive. 18 ... Bb5 seems more
natural here, but White can maintain his
edge; for example, after 19 f4 Bxd3 (or 19 ...
exf4 20 Nxf4 Bxc3 21 bxc3) 20 fxe5! Bxe5
21 Bxe5 dxe5 22 Qxd3 Qf6 23 Rf1 Qg7 24
Be4 Rad8 25 Rac1.
19 c6 Be8 20 f4
With this key advance opening the e-file,
the black king is starting to feel
uncomfortable.
20 ... exf4 21 Nxf4 Bf7 22 Qd3 Bxc3 23
bxc3 Qg5 24 h4!
Excellent! White’s idea can be tactically
justified by 24 ... Qxg3 25 Qxg3 Nxg3 26
Re7 Kg8 27 Kh2 with a big advantage
(Karpov); or if 24 ... Nxh4? 25 gxh4 Qxf4
then 26 Re4! (GM Rustam Dautov’s move,
even stronger than Karpov’s 26 Re7) 26 ...
Qf5 (or 26 ... Qf6 27 Rf1 Qd8 28 Qe3 Kg7
29 Re7) 27 Rf1 Qh5 (or 27 ... Qxd5 28
Qxd5 Bxd5 29 Re7+) 28 Rf6 Kg8 29 Bf3
Qxd5 30 Rxg6+ and wins.
24 ... Qf6 25 Ne6 Bxe6 26 Rxe6 Qg7 27
h5 Ne7
She cannot capture: 27 ... gxh5 28 Be4
wins.
28 Rae1 1-0
In view of 28 ... Rae8 29 hxg6+ Kg8 30
Qe4 or 28 ... Rf7 29 hxg6+ Nxg6 30 Be4
etc.
I guess this game highlights the issue
facing the Uhlmann Variation. Black
struggles to create any kingside pressure
and, if she can’t do that, she lays herself
prey to the usual white queenside advance,
coupled, as Karpov showed here, with ideas
in the centre. Of course, it takes very high
quality play to make all this work.
Game 61 Ma.Carlsen-D.Yuffa Doha
2015
1 c4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 g3 Bg7 4 Bg2 0-0 5 0-
0 d6 6 Nc3 Nc6 7 d4 Bf5!?
 This is another addition to Black’s
armoury after 6 ... Nc6. It is a respectable
and active idea. Black plans ... Ne4, or ...
Qc8 and ... Bh3, according to what White is
doing. I seem to recall that the line was
given an enthusiastic recommendation by
GM Eduard Gufeld in an old book on the
King’s Indian. Yes, in 2019 we have to be
more careful, but I still believe 7 ... Bf5 to
be playable.
8 Bg5!?
Carlsen makes an unconventional reply,
which is in keeping with his style. He isn’t
obsessive about theory and, when he wants
to win, just aims for an interesting position Which are more important? The two
from the opening phase of the game. It must bishops and e-file pressure or Black’s
be marvellous to have the ability to outplay superior pawn structure and command of
almost anyone else on the planet from any d4? Not an easy question to answer. I don’t
sort of reasonable situation. think I’m backing down when I say that the
Instead: position is roughly equal.
a) 8 b3 allows one of Black’s plans to 12 ... Re8 13 Re4 c5 14 dxc6
come into play: 8 ... Ne4! 9 Bb2 Nxc3 10 He has to capture, otherwise the bishop
Bxc3 Be4!, when Black already has equality on g2 has no scope.
and will meet 11 Rc1 or 11 Qd2 with 11 ... 14 ... Nxc6 15 h4
d5!. Doesn’t look too scary to me, but then I
b) 8 d5 is a critical test. After 8 ... Na5 9 am not playing the world champion!
Nd2 c5 10 e4 Bd7 11 Qc2 we reach a 15 ... Qb6 16 Rb1 a5 17 Be3 Qc7 18 h5
position similar to the Panno, where Black e5
can now choose from 11 ... a6, 11 ... Rb8, Regaining control of d4.
and 11 ... e5. 19 Qd2
c) 8 Ne1 may be best, just allowing the
second of Black’s plans: 8 ... Qc8 9 e4 Bh3
10 Nc2 Bxg2 11 Kxg2 e5 12 d5 Ne7, when
White has a very slight edge after, say, 13
Qe2.
8 ... Ne4 9 Nxe4 Bxe4 10 d5
White has to do something to justify his
opening strategy and 10 d5 is the only move
to pose any problems at all.
10 ... Bxf3 11 exf3
Black’s point is 11 Bxf3 Ne5.
11 ... Nd4 12 Re1

19 ... Nd4?!
 Tempting, but possibly wrong. The
peculiar 19 ... Ne7! is being recommended
by my analysis engine, the point being 20
hxg6 hxg6 21 Rd1 Nf5!.
20 h6
Carlsen steps on the gas.
20 ... f5
Yuffa asks to see the money. 20 ... Bf8
21 Bxd4 exd4 22 Rxd4 Re6 23 Rd1 would
lead to a long and miserable struggle.
21 Rxd4! exd4 22 Bxd4 Bf8
Not a nice move at all, but what could he
have done? If he trades with 22 ... Bxd4 23
Qxd4 and then tries to buy some time by 23
... f4 24 Qxf4 Qc5, White can maintain
control after 25 Qd2! Qxc4 26 Rc1 Qe2 27
Qd5+ Qe6 28 Qxb7 Qf6 29 f4!.
23 Bc3 Qxc4 24 f4
Threatening Bd5+.
24 ... Re4 25 b3 Qc5 26 Ba1!
The long diagonal will be conquered,
come what may.
26 ... d5 27 Rc1 1-0
Okay, Black got outplayed, not an
enormous surprise against Carlsen. Overall,
I rate 7 ... Bf5 as a decent choice for Black.
Lines with 6 ... c6 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 c4
Bg7 4 g3 0-0 5 Bg2 d6 6 0-0 c6
From Black’s perspective, 6 ... c6 is
about as flexible as it gets. He builds a small
wall in front of the bishop on g2 and sets his
queen free. He may transpose to other lines
if the opportunity arises. It all sounds great
and Black’s idea is very popular, but White
still holds a space advantage added to a two
pawn centre and the usual safe king. Black
has to work hard and know his lines in order
to reach a playable position.
Game 62 K.Arkell-A.D.Martin British
Championship, Torquay 1998
The English grandmaster Keith Arkell has a
unique style. He reminds me of Petrosian in
many ways, able to play all types of
positions, but with a preference for avoiding
tactics, keeping the active possibilities of the
opponent under control, and then eventually
using his matchless endgame technique to
bring home the point. He has become a very
dangerous opponent on the senior circuit.
We have had some good tussles and he has
won more than I have over the years, but
here I manage to get on the scoreboard using
the King’s Indian.
1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 d6 3 c4 g6 4 g3 Bg7 5
Bg2 0-0 6 0-0 c6 7 Nc3 Nbd7
I recall I didn’t know which line to play,
as the morning had been spent playing
tennis, and so settled for a move which
could transpose into different lines
according to what White does. I was guided
by the thought that 7 ... Nbd7 can’t be that
bad.
Other options include 7 ... a5, 7 ... Qa5,
and 7 ... Bf5. We’ll look at these in the next
three games.
8 d5!?
This surprised me, though perhaps it
shouldn’t have. Already, Arkell is trying to
cut down on my active plans. Now ... e7-e5
is unattractive and ... a7-a6 followed by ...
b7-b5 will give White a juicy square on c6
to occupy with a knight. Instead, 8 e4 e5
transposes to the old main line in Game 56.
8 ... Nb6 9 Qd3 cxd5 10 cxd5 Bg4 11
Nd4 Qd7
I think Black has played the opening
reasonably well and has equalized. I have
managed to play around the pawn on d5 and
threaten ... Bh3¸ and ... Rac8 is coming. The
e7-pawn could become a cause of concern,
but this is a long way off. I was aware that
Black couldn’t become too cocky, as the d5-
pawn is cramping. It’s just a typical,
difficult King’s Indian position.
12 Re1 Bh3 13 Bh1 Rac8 14 b3 e5
The computer likes this move. I am
gratified, but in those days we used our own
brains. The clear danger to Black is that his
hanging pawns in the centre could become a
target.
15 dxe6! fxe6 16 Bd2
I think I would prefer 16 Bb2 d5 17 f4
Ng4 18 Nf3, keeping Black’s central pawns
nailed down to an extent.
16 ... e5 17 Nf3
Here 17 Ndb5 d5 18 Nxa7 Rc5 looks
dangerous for White, but he may be able to
play 19 e4!, keeping Black distracted from
capturing the knight on a7. I guess this is a
line for the machines, as not many humans
would strand one of their pieces in the
enemy camp without a clear idea how to get
it out. (Not 19 Nab5? Ng4! 20 f3 e4! 21
Nxe4 dxe4 22 Qxd7 Nxd7 23 fxg4 Bxa1.)
17 ... e4
I couldn’t resist. It seemed right to win
the exchange.
18 Nxe4 Nxe4 19 Qxe4 Rce8 20 Qb1
Bf5
A few top-up moves are needed before
taking on a1.
21 Qd1
21 e4 Rxe4! 22 Rxe4 Bxa1 is a tactical
variation running in Black’s favour; e.g. 23
Qe1 Bxe4 24 Qxe4 d5.
21 ... Bxa1
Perhaps I should have resisted the
temptation after all and opted for 21 ... Be4!.
22 Qxa1 Be4 23 Qd4!
 This was not quite turning out as
planned. White has a pawn for the exchange
and a giant dark-squared bishop. Moreover,
in order to prevent Bc3, I have to give up
another pawn. I actually think White is
better in this position, though not
conclusively so.
23 ... Qg7 24 Qxd6 Nd5 25 Rc1
Natural, but in the end this helps Black
in his quest to regain control of the position.
White should have continued to muddy the
waters with 25 Qa3! a6 26 Bg2, after which
he keeps his edge. The black king is a
permanent source of worry.
25 ... Rf6 26 Qc5 Rc6! 27 Qb5 a6 28
Qa4 b5 29 Qa3 b4
More top-up moves before the capture
on c1. This queenside pawn advance, far
from weakening Black’s position, is actually
helping his cause, with control of the c3-
square important.
30 Qa4 Rxc1+ 31 Bxc1 Rc8 32 Bd2
Qb7 33 a3 Nc3!
The winning move. White has been
unable to use his main trump, the dark-
squared bishop, effectively.
34 Qxb4 Qxb4 35 axb4 Nxe2+ 36 Kf1
Nc1 37 Bg2 Nxb3 38 Bf4 Rc4 39 Bh3 Bd5
40 Bd6 Rc6 0-1
A very typical fianchetto King’s Indian.
White goes for an early middlegame grip on
the position and Black has to get active and
stay active to stop him.
I mentioned the flexibility of the Black
position after 6 ... c6. Let’s now take a look
at a high-class example of unorthodox
King’s Indian play.
Game 63 N.Rashkovsky-B.Gulko
Volgodonsk 1981
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nf3 Bg7 4 g3 0-0 5 Bg2
d6 6 Nc3 c6 7 0-0 a5!?
As White isn’t threatening anything,
Gulko feels he has time even to make a
pawn move on the edge of the board. It will
be up to him in the coming play to prove
that 7 ... a5 is useful. I view the move as
doubtful, but it’s one thing thinking
something and another thing proving it.
8 b3
I would have predicted 8 e4, but then
Black can go back into familiar territory
with 8 ... Nbd7! 9 h3 e5!. Note that 9 e5
dxe5 10 dxe5 Ng4 11 e6 Nde5 12 Nxe5
Qxd1 13 exf7+ Rxf7 14 Rxd1 Nxe5 15
Rd8+ Rf8 16 Rxf8+ Kxf8 is at least equal
for Black, thanks to the exposed white c-
pawn.
8 ... Bf5
 It is totally clear that Gulko wants to win
the game and is trying to make his opponent
think for himself, while staying within the
boundaries of acceptable risk. I suppose 8 ...
Bf5 prepares ... Ne4 and so Rashkovsky
stops it.
9 Nh4 Bd7 10 Bb2 Na6 11 Qd2 Rb8 12
Rad1 b5
Black’s opening play has been
successful. He has created a obscure
position with a board full of pieces where he
is by no means worse. GM Rashkovsky has
been tempted to play Nh4 – can he make use
of this piece?
13 cxb5 cxb5 14 e4 b4 15 Ne2 Bb5 16
Rfe1 e6
Just covering squares in the centre.
17 e5 Nd5
Why open the d-file for White’s queen
and rook?
18 Bxd5?!
I would never have played this move in a
million years. I can see his point: he wants
to target the new pawn on d5, but
surrendering the fianchettoed bishop is a
huge concession. Maybe he should try
something like 18 Rc1, when the game
continues with both players jockeying for
the advantage.
18 ... exd5 19 Ng2 Nc7 20 Nef4 Qd7 21
Ne3
This was definitely the set-up he had in
mind, piling on d5. He got his knight off the
edge too. Was the light-squared bishop too
high a price to pay?
21 ... Rfd8 22 f3
Grabbing the pawn is not advisable due
to 22 Nfxd5 Nxd5 23 Nxd5 dxe5 24 dxe5
Qb7!, when White really starts to feel the
absence of his bishop from the kingside.
Now 25 e6 is the only move, but even then
25 ... fxe6 26 Bxg7 Rxd5 27 Bd4 Rbd8! 28
Qf4 Qd7! 29 Re4 Qd6! crushes White’s
hopes.
22 ... h5 23 Ne2 Ba6
Here 23 ... Ne6! seems best, with the
idea that 24 Nxd5?? dxe5 25 dxe5 Qb7 gives
Black a decisive advantage thanks to the pin
on d5. White must settle for 24 f4 h4 with a
very unclear position.
24 f4 dxe5 25 dxe5 d4
I have no doubt at all that time trouble
plays a part in the latter stages of this game.
With 25 ... d4 Black throws a pawn onto the
bonfire to open the long diagonal. He could
have played it safe with 25 ... Ne6 again but
decided to go for it.
26 Nxd4 Ne6 27 f5 Nxd4 28 Qxd4 Qc6
 29 Rc1 Gulko finally achieves his goal.
With the aid of technology, I can state 36 Kf2 Qf3+ 37 Kg1 Qg2 mate
that 29 Qxd8+ Rxd8 30 Rxd8+ is good for A thought-provoking game. How far can
White; e.g. 30 ... Bf8 (or 30 ... Kh7 31 Rd6 Black push the boat out against the
Qb5 32 fxg6+ fxg6 33 e6 Bxb2 34 e7) 31 Fianchetto Variation in order to create
fxg6 fxg6 32 Red1 Qf3 (or 32 ... Bb7 33 winning chances?
Nd5) 33 Bd4 Bb7 34 Rf1 Qh1+ 35 Kf2
Qxh2+ 36 Ke1 Qxg3+ 37 Rf2 Bf3 38 Bc5. Game 64 R.Rodriguez Lopez-
Back in the real world, White cannot C.McNab EU Championship, Liverpool
calculate these lines with no time and tries to 2008
play it as safe as he can.
29 ... Qb7? 1 d4 d6 2 g3 g6 3 Bg2 Bg7 4 Nf3 Nf6 5 0-0
The first of two consecutive mistakes. 29 0-0 6 c4 c6 7 Nc3 Qa5!
... Qf3 was correct, neutralizing White’s
next move.
30 Qf4 Rd2??
And this just loses. He had to play 30 ...
Rbc8.
31 Rc2?
White now returns the favour. He could
have won with 31 e6!! (it is remarkable that
the knight on e3 defends everything) 31 ...
Rxb2 (or 31 ... Bxb2 32 Rc7) 32 exf7+ Kh8
(or 32 ... Qxf7 33 Qxb8+) 33 fxg6 Bd3 (or
33 ... Re2 34 Qf5) 34 Qd6, threatening
variously Qxd3, Rc5 and Rf1.

31 ... Rbd8 32 Bc1?? Rxc2 33 Nxc2 This is the Kavalek System, one of the
Qc6 34 Nd4 Rxd4 35 Qxd4 Bb7 repertoire recommendations for Black in my
1989 book. The queen can become very
mobile from a5, playing to any of h5, b4 or
a6, according to what White is doing. It also
supports ... e7-e5 in some cases, while
White’s pawn at c4 can become particularly
vulnerable. A lot of water has passed under
the bridge in the last thirty years, but 7 ...
Qa5 still packs a punch.
8 e4
We cannot cover all the moves here,
suffice it to say that 8 e4 is the most
principled.
8 ... Bg4
An important reply. Black exchanges a
pair of minor pieces to make his
development easier.
9 h3 Bxf3 10 Bxf3
Similarly, if 10 Qxf3 then 10 ... Nbd7.
10 ... Nbd7!
My improvement for Black from 1989
over 10 ... Nfd7, which was regarded as the
main line until then. There is nothing fancy
about 10 ... Nbd7. The name of the game is
development and the plan is ... c6-c5!.
Scottish grandmaster Colin McNab has used
this line successfully over the years and here
we will see him routing his poor opponent.
11 Be3 c5!
12 d5
12 a3 cxd4 13 Bxd4 Bh6!? 14 Nd5 led to
nothing for White in an earlier all-GM clash:
14 ... Nxd5 15 cxd5 Bg7 16 b4 Qd8 17 Bxg7
Kxg7 18 Qd4+ Kg8 19 Rfc1 a5! 20 Kg2
axb4 21 axb4 Rxa1 22 Rxa1 Qc7 23 Ra3
Ne5 24 Rc3 Nxf3 25 Kxf3 Qd7 26 Kg2 ½-½
Ch.Bauer-A.Shchekachev, Metz 1998.
12 ... Qb4!
With ... Nb6 coming up, White now has
to start thinking hard about the pawn on c4.
There is the possibility that he may get it
wrong.
13 Be2?!
Not the greatest location for the formerly
fianchettoed bishop, but White has to defend
c4 somehow. Instead, 13 Qb3 Nb6 14 Be2
a5! gives Black ongoing queenside pressure;
for example, 15 Rab1 Rfc8 16 Rfc1 Qxb3
17 axb3 a4 18 Bd1 and ½-½ G.Dizdar-
N.Fercec, Croatian League 2002 – a cop out,
as there is plenty of play left. Perhaps
Black’s best is 18 ... axb3 19 Bxb3 Nfd7 20
f4 (or 20 Nb5 Ne5 21 Kg2 Nd3 22 Rc2 Ra5)
20 ... Bd4 21 Kf2 Ra6, which is equal in all
lines but not dead at all.
13 ... Qxb2
Why not?
14 Na4
14 Bd2 Qb6 leaves Black a clear pawn
up.
14 ... Qe5!
15 f4?
A move which smacks of despair. It
looks like Rodriguez Lopez couldn’t quite
believe how bad his position had suddenly
become. He could limit the damage with 15
Rb1! Nb6 16 Bd3 Rfb8. Naturally, Black
still holds a material advantage.
15 ... Qxe4 16 Qd2? Nxd5 17 Bf2 0-1
White resigns before 17 ... Bxa1.
Nobody can blame him.
If readers were not taking their first steps
in the King’s Indian, I would have to go into
more detail. All I can say is that if you like
any of the lines I suggest in this book, you
should follow it up with further research. I
hope that I am stimulating your interest.
Game 65 An.Karpov-Z.Almasi German
League 2019
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 g3 Bg7 4 Bg2 0-0 5 Nc3
d6 6 Nf3 c6 7 0-0 Bf5!?
Yet another reasonable option afforded
to Black by the slowness of White’s action
in the centre. The usual plans of ... Ne4, or
... Qc8 and ... Bh3 apply. Karpov is
unimpressed by the Black set-up and takes
the centre by force.
8 Ne1 Qc8
Black could prevent e2-e4 by playing 8
... d5!?, but then 9 Qb3! seems to give White
the edge; e.g. 9 ... Qb6 10 cxd5 Qxb3 11
axb3 cxd5 12 Nxd5 Nxd5 13 Bxd5 Nc6 14
e3. The last thing you want to be doing
against Karpov is playing a pawn down.
9 e4 Bh3 10 f3 Bxg2 11 Kxg2 Nbd7 12
Be3 b5!?
Almasi is in combative mood and
sharpens the play. But is he just opening
queenside lines that White may use first? I
slightly prefer 12 ... a6, keeping all options
open.
13 cxb5 cxb5 14 Rc1
14 Nd3 Qb7 15 Qb3 also gives White an
edge.
14 ... Qb7 15 Rf2 Nb6 16 b3 b4 17 Nb1
Nfd7 18 Rfc2 f5!?
Another very aggressive move, which
the Karpov of the 1980s would probably
relish facing. 40 years later it might come as
a bit unsettling. 18 ... Rac8 is far more
stable.
19 Qd3
I am a bit surprised he didn’t play 19
Rc7! Qa6 20 Qd3 Qxa2+ 21 Nd2, which
gives White the advantage despite being a
pawn down, as Black has problems
coordinating; for example, 21 ... Rac8 (or 21
... fxe4 22 fxe4 Qb2 23 R1c2 Qa1 24 Nef3
Rac8 25 Rxc8 Nxc8 26 Qc4+ Kh8 27 Ng5)
22 Rxc8 Nxc8 (not 22 ... Rxc8?? 23 Rxc8+
Nxc8 24 Qc4+) 23 Qc4+ Kh8 24 Qxb4 fxe4
25 fxe4 Ncb6 26 Qb5.
19 ... fxe4 20 fxe4 d5!?
Black’s third surprising pawn jab of the
game. 20 ... Rac8 was solidly equal.
 21 Rc7 dxe4 22 Rxb7 exd3 23 Nxd3
Nd5 24 Bf2 N7f6 25 h3 Ne4 26 Bg1 a5
I think we can say that Black has a good
position. His knights are very well placed
and, despite Karpov’s rook on the seventh,
there are no real targets for White to attack.
27 Nc5 Rfc8! 28 Rd7 Nef6 29 Rb7 Ne4
30 Rd7 Nd6
The white rook is now in danger of
getting trapped.
31 Nd2 Bf8 32 Nc4 Nf6
There it goes.
33 Nb6 Nxd7 34 Nbxd7
34 Nxa8 Ne4! is a tactical point which
Karpov may have underestimated.
34 ... Ra7 35 Nxf8 Rxf8 36 g4 Rc8
An exchange to the good, Almasi cruises
to victory.
37 Be3 Nb5 38 Rc4 Nd6 39 Rc1 Nb5
40 Rc4 Rac7 41 Kf3 Rf8+ 42 Kg2 Nc3 43
a4 Rc6 44 g5 Nd5 45 Bd2 e5 46 Ne4 Rxc4
47 bxc4 Nf4+ 48 Kf3 b3 49 Bxa5 Ne6+ 0-1
The lines we have looked at after 6 ... c6
all lead to complicated middlegames. There
is plenty of choice at Black’s disposal. I like
6 ... c6 for the simple reason that it blocks
the long diagonal and reduces the influence
of the bishop on g2. I daresay White can
keep a nominal edge against all of Black’s
options but, as we have seen, it is not easy.
The Yugoslav Variation
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nf3 Bg7 4 g3 0-0 5
Bg2 d6 6 0-0 c5
6 ... c5 is obviously a very natural,
active-looking move and it is one of the
main options at this point. White may take,
push or stand pat with 7 Nc3. Speaking
personally, I think that if you let the bishop
on g2 play, you are asking for trouble, so
this line is perhaps not the easy ride for
Black it is often made out to be.
Game 66 A.Grischuk-Ma.Carlsen
Sinquefield Cup, St. Louis 2018
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 g3 g6 3 Bg2 Bg7 4 c4 0-0 5 d4
d6 6 0-0 c5 7 d5
The main advantage of advancing at this
early stage is that White prevents ... Nc6.
The disadvantage is that Black is allowed to
play a sharp idea borrowed from the Benko
Gambit, which has even attracted the
attention of the World Champion.
We’ll look at the normal 7 Nc3 in the
next two games.
7 ... b5! 8 cxb5 a6 9 bxa6 Bf5!?
This is the difference: in the Benko the
bishop would be sitting on a6. Black is now
looking at ... Ne4, or maybe even ... Qc8 and
... Bh3. The queenside files will open and
Black will have the standard pressure on a2
and b2. White is being asked to solve
unusual problems at an early stage.
10 Nfd2
It is hard to judge the position after 10
Nh4 Bd7 11 Nc3 Nxa6. White can try to
fool himself that he is playing one of the
Benko main lines, but it is not the same and
the simple idea 12 Rb1 Qc8 13 Bd2 Bh3!
shows why.
10 ... Nxa6 11 Nc3 Nb4 12 Nc4
If 12 e4 then 12 ... Bc8! looks good,
rerouting to a6 now that White has
weakened the a6-f1 diagonal.
12 ... Nc2 13 g4!?
Grischuk initiates a sharp sequence,
where it is not at all clear that the tactics are
working well for him. Instead, 13 Rb1
appears obvious, with the idea 13 ... Nb4 14
e4 Bc8 15 a3 Ba6? 16 b3 Bxc4 17 bxc4. I
think Carlsen would have played 13 ... Nd4!
14 Ra1 (or 14 e4 Bg4 15 f3 Bc8) 14 ... Qb8!
15 e4 (not 15 e3? Nb3) 15 ... Bc8, heading
for a6 again.
13 ... Nxg4! 14 e4 Nxa1 15 exf5
15 ... Bxc3?
Magnus falters! White would have had a
hard time justifying his play after 15 ... Ne5!
16 Nxe5 (or 16 Ne3 Qb6 17 Qe2 Rfb8,
when it is rather strange that White cannot
easily win the knight on a1, if he can win it
at all!) 16 ... Bxe5 17 Bh6 (or 17 Bd2 Bxc3
18 Bxc3 Rxa2 19 b4 Nc2 20 bxc5 Qc8!) 17
... Bxc3 18 bxc3 Rxa2 19 fxg6 hxg6 20 Bxf8
Kxf8.
16 bxc3 Nf6 17 Qe2 Re8 18 Bg5!
White is clearly better now, as the knight
on a1 can be rounded up.
18 ... Qd7 19 fxg6 hxg6 20 Rxa1 Qf5
21 Bxf6?!
Here 21 h4! looks strong, with the idea
of Ne3. Of course, it is not easy for White to
consolidate his position as he not yet
anything like fully coordinated, but
something like 21 ... Ra4 22 Ne3 Qe5 23
Qd3 Nh7 24 Nc4 Qf5 25 Qxf5 gxf5 26 Bf1
Nxg5 27 hxg5 Kg7 28 Re1 starts to take
play along those lines.
21 ... Qxf6 22 Qf3 Qh4 23 Qe4 Qf6 24
Qf3 Qh4 25 Qe4 Qf6 26 Qd3 Reb8 27 a3
Rb3 28 Rc1 Ra4
Black harries his opponent by keeping
active, which prevents him from realizing
his slight material advantage.
29 Qc2 Qf4 30 Qxb3 Qxc1+ 31 Bf1
Qg5+ 32 Bg2 Qc1+ 33 Bf1 Qg5+ 34 Bg2
Qc1+ ½-½
What an interesting game, one I am sure
both players found difficult. What an
interesting opening line too – a fusion of the
King’s Indian and the Benko. 7 ... b5 is
recommended!
If White does not want to advance in the
centre immediately, he can simply play 7
Nc3, keeping options open, and this is what
most players do. (The transpositional nature
of these lines may mean that White has in
fact already played this move.) Then after
Black responds with 7 ... Nc6, White must
make his choice.
Game 67 D.Bekker Jensen-
J.L.Hammer Helsingor 2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 g3 c5 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Nc3
0-0 6 Bg2 d6 7 0-0 Nc6 8 dxc5
This puts a lot of people off the
Yugoslav. The capture on c5 takes a lot of
fun out of the position, though objectively
Black has nothing to fear. The critical 8 d5
will be seen in the next game.
8 ... dxc5
9 Be3
Instead:
a) 9 Qxd8 Rxd8 10 Bf4 Be6 11 Ne5
Nxe5 12 Bxe5 Ne8 13 Bxg7 Kxg7 14 b3
Nd6 is very dry fare.
b) 9 Bf4 is the most popular move here,
when Black can choose between 9 ... Nd4
and 9 ... Nh5, both of which are thought
satisfactory. A recent, typical example saw 9
... Nh5 10 Be3 Nd4 11 Qc1 Be6 12 b3 Qa5
13 Bxd4 cxd4 14 Nb5 Rad8 (after 14 ... d3
15 exd3 Bxa1 16 Qxa1 Rad8 17 d4 a6 18
Nc3 Nf6 19 Re1 White has value for the
exchange, if no more than that) 15 Qe1
Qxe1 (15 ... Qb6!? is more ambitious) 16
Raxe1 a6 17 Nc7 Bc8 18 Nd5 Rfe8 19 Rd1
e6 20 Nb6 e5 21 Nxc8 Rxc8 with a dead
equal position, D.Howell-G.C.Jones, British
KO Championship (rapid), London 2018.
9 ... Qa5!
Dealing easily with the attack on the c5-
pawn. The biggest danger to Black in this
line is the potential vulnerability of his
queenside pawns, so he must watch out for
ideas such as Ne5, uncovering the bishop on
g2. Fortunately, no such danger exists here.
10 Qb3 Qb4 11 Nd5 Nxd5 12 cxd5
Black is happy, since the long diagonal
has closed.
12 ... c4!
13 Qxb4
If I were Bekker Jensen I would have
played 13 Qd1 Ne5 14 Nxe5 Bxe5 15 Bd4,
which looks very safe for White.
13 ... Nxb4 14 Bd4 Nxd5 15 Bxg7 Kxg7
16 Ne5 Nb6 17 Rac1 Rd8 18 Nxc4 Nxc4 19
Rxc4 Rd2 20 Rfc1 Be6 21 R4c2
A long sequence has seen White barely
able to maintain equality, and this is no way
to get a draw against much stronger
opposition. The problem is that Black can
play until the cows come home at no risk,
whereas White is just defending.
21 ... Rad8 22 Bxb7 Bxa2 23 Bf3?!
23 b4!, restraining the advance of
Black’s a-pawn, was technically correct.
23 ... a5! 24 e3 a4
With ... Bb3 coming up, White is getting
cramped for room.
25 Bc6 Rxc2 26 Rxc2 Bb3 27 Rc1
If 27 Re2 then 27 ... Rd6! 28 Be4 (not 28
Bf3?? Rd1+ 29 Kg2 Bc4 and wins) 28 ...
Bd1 29 Re1 f5 30 Bb7 Rd2 31 Ba6 Kf6
gives you an idea of the problems facing
White, who is struggling for moves.
27 ... Rc8! 28 Rc3 Kf6 29 Kf1?
29 f4 Rd8 30 Rc1 Rd2 31 Ra1 was the
best White could do, which is not that
impressive.
29 ... Ke5 0-1
The threat is ... Kd6, followed by a rook
exchange and the coronation of the outside
pawn. We see now just how useful ... a5-a4
was to Hammer.
There isn’t much advantage to be had for
White after 8 dxc5, yet it is very frequently
played. Black must display knowledge and
technical competence, but if he can do that
there are no problems with the early pawn
exchange.
A classic King’s Indian game finishes
this section and the chapter. When White
answers 7 ... Nc6 with 8 d5, battle is joined
and positions are reached which resemble
and often transpose to the Panno Variation.
Is the knight on a5 in or out of play? Can it
ever get back into play? The game below
was played in 1970, nearly 50 years ago, and
those questions are as fresh today as they
were then.
Game 68 E.Geller-H.Ree Amsterdam
1970
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 g3 0-0 5 Bg2
c5 6 Nf3 d6 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Na5 9 Nd2 e5
Rather than 9 ... a6, which returns to the
Panno main lines (see Games 58 and 59).
Obviously White can now capture en
passant, but then c4 would require defending
and Black can get the knight out of jail.
Geller prefers not to take that course.
10 e4!
Taking on e6 seems to lose the initiative:
10 dxe6?! Bxe6! 11 Qa4 (or 11 b3 d5!) 11 ...
a6! 12 Rd1 Qc7 13 Nd5 Nxd5 14 cxd5 Bf5
15 e4 b5!.
10 ... Ng4!
Making way for ... f7-f5. Black is happy
to see h2-h3, which he feels may soften up
the white kingside.
 11 h3 Nh6 12 b3 f5 13 exf5 gxf5 14
Bb2 b6
At least the knight has a square on b7
now.
15 f4 Bd7 16 Qc2 Qf6 17 Ne2!
An excellent move, with ideas of
stepping up the pressure on the e5-pawn.
This is why Ree immediately moves his
queen again. At first glance Black’s position
looks good, with an intimidating pair of
central pawns. The question is whether they
can actually go any further without creating
a weakness.
17 ... Qg6 18 Nf3 e4 19 Nh4 Qf7 20
Bxg7 Qxg7 21 Qc3
The exchange of queens seems like it
might help Black, but Geller has the strong
plan of putting a knight on e3 and then
angling for g2-g4, which weakens the pawn
on e4. Ree’s position is okay, but I think
White has a bit more potential to improve
his lot. This is not a nice situation to be in
against one of the top players in the world.
21 ... a6
Getting ready for ... b6-b5 with
counterplay.
22 Qxg7+ Kxg7 23 Rfc1 b5! 24 Nc3
Rab8
24 ... bxc4 25 bxc4 Nxc4 26 Nxe4 fxe4
27 Rxc4 Rfe8 28 Re1 is obviously the type
of situation Ree was trying to avoid. An
endgame is coming up with more weak
black pawns than white.
25 Nd1 bxc4 26 bxc4 Rb4 27 Bf1 Rfb8
28 Ne3 Rb2 29 Rc3!
Threatening Ra3.
29 ... R8b6 30 Ra3 Nb7 31 Re1 a5 32
Be2
32 ... Rb1
The position will clarify once White has
played g3-g4 and not before, but 32 ... Rd2
33 g4 Rbb2 might have been a better
defence; for example, 34 Rb3! fxg4 35 hxg4
Rxe2 36 Rxe2 Rxe2 37 Rxb7 Rxe3 38
Rxd7+ Kg8 39 g5 Rh3 40 gxh6 Rxh4 41
Kf2! Rxf4+ (41 ... Rxh6 42 Ke3 Rf6 43 f5!
is difficult for Black) 42 Ke3 Rf6 43 Kxe4
Rxh6 44 Kf5 Kf8 45 Ra7 with a cheerless
rook ending, but Black may draw.
33 Rxb1 Rxb1+ 34 Kf2 a4 35 Bd1 Rb4
36 g4!
This is quite a serious moment for Black,
as his central pawn duo is undermined.
White’s advantage is growing.
36 ... fxg4 37 hxg4 Na5 38 g5 Nf7 39
Rc3 Rb2+ 40 Rc2 a3 41 Rxb2 axb2 42 Bc2
And the knight on a5 is still out of play!
Ree makes a last attempt to get it into the
game.
42 ... Bc8 43 Bxe4 Ba6 44 Bb1
 45 Nhf5 Nxc4 46 Nxc4 Bxc4 47 Ne3
Ba6
Reaching a similar endgame to that in
the previous note, except that Geller feels he
can restrict Black still more by keeping his
king in the middle for the time being.
48 Kf3 Kg7 49 a4 Bb7 50 Nf5+ Kf8 51
Ke4 Ba6 52 a5 Bb7 53 Ne3 Kg7 54 Kd3 h6
Or 54 ... h5 55 Kc3 h4 56 Nf5+.
55 Nf5+ Kh7 56 Kc3 1-0

A game that makes you feel that this whole

44 ... Kg8 line could be tough for Black to handle.
Unfortunately for Ree, 44 ... Nxc4 is met
by 45 Nhf5+! Kh8 46 Nxc4 Bxc4 47 Ne3
Bb5 48 Ke1 and the king is coming over to
gobble the b-pawn. Pushing the h-pawn with
38 ... h5 doesn’t help in view of 39 Nf5!,
when 39 ... Bc4 40 Kd2 Bxd5 fails to 41 g6!
Nd8 42 g7+ Kg8 43 Ne7+, winning the
bishop.
 I think Black can latch on to. That is, when
the bishop on c1 leaves home early, look for
Chapter Five ... c7-c5 to be the best central response. This
Lines with Bg5 sets the black queen free to go to either b6 or
a5, from where she may initiate counterplay.

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 Bg5
When you are first learning about an
opening, it’s a very good idea to trace the
historical steps it has taken over time, and
thus to see what made the opening famous
and popular in the present day. Let me
therefore present two games by GM Yuri
Averbakh, classics, from which we can learn
a lot.

Game 69 Y.Averbakh-O.Panno USSR-

Argentina match, Buenos Aires 1954

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2

0-0 6 Bg5!
All the anti-King’s Indian systems are
really nothing more than White trying to
Lines with an early Bg5 pose a definite
find the most effective layout for his pawns
threat to the King’s Indian. The diagram
and pieces. We note here that White is
shows the Averbakh Variation, which is an
preparing Qd2 and maybe Bh6, and that his
accepted main line and features in Games
kingside pawns are unobstructed and thus
69-74, but there are other ideas for White
free to march on the black king. However,
which we should look at:
this kingside advance should not be
a) 4 e4 d6 5 Bg5 is the Accelerated
interpreted solely as an attack on the king.
Averbakh (Game 75), where White leaves
As we’ve seen many times, White can also
his f1-bishop at home for the moment.
squeeze Black for space using this method.
b) 4 Bg5 is the Smyslov System (Game
Averbakh used both of these devices in his
76), where White usually follows up with
games and impressed the chess world by
e2-e3. This is a fusion of the Torre Attack
doing so.
and King’s Indian and leads to a positional
6 ... c5
game.
c) 4 e4 d6 5 h3 0-0 6 Bg5 (Games 77
and 78) is a version of the Makagonov
System, first seen (without Bg5) at the end
of Chapter Three.
d) 4 e4 d6 5 f3 0-0 6 Bg5 is a main line
of the Sämisch Variation. We’ll look at this
in the next chapter (Games 85 and 86).
All of these systems have subtle
differences, but there is one common theme

This can safely be called the main line.
Black attacks the centre, notes that b2 is
unprotected, and lets out his queen.
7 d5
White can actually take on c5, intending
to set up a central bind after, say, 7 dxc5
Qa5 8 Bd2 Qxc5 9 h3!?, followed by Nf3,
Be3, Qd2 etc. But the idea is slow in
execution, and Black has good play after 9
... Be6!, as he does after 9 Nf3 Bg4!.
7 ... a6
An old-fashioned move which I
recommended in my 1989 book. Nowadays
Black usually breaks quickly with ... e7-e6,
as in Games 71 and 72. I still think 7 ... a6 is
okay for Black, but not as Panno interprets
the position here.
8 a4 Qa5 9 Bd2
After 9 Qd2, Black can play 9 ... b5! 10
cxb5 Nbd7 with a reasonable Benko.
9 ... e5?
Too rigid, but we have to remember that
back then White’s system was barely
known, and Panno was just trying to find a
way forward. Instead, 9 ... e6! is clearly
better, with more options available to Black.
10 g4!
An excellent move. White begins the
positional squeeze, keeping an all-out
assault against the king also very much in
mind. Where are Black’s pawn breaks to
free his position? Both ... f7-f5 and ... b7-b5
seem a long way off. Panno is already
passively placed.
10 ... Ne8 11 h4 f5
He goes for ... f7-f5 anyway, even
though it could help White to open up the
king.
12 h5 f4 13 g5 Rf7 14 Bg4!
Note this purely positional move. White
offers an exchange of light-squared bishops,
giving him several key positional trumps:
1. His remaining bishop isn’t obstructed
by his own pawns.
2. Black will have to guard the e6- and
f5-squares for the rest of the game.
3. Now that the e2-square is free, it
immediately becomes easier for White to
transfer pieces from one side of the board to
the other.
14 ... Qd8
Covering the c8-bishop with 14 ... Nd7
just loses the exchange to 15 Be6.
15 Bxc8 Qxc8 16 Nf3 Bf8 17 Ke2!
Getting ready to mass on the h-file and
finish Black off with a crushing attack.
17 ... Rg7 18 Rh4 Nd7 19 hxg6 hxg6 20
Qh1 Be7
If he tries to escape with 20 ... Kf7, then
21 a5 continues to build White’s advantage.
Black cannot break out with 21 ... b5 22
axb6 Nxb6 in view of 23 Bxf4! exf4 (or 23
... Nxc4 24 b3! Nb6 25 Bxe5 dxe5 26
Nxe5+ Ke7 27 Qf3) 24 Rxf4+ Ke7 25 e5
Rb8 26 Qh8 Rf7 27 Rxf7+ Kxf7 28 e6+ and
wins.
21 Rh8+ Kf7 22 Qh6 Nf8 23 Rh1 Rb8
24 Bxf4!
It had to come. With all the major pieces
in position, White commences the final
assault.
24 ... Qc7
If 24 ... exf4, then 25 Rh4 and Rxf4+
wins quickly.
25 Qh2 Nd7 26 Qh3 Nf8 27 Rxf8+
Kxf8 28 Qe6 Rg8 29 Nh4 Bd8 30 Nxg6+
Kg7 31 Nxe5 1-0
Who would not want to play 5 Be2 and 6
Bg5 after seeing this game?
Thirty three years on, Averbakh was still
fond of his creation. We’ll now see how he
deals with an early ... e7-e5, with ... c7-c5
omitted.
Game 70 Y.Averbakh-K.Fritsch Graz
1987
1 c4 Nf6 2 Nc3 g6 3 e4 d6 4 d4 Bg7 5 Be2
0-0 6 Bg5 Nbd7
It’s worth noting that White has just
prevented the immediate ... e7-e5 due to 6 ...
e5? 7 dxe5 dxe5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9 Nd5,
winning material.
7 Qd2 e5 8 d5 Nc5 9 f3
There are definite echoes of the Sämisch
set-up after 9 f3. The bishop on e2 looks a
bit strange, but there is no way for Black to
exploit this, and the white kingside pawn
storm is ready to go.
9 ... a5
Black can throw in 9 ... h6, when 10 Be3
transposes to Game 73. Taking on h6 is a
mistake due to 10 Bxh6? Nfxe4!, followed
by ... Qh4+ and ... Qxh6.
10 h4 c6
Should Black play ... h7-h5 in this type
of position or not? This is a tricky question.
Some will argue that Black is holding up
White’s attack, while others will say that ...
h7-h5 just helps White find targets to latch
on to. It boils down to taste. From my own
perspective 10 ... h5!? looks playable, as
after 11 Nh3 (or 11 0-0-0 a4 – compare
Game 16) 11 ... c6 12 Nf2 a4 13 g4 Qa5,
there is no clear way forward just yet; e.g.
14 Bxf6 Bxf6 15 gxh5 a3! 16 b3 gxh5 17 0-
0-0 Kh7. White might therefore fall back on
13 0-0!, when he is a little better, but it is
definitely game on.
11 Nh3 cxd5 12 cxd5 Bd7 13 Nf2
 This is a good square for the knight,
supporting e4 and g4, and basically not
getting in the way of any of the other pieces.
13 ... a4 14 g4 Qa5 15 h5 Rfc8 16 Ncd1
A surprising twist. White gives up on his
idea of attack and relies on his extra space
after the exchange of queens to squeeze
Black out of the game.
16 ... Qxd2+?!
I would not be so keen to fall in with
Averbakh’s plans. 16 ... Qb6 seems better,
keeping it complex.
17 Bxd2 Ne8 18 Ne3 Bf6
The bishop re-routes to a more active
location via d8. This is a typical King’s
Indian manoeuvre and should be noted.
19 Nc4 Bd8 20 Na3 f5?!
This only helps White. The immediate
20 ... Ba5 was better.
21 hxg6 hxg6 22 gxf5 gxf5 23 Bb5!
Averbakh likes to exchange those
bishops. Prospective King’s Indian players
please note that Black’s light-squared bishop
is a key piece and should not be surrendered
lightly.
23 ... Ba5
It has taken time to get the bishop into a
decent position, and White has used it to
open kingside lines. Averbakh now utilizes
this advantage.
24 Ke2! Bxb5+ 25 Nxb5 Bxd2 26
Rag1+
A zwischenzug (in-between move) to
soup up the attack which is no less powerful
despite the recent exchanges.
26 ... Kf8 27 Kxd2 fxe4 28 Rh5?
Here 28 Rh8+ Ke7 29 Rh7+ Kd8 (or 29
... Kf8 30 Ng4!) 30 Rg8 Ra6 31 Ng4 would
have polished Black off without any
argument.

28 ... Ke7??
Black is demoralized (which can often
happen when you think you are going to
lose) and does not see that 28 ... Ra6! 29
Rh7 exf3 30 Ng4 is not the same this time
thanks to 30 ... Ne4+! 31 Ke3 f2 33 Rf1 Rb6
and the attack has been disrupted. From the
other side, White can improve with 30 Ke3!
Rb6 31 Ng4 f2! 32 Kxf2 Ne4+ 33 Ke3 N4f6
34 Nxf6 Nxf6 35 Rh8+ Kf7 36 Nxd6+ Rxd6
37 Rxc8, when Averbakh might be expected
to win in the long run, but at least there is a
long run.
29 Rh7+ Kf8
29 ... Kd8 30 Rg8 Ra6 31 Ng4 is no
better.
30 Ng4 1-0
Nearly a masterpiece, and a game with
many instructive and thematic moments,
despite the blip at the end.
TIP: The study of classic games can
only benefit your chess.
We have learned that Black cannot take
liberties with the Averbakh set-up, and the
following recent game is going to reinforce
that idea.
Game 71 B.Chatalbashev-J.Aabling
Thomsen Danish Championship, Svendborg
2019
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 Bg5 c5 7 d5
We should recall that 7 dxc5 is met by 7
... Qa5.
7 ... e6
There are alternatives here, with 7 ... h6!
(see Game 72) the best among them, and 7
... a6 (as in Game 69) is not a bad move
either. With 7 ... e6 Black sets up a Benoni
formation, where he has to be careful to
escape the pin on f6 at the right moment.
8 Qd2
An effective move in the current
position, with ideas like Qf4 or Bh6 to
come.
8 ... exd5 9 exd5 Qb6
What Black would love now is to play ...
Ne4, so his next moves are geared to that
end.
10 Nf3 Bf5
10 ... Bg4 11 0-0 Nbd7 12 h3 Bxf3 13
Bxf3 Rfe8 14 Rae1 gives White a tiny edge
thanks to more space and the two bishops.
Overall, White’s results from this position
and many like it have been good, because
the edge is permanent. So Black goes for
more active play with 10 ... Bf5.
11 Nh4 Ne4 12 Nxe4 Bxe4 13 f3

13 ... h6!
So far, so good for Aabling Thomsen. In
reality, 13 ... h6 is the only move, as 13 ...
Bf5 14 Nxf5 is terrible and 13 ... Qxb2
mistimed due to 14 Rc1.
14 Bxh6 Bxh6 15 Qxh6 Qxb2 16 0-0
Bc2
Both players were still following theory.
The machines say level, though Black
clearly has to watch out for sudden strikes
on his king.
17 Rac1 Nd7??
A natural move, but utterly inadequate
here. Instead, simply 17 ... Re8! 18 Qd2
Qf6! would have been quite okay for Black.
18 Rf2!
I guess Black missed this move. He is
suddenly in serious trouble, as his queen and
bishop are in a very uncomfortable position.
18 ... Ba4
There is no good move to be found: 18
... Qxa2 19 Bd3, and 18 ... Bf5 19 Bd3! Qh8
20 Nxf5, and 18 ... Rae8 19 Bf1! all win for
White. (In the last variation 19 Bd3?! would
allow unnecessary resistance after 19 ...
Qxc1+ 20 Qxc1 Bxd3.)
19 Bd1 Qa3 20 Bxa4 Qxa4 21 f4!
A crusher. With the black queen
sidelined, White steps up the pressure on the
king.
21 ... Nf6 22 Nf5!
A nice finish was inevitable. This entire
game had been played before, and Black
resigned straight away in M.Kravtsiv-
B.Amin, Martuni 2017.
22 ... gxf5 23 Qg5+ Kh7 24 Rf3 1-0
Game 72 B.Lajthajm-C.Gokerkan
Tekirdag 2019
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 Bg5 c5 7 d5 h6!
I believe this move to be best in the
current position. Black asks the g5-bishop to
declare its hand. As 8 Bh4?! sees the bishop
drifting offside, White must retreat, making
... e7-e6 a safer proposition than before.
8 Be3
As just indicated, 8 Bh4?! is not a great
move: 8 ... Qa5 9 Qd2 a6 10 a4 b5 11 cxb5
Qb4 12 f3 axb5 13 Bxb5 Ba6 gives Black an
excellent Benko Gambit position.
8 Bf4 is considerably better, but then it
has been shown that Black can soundly
sacrifice one or two pawns to gain activity: 8
... e6! 9 dxe6 Bxe6 10 Bxd6 Re8 11 Bxc5
(or 11 Qd2 Nc6, heading for d4) 11 ... Qa5
12 b4 Qa6 13 Rc1 Bxc4 14 f3 Nbd7 and
White is fully on the defensive, M.Gerusel-
K.Maeder, Amsterdam 1969. Although he
still has an extra pawn, the rest of the game
will be a chore to try to make something of
it. Most King’s Indian players would be
happy with Black’s active chances and thus
very few White players have come this way.
8 ... e6 9 Qd2 exd5 10 exd5 Kh7
This is a concession that Black knows he
has to make when he plays 7 ... h6.
11 h3
To prepare Nf3 and prevent ... Bg4 or ...
Ng4 afterwards.
11 ... Re8 12 Bd3
To prevent ... Bf5 or ... Ne4. White is
only a couple of moves (Nf3, 0-0) away
from reaching his desired formation. If he
makes it, Black will lack counterplay. The
following surprising pawn sacrifice is
known as a way of disrupting White’s
scheme.
12 ... b5!?
This looks speculative since White can
take with his knight, but Black obtains
satisfactory compensation, as we will see.
13 cxb5
13 Nxb5 Ne4! was given high-level
approval in the game R.Ponomariov-
A.Grischuk, Beijing (blindfold rapid) 2011:
14 Bxe4 (moving the queen is unattractive:
14 Qd1? a6 15 Bxe4 axb5 16 Bc2 bxc4, or
14 Qc2 Ng3!, or 14 Qe2 a6 15 Na3 Qa5+!
16 Kf1 Ra7 17 Nf3 Rae7 are all good for
Black) 14 ... Rxe4 15 Rc1 a6 16 Nc3 (or 16
Na3 Qh8!! 17 Rb1 Bf5) 16 ... Rxc4 17 a3
Nd7 18 Nf3 a5 19 0-0 Qb6 20 Qc2 Rb8 21
Nd2 Rh4 22 f4 Ba6 23 Rf3 Qxb2 24 Qxb2
Rxb2 25 Nde4 Nb6 (it was time to play an
unstereotyped move: 25 ... Bxc3! 26 Nxc3
Rb3 or 26 Rxc3 Rb6 27 Bf2 Rh5 and in both
these short variations it is the weakness of
the white pawn structure that is telling) 26
Nxd6 Bxc3 27 Rxc3 Nxd5 28 Rxc5 Nxe3 29
Rxe3 Rxf4 30 Rxa5 Rf1+ 31 Kh2 Rff2 32
Rxa6 Rxg2+ 33 Kh1 Rh2+ 34 Kg1 Rbg2+
35 Kf1 Ra2 36 Kg1 Rag2+ 37 Kf1 Ra2 38
Kg1 Rag2+ ½-½.
13 ... Nbd7 14 Rd1 Ne5!
A new interpretation. Previous games
had seen 14 ... Nb6; e.g. 15 Nge2 Bb7 16
Nf4 Nfxd5 17 Ncxd5 Nxd5 18 Nxd5 Bxd5
19 Bxg6+ fxg6 20 Qxd5 Qa5+ 21 Rd2
Qxb5, R.Taborsky-T.Bryant, New York
2015, which still seems a bit better for Black
thanks to his activity.
15 Be2 a6 16 Nf3
16 f4? is too loose for White to consider
seriously. After the easy 16 ... Ned7 17 Nf3
Qe7 18 Kf2 Rb8 Black has already
developed a dangerous initiative.
16 ... Nxf3+ 17 gxf3
This seems crazy, but 17 Bxf3 axb5 18
a3 b4 19 axb4 cxb4 20 Ne2 Nd7 21 Qxb4
(or 21 Nd4 Ba6) 21 ... Ne5 was poor too.
For a very insignificant pawn, Black is
bringing his pieces into excellent positions.
White will have to work hard to survive.
17 ... axb5 18 Bxb5
18 ... Ba6!?
Pure King’s Indian imagination.
Gokerkan cheerfully sacrifices an exchange
to keep the white king in the middle. It
should be noticed, for the less excitable
among us, that 18 ... Bd7! was good too; e.g.
19 Bc6 (or 19 a4 Bxb5 20 axb5 Nh5) 19 ...
Ra6 20 Kf1 Bxc6 21 dxc6 Rxc6 22 Kg2
Qd7 and Black is better in both lines.
19 Bxe8
I guess he could refuse with 19 Bxa6
Rxa6 20 Kf1, but then the white king is very
insecure.
19 ... Qxe8 20 Qc2 Qe5 21 Rd2 Re8 22
Qa4 Bb7 23 f4 Qf5 24 Kf1 Nxd5 25 Nxd5
Bxd5
White lies ruined on the light squares.
He elects to give the exchange back and
careers into a poor ending.
26 Rxd5
If he tried 26 Rh2, then Black’s light
square grip takes over: 26 ... Bf3! 27 Qc2
Qe6 28 b3 d5! 29 Qxc5 Rc8 and wins.
26 ... Qxd5 27 Qxe8 Qxh1+ 28 Ke2
Qd5 29 a4 Qc4+ 30 Kf3 d5?!
I think I prefer 30 ... Bxb2 31 a5 Bc3 32
a6 Qxa6 33 Qxf7+ Bg7 34 f5 gxf5 35 Qxf5+
Kh8, when Black remains a pawn up,
although converting it would not be easy.
31 Qb5?
In the midst of this exciting game both
players err. He had to try 31 Qxf7 Qe4+ 32
Kg3 d4 33 Bc1 Qc2 34 f5! gxf5 35 Bf4 Kh8
36 Qb7! and hope to hang on. Again, it is
not easy for Black.
31 ... Qe4+ 32 Kg3 d4 33 Qc4 Qh1 34
Qc1 Qc6 35 Bd2 Qxa4 36 Qxc5 Qb3+ 37
Kg2 Qxb2
It’s all over. White cannot juggle
defending his exposed king and covering the
strong passed pawn on d4. Gokercan
manages rest of the game well.
38 Ba5 Qb7+ 39 Kg3 Qe4 40 Qc4 f5 41
Bd2 h5 42 Qc1 h4+ 43 Kh2
43 Kxh4 Qf3 leads to mate.
43 ... Qf3 44 Qe1 Bf8 45 Bc1 Bd6 46
Qd2 d3 47 Qa2 Kh6! 48 Qb2
 Or 48 Qg8 Qxf2+ 49 Kh1 Qf3+ 50 Kh2
Qg3+ 51 Kh1 Qxh3+ 52 Kg1 Bc5+ and
mates.
48 ... Bxf4+ 49 Kg1 Qd1+ 50 Kg2 Bxc1
51 Qh8+ Kg5 52 Qd8+ Kh5 0-1
I thought this was a really interesting
game from Black. Sharp ideas in the
opening led to an imaginative sacrifice in
the middlegame, and an attack followed.
This is real inspiration for anyone wishing to
take up the King’s Indian.
Game 73 Yu Yangyi-M.Tissir Batumi
Olympiad 2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 Bg5 h6
This time Black hits the white bishop
straight away. The main advantage of 6 ...
h6 is that it allows him to strike in the centre
with either ... c7-c5 or ... e7-e5. The
disadvantage is that the pawn on h6 can be a
target for White to aim at.
7 Be3
This position bears comparison with
Game 16, where White played 6 Be3 at
once, though the further course of that game
was completely different.
7 ... e5 8 d5 Na6 9 Qd2 Nc5
A capture on h6 would be followed by a
capture on e4. This explains White’s next
move.
10 f3 a5
11 Bd1
Making room for the knight to come to
e2. As the centre is blocked, White doesn’t
feel this loss of time at all. The bishop may
later go to c2, to inhibit ... f7-f5.
A more aggressive option is to castle
long and attack directly with h2-h4 and g2-
g4. We saw two examples of this plan in
Chapter Two (Games 15 and 22).
Once again, White shouldn’t take the h-
pawn: 11 Bxh6? Nfxe4! 12 Nxe4 Nxe4 13
fxe4 Qh4+ 14 g3 Qxh6 and Black is better.
The trick of capturing on e4, to be followed
by ... Qh4+, ought to be memorized as it
crops up in various lines.
11 ... c6 12 Nge2 cxd5 13 cxd5
13 exd5 allows the immediate 13 ... e4!
and Black is getting active; e.g. 14 0-0 (or
14 Bxc5 exf3!) 14 ... exf3 15 Rxf3 Ng4 16
Bd4 Ne5.
13 ... Bd7 14 a4
White is basing his game plan on
restriction. If he can deny Black counterplay
in the early middlegame, he can boss the
show from then on. We will see that
exchanging light-squared bishops is a key
component of White’s strategy.
14 ... Qb6 15 0-0 Rfc8 16 Nc1 h5 17
Be2 Qd8 18 Bb5!
This is one of those positions that may
well be equal but which is difficult to handle
for Black, who is fighting with less space
and limited counterplay, and the exchange
of light-squared bishop is only going to
increase the pressure. Having said that,
White is yet to create real opportunities. He
may do this via the pawn levers f3-f4 or b2-
b4, so we wait to see how these will be
achieved.

The moment has come.

27 ... exf4
Inserting 27 ... Bh6 doesn’t help Black at
all in view of 28 Qd2 exf4 29 Bxf4 Bf8 30
Bg3, intending Qf4 with a big advantage.
28 Bxf4 Rxc3 29 bxc3 Na6 30 Qf3 Qd7
31 e5! dxe5 32 Bxe5 f5 33 d6 Re8 34 Qd5+

18 ... Be8 19 Ra3 Nfd7 20 Nd3 Nxd3

21 Qxd3 Nc5 22 Qd1 Na6 23 Rb3 Nb4 24
Bxe8 Qxe8 25 Nb5 Bf8 26 Rc3
White takes things impressively calmly.
Before he undertakes serious action, he is
trying to leave Black with passive pieces.
26 ... Qd8
After an exchange on c3, Black’s
position worsens: 26 ... Rxc3 27 bxc3 Na6
28 Bb6! Qc8 29 f4 exf4 30 Qf3 Qg4 31
Qxg4 hxg4 32 Rxf4.
27 f4!
34 ... Kh7?
34 ... Qf7 simply had to be played, when
Black could hope to hang on; for example,
after 35 Rd1 Qxd5 36 Rxd5 Kf7 37 Nd4
Rc8 38 Nb3 b6 39 Bd4. This is not an easy
endgame for Black at all, but he might make
a draw. He has a better king for one thing!
35 Rd1 Bh6 36 Nc7 Rc8 37 Kh1 Be3
38 Qf3
 Good enough, even if 38 Nxa6 bxa6 39
Rb1! seems cleaner.
38 ... Nxc7 39 dxc7 Qxa4 40 Qd5 Kh6
41 Qd7 Qxd7 42 Rxd7 Bg5 43 Bg7+ Kh7
44 h4 1-0
This was an uncomfortable experience
for Black, who seemed to be on the
defensive from early on, just marking time
while White made all sorts of thematic pawn
breaks and piece exchanges. We do not play
the King’s Indian to suffer like this! My
only conclusion is that systems with ... e7-e5
(rather than ... c7-c5) when countering the
Averbakh are not easy to handle at all and
can result in permanent passivity.
Choosing the best game prize at the
2013 British Championship was a very
difficult task. There were many good games
throughout what turned out to be an
exciting, hard-fought event. In the end I
decided on the one we are about to see. The
quality of play from the loser, Jonathan
Hawkins, made a big difference to me, as he
is such a formidable opponent.
Game 74 G.Flear-J.Hawkins British
Championship, Torquay 2013
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 Bg5 Na6
The modern answer to the Averbakh,
which has almost become as popular as 6 ...
c5. Black protects c7, prepares e5, and does
not obstruct his bishop on c8. We have seen
an early ... Na6 used in many of the main
lines.
7 Qd2 e5 8 d5 Qe8
All part of the plan. From e8 the black
queen observes both sides of the board and
steps out of the pin on f6. The routine 8 ...
Nc5 transposes back to Game 70.
9 Bd1!?
Making room for the knight to come to
e2, as after 9 Nf3?! Nc5! Black is already
gaining time.
9 ... Bd7 10 Nge2 Nh5
The queen on e8 is very usefully placed
to support this knight move and we can now
say that Black threatens ... f7-f5 in earnest.
11 Bc2 f6
Flear had had this position before: 11 ...
f5 12 exf5 gxf5 13 0-0 Nf6 14 Rae1 Qg6 15
f3 Nb4 16 Bb1 a5 17 Kh1 Na6 18 g4 h5 19
gxf5 Bxf5 20 Rg1 Bxb1 21 Rxb1 Kh8 22
Rg3 Nc5 23 Rbg1 Rf7 24 Nc1 Re8 25 Qg2
Qh7 26 Nb3 was always better for White in
G.Flear-S.Franklin, Hastings 2011/12.
Hawkins tries to improve by nudging the
bishop back to e3, hoping that ... f6-f5 will
then gain impetus.
12 Be3 f5 13 f3 Nb4 14 Bb1 a5 15 a3
Na6
I have no doubt at all that Hawkins was
playing for a win, and so he tries to keep all
options open by this simple retreat.
Otherwise, blocking with 15 ... f4!? was an
option, as after 16 Bf2 Na6 17 Bc2 Nc5 18
0-0-0 (or 18 0-0 a4) 18 ... b6 Black has a
reasonable position.
16 Bc2 a4 17 exf5 gxf5 18 0-0-0
A big decision. Castling short was also
possible but of course less dynamic.
18 ... Nc5
19 Bxc5!
It must have been tempting to try and
open Black up immediately: 19 g4!? fxg4 20
fxg4 Bxg4 (or 20 ... Nf4 21 Bxc5 dxc5 22
h3 b5 23 cxb5 Bxb5 24 Nxf4 Rxf4 25 Ne4)
21 Bxc5 dxc5 22 Rhg1 Bf3 23 Be4 Ra6 24
Kb1 Bxe4+ 25 Nxe4 Rg6 26 N2c3. These
variations certainly look good for White.
19 ... dxc5 20 d6
Glenn was clearly aware of the potential
power of the bishop on g7 and forces the
issue to deter ... e5-e4.
20 ... Be6
20 ... cxd6 is unattractive in view of 21
Qxd6 Rf7 22 Kb1 Qf8 23 Qxf8+ Kxf8 24
Rd5 Ra5 25 Rhd1, when White has a big
advantage in a far clearer position.
21 dxc7 Bxc4 22 Ng3
Once again 22 g4! was a definite
possibility; e.g. 22 ... fxg4 23 fxg4 Nf4 24
Nxf4 exf4 25 Rhe1 Qf7 26 Nd5.
22 ... Nxg3 23 hxg3 b5 24 Nd5!
Another avenue was provided by 24
Bd3! Bxd3 25 Qxd3 b4 26 Nd5 Qe6 27 Kb1,
which looks very good for White.
24 ... e4
Now White really has to start making
strong, accurate moves as Black brings his
major trump into the game.
25 Qg5! Bxd5 26 Rxd5 Qf7
Possibly 26 ... Qg6 was more resilient;
for example, 27 Qe7 (or 27 Qxg6 hxg6 28
fxe4 Rac8 29 exf5 Rxc7 30 fxg6 Rf2) 27 ...
Rac8 28 fxe4 Qf7 29 Qxf7+ Rxf7 30 e5 h6,
but one can understand Black’s reluctance to
allow the queens to come off.
27 fxe4 Qxc7 28 exf5
28 ... Rf6?!
Blockading the white f-pawn in view of
lines like 28 ... Rad8? 29 f6! Rxf6 30 Bxh7+
Kf8 31 Rxd8+ Qxd8 32 Rd1 Qc7 33 Kb1
and Black has little hope with his king wide
open. But the text is passive, and Black soon
relinquishes his blockade anyway. Instead,
28 ... b4 29 f6 Rxf6 30 Bxh7+ Kf8 31 Rf5
Ra6 was relatively best, though there can be
no doubt about White’s advantage.
29 Rhd1 Kh8 30 Kb1!
Not falling for 30 Rd7?? Qxd7 31 Rxd7
Bh6.
30 ... Rff8?! 31 f6
31 Rd6! Qf7 32 g4 looks even stronger.
31 ... Bxf6 32 Rxc5
White’s control through this small,
tactical phase is impressive.
32 ... Qf7
 32 ... Bxg5 33 Rxc7 h6 does not lose at
once, but it is a hideous line; e.g. 34 Rh7+
Kg8 35 Rdd7 Rf1+ 36 Ka2 Rd8 37 Rdg7+
Kf8 38 Rb7 and both Black’s queenside
pawns will fall.
33 Qf5 Ra7 34 Rc8 Rxc8 35 Qxc8+
Kg7 36 Qf5 Kg8 37 Rf1 Re7 38 Be4 Re5
39 Qxe5 Bxe5 40 Rxf7 Kxf7 41 Bxh7
The players have been trading blows to
reach the first time control and Glenn now
has a chance to show his technique. Pawns
can be exchanged, but two pawns widely
spread is too much for Black in this type of
endgame.
41 ... Bd6 42 Be4 b4 43 Ka2! bxa3 44
bxa3
It is crucial that the queening square on
the a-file is the right colour for the bishop!
44 ... Bxg3 45 Bc6 Ke6 46 Bxa4 Kd5
47 Kb3
White makes inexorable progress
towards the win by combining threats on
both flanks.
47 ... Kc5 48 Be8 Bc7 49 g4 Bd8 50 a4
Bg5 51 Kc3 Bd8 52 Kd3 Kd5 53 Bf7+ Ke5
54 Kc4 Kd6 55 Kb5 Bg5 56 a5 Be3 57 a6
Kc7 58 Bd5 Kd6 59 Bb7 Kc7 60 Kc4 Kd6
61 Kd3 Bb6 62 Ke4 Ke6 63 Bc8+ 1-0
A splendid fight, with fascinating play in
all three phases of the game.
Other Bg5 Lines
We now leave the Averbakh Variation
behind and move on to other Bg5 ideas for
White: in the Accelerated Averbakh,
Smyslov and Makagonov Systems.
Game 75 T.Gareyev-J.Ehlvest US
Open (rapid), Orange 2013
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Bg5
The Accelerated Averbakh, where White
puts the bishop on g5 straight away, is a
dangerous weapon if Black is on autopilot
and plays 5 ... 0-0 in reply. Then 6 Qd2 sets
up an ideal attacking position in my view,
with options of Bd3, f2-f4, Nge2 and Bh6.
We’ll see this line via 4 ... 0-0 5 Bg5 in
Chapter Nine (Game 108).
In the current position, with the standard
4 ... d6 by Black, 5 Bg5 is infrequently
played at high levels, thanks to the effective
counter 5 ... h6!.
5 ... h6! 6 Bh4
Both 6 Be3 Ng4 7 Bc1 e5 8 d5 f5! and 6
Bf4 Nc6 7 d5 e5! give Black faster than
normal counterplay.
6 ... c5!
Following the formula that when the
bishop on c1 leaves home early, the ... c7-c5
break is usually Black’s best response, and
particularly if the bishop has drifted out to
h4.
7 d5
If 7 dxc5 then 7 ... Qa5 is good enough.
7 ... Qa5 8 Bd3
Another option is 8 Qd2, breaking the
pin. In this case Black should simply hunt
down the bishop: 8 ... g5! 9 Bg3 Nh5!
(nabbing the bishop at the right moment will
already give Black a favourable game) 10
Bd3 Nd7 11 Nge2 Ne5 12 0-0 Bd7 13 a3
Nxg3 14 Nxg3 h5! 15 Be2 (not 15 Qxg5??
Bh6) 15 ... g4 16 Nf5 Bxf5 17 exf5 Nd7 and
Black managed to eke out this fractional
edge in M.Mazalon-A.Frolov, Polanica
Zdroj 2018.
8 ... g5 9 Bg3 Nh5 10 Nge2
Since 10 Qxh5 Bxc3+ is awful for
White, Gareyev settles for the best
developing move he can find.
10 ... Nd7 11 0-0 Nxg3 12 hxg3
In truth, White’s position isn’t that bad,
but when there are so many superior systems
to play against the King’s Indian, why
would you want this? Black has a
powerhouse bishop on g7 and there are only
two plans for White that have any chance of
success:
1. To make something of the f5-square.
2. To advance the queenside pawns.
Let’s see what Gareyev chooses.
12 ... g4
I like 12 ... Ne5! and if 13 f4 Ng4!,
White is creaking on the dark squares.
13 a3 h5 14 Qd2 Ne5 15 b4!
This move sets the most problems. I’m
not at all sure that Ehlvest should take, but
he probably didn’t feel in any real danger.
15 ... cxb4
Black could concentrate on the dark
squares instead with 15 ... Qb6! 16 Rab1 h4
17 gxh4 Rxh4 18 Ng3 Bh6.
16 axb4 Qxb4?!
This may give White more play than he
deserves. 16 ... Qb6 looks better.
17 Rfb1 Qc5 18 Na4 Qc7 19 Nb6 Rb8
20 Rxa7
White is now right back in the game.
20 ... h4 21 gxh4 Rxh4
It has gone as well as it possibly could
have done for Gareyev, which helps us to
understand his opening choice. Objectively,
this may not be the best line for White, but it
promotes a complex position and the theory
isn’t that well known. Therefore Gareyev is
willing to take a small risk in the search for
a win.
22 Bc2
The bishop wasn’t really worth
retreating. White could continue to press
with 22 Ng3! Bh6 23 Qb2. Note that the
black knight is pinned against the h8-square.
22 ... Kf8 23 Qa5 Bf6 24 Ra8 Kg7 25
Rxb8 Qxb8 26 Ng3 Rh8
I would hazard a guess that both players
were running short of time by this point, as
the play soon begins to deteriorate.
27 Bd1 Qc7 28 Be2 Bh4 29 Qc3 Bf6 30
Qe3 e6 31 dxe6 fxe6 32 Rb5
 32 ... Kf8?
Clearing the rank for the queen to get to
the h-file is the right idea, but the king
should have come forwards with 32 ... Kg6.
33 Qb3?
33 Qf4! shows the flaw in Black’s last
move; and 33 c5 Qh7 34 Bc4! looks good
too.
33 ... Rh7?
Given a chance and Ehlvest doesn’t take
it. After 33 ... Qh7! 34 Bxg4! Nxg4 35 Nxc8
Qh2+ 36 Kf1 Qh6! the position is quite
unclear.
34 Qd1 Bd7 35 Nxd7+ Qxd7 36 Bxg4
Bh4 37 Nh5 1-0
This was a one-hour game and it seems
that Black lost on time, though he is clearly
worse in the final position anyway.
You can expect to face 5 Bg5 once in a
blue moon. There is nothing to fear, as long
as you remember to play 5 ... h6!.
Game 76 B.Jorns-J.G.Gallagher
Lausanne 2006
1 c4 g6 2 Nc3 Bg7 3 d4 Nf6 4 Nf3 0-0 5
Bg5 h6! 6 Bh4 d6 7 e3
This is more or less the starting position
for the Smyslov System and it can arise via
various move orders. For instance, Smyslov
himself more often played 4 Bg5, when 4 ...
h6 5 Bh4 0-0 6 e3 d6 7 Nf3 reaches the
position in the diagram. White’s set-up with
the quiet e2-e3 is not something to strike
fear into Black’s heart; rather it’s a gradual
path to an advantage that White seeks. I’ll
show you one good method for Black (from
among many), which may help to explain
the relative unpopularity of this system in
the present day.
7 ... c5 8 Be2
White can obviously play 8 d5 but this is
mixing systems as he will probably have to
play e3-e4 soon, costing him a move. Black
is nicely placed after 8 ... Qa5 (8 ... g5 9 Bg3
Nh5 is also possible) 9 Nd2 Bf5 10 f3 g5 11
Bf2 Nbd7 12 e4 Bg6.
8 ... Bf5!
I have always liked this idea. Let’s list
the main advantages:
1. Black prepares ... Ne4.
2. The bishop is actively placed on f5,
preventing Rb1, and thus ... Qb6 could be a
good idea next.
3. If White shapes to play e3-e4, then ...
g6-g5 will always enable the bishop to
retreat.
 Thus 8 ... Bf5 promotes a complex game
with counterplay, which is exactly what the
King’s Indian player wants.
9 0-0 Nbd7 10 Nd2
10 h3 g5 11 Bg3 Ne4 12 Nxe4 Bxe4
seems rather equal.
10 ... cxd4 11 exd4 Qb6
Gallagher intercepts the idea of e3-e4 by
capturing on d4 and hitting two white pawns
with his queen.
12 Nb3 g5 13 Bg3 a5
Disruption all the way. White is given no
time to settle.
14 Na4
14 a4 is met by 14 ... Ne4!, leading to
satisfactory play for Black in all lines; for
example, 15 Nxe4 (or 15 Nd5 Qd8 16 Ne3
Bg6 17 Bd3 f5) 15 ... Bxe4 16 Re1 e6 17
Bd3 Bxd3 18 Qxd3 Rfc8.
14 ... Qc6 15 Nc3 Qb6 16 Na4 Qc6 17
Nc3 e5
Of course Joe Gallagher does not want a
draw, with a rating difference of 599!
18 Re1 Rfd8 19 Bd3 Bxd3 20 Qxd3 a4
The grandmaster is getting the upper
hand.
21 Nd2
He should have tried 21 d5 Qb6 22 Nd2,
when winning a pawn is not completely
clear: 22 ... Qxb2 23 Reb1 Qa3?! 24 Qc2
Nc5 25 Rb5! Nb3 26 Qd1! and the black
queen needs to be rescued; but 23 ... Nc5! 24
Rxb2 (or 24 Qe3 Qc2) 24 ... Nxd3 25 Rxb7
Ne8 and ... f7-f5 is still good for Black.
21 ... exd4 22 Nb5 Nc5 23 Qf3
23 Qxd4 Nfe4 opens fire down the long
diagonal – a White nightmare.
23 ... d3 24 Rab1 Qxf3 25 Nxf3 d5
Gallagher’s advantage has increased to
the point where White is in serious trouble.
26 Bc7
There is no good advice to be offered. 26
cxd5 Nxd5 27 Be5 Ra6! 28 Bxg7 Kxg7
maintains the annoying pawn on d3.
26 ... Re8 27 Bd6 Nce4 28 Be5 dxc4 29
Nc7 Rxe5!
 Excellent. Either rook may be taken, but
after that Black’s queenside pawn armada
will set sail.
30 Nxa8
Or 30 Nxe5 Rc8 31 Nb5 Rc5.
30 ... Rc5 31 Nb6 a3 32 Na4 Rc7 33
Nc3 Nxc3 34 bxc3 Nd5 0-1
The Smyslov System is not a bad choice
if you, as White, are the stronger player and
want an easy, solid life as you stroll to
victory. The other way round is just asking
for it, as we saw in our featured game,
where White failed to get any pressure at all
and was totally outplayed.
Game 77 E.Romanov-N.Radovanovic
European Championship, Skopje 2019
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 0-0 5 h3
d6 6 Bg5
This time we have a Makagonov (h2-h3)
System with Bg5 as an accompaniment.
White is looking at a piece layout that
involves Qd2, Bd3 and Nge2 or Nf3, and
possibly g2-g4 comes into the frame.
6 ... c5!
I think this standard reply is best, though
as in the Averbakh Black can also play for ...
e7-e5 after 6 ... Na6. We’ll look at this in the
next game.
7 d5 e6 8 Bd3 exd5 9 exd5 Nbd7 10
Nf3 Re8+ 11 Kf1
Black has been quick on the draw and
forced this slight concession. It’s not as
serious as it looks for White, as after g2-g4
the king can find a haven of sorts on g2. The
usual issue remains for Black: what is he
going to do with his queenside pieces?
TIP: In Benoni/King’s Indian
positions where ... c7-c5 has been played,
you must have a clear idea how to develop
the queenside pieces or you will inherit a
traffic jam that you cannot resolve.
11 ... Ne5 12 Nxe5 Rxe5 13 Qd2 b5!
We saw a similar sacrifice in Game 72.
Since the white king cannot castle, Black is
justified in launching an assault. I wish I
could say that this idea was new. I can’t.
14 Nxb5 Ne4 15 Bxe4 Rxg5

16 Nc3
White went for an outright refutation in
the following super-GM game. It is unlikely
that a player graded 2711 would be playing
an unsound opening line, so the attempt
didn’t succeed: 16 f4?! Rg3 17 Qf2 Qh4 18
Rd1 Bh6! 19 Nc3 (19 Nxd6 Bxf4 20 Nxc8 is
met by 20 ... Be3! 21 Ne7+ Kf8 22 Qc2
Qxe7 23 Bf3 Re8 with huge pressure; in
particular, how is White to develop his h1-
rook?) 19 ... Bxf4 20 Ne2 Bg4! 21 Bf3 Bf5
22 Nxf4 Qxf4 23 Be4?! (naturally seeking
exchanges, but 23 Kg1 Re8 24 Bg4 looks a
better way; e.g. 24 ... Qxf2+ 25 Kxf2 Bxg4
26 Kxg3 Bxd1 27 Rxd1 Re2 28 Rd3 Rxb2
29 Ra3 and I think White has every chance
of a draw) 23 ... Qg5 24 h4 (24 Bxf5 gxf5 25
Re1 doesn’t solve his problems in view of
25 ... Kh8!, when ... Rg8 and ... f5-f4-f3 are
coming) 24 ... Qg4 25 Bf3 Qxc4+ 26 Kg1
Qf4 27 Be4 Qxf2+ 28 Kxf2 Rg4 29 Bxf5
Rf4+ 30 Kg3 Rxf5 (there is no hope for
White in this endgame) 31 Rhe1 Rb8 32
Rd2 Kf8 33 Re3 a5 34 Ra3 Rb5 35 Ra4 h5
36 b3 Kg7 37 Kh3 Kf6 38 g3 Ke5 39 Kg2 f6
40 Ra3 Ke4 41 Rd1 g5 42 Ra4+ Ke5 43 Ra3
g4 44 b4 Rxb4 0-1 S.Movsesian-Ding Liren,
World Team Championship, Antalya 2013.
16 ... Re5 17 g3 Qe7 18 Bd3 Bd7 19
Kg2 Re8
The compensation for Black is clear. He
has two nice bishops, a high concentration
of fire on the e-file, and tremendous
coordination. White must grovel to equalize.
20 Raf1 h5 21 h4 Qf6 22 f3
To bolster e4 and make Ne4 available, if
it can ever be played.
22 ... Re3 23 Nd1
23 Ne4 Qxb2 24 Qxb2 Bxb2 25 Rd1
Bg7! 26 Nxd6 Rb8! 27 Rd2 Bc3 28 Rhd1
Ba4 is a variation which gives us a good
idea of Black’s dynamic potential.
23 ... R3e7 24 Re1 Qd4 25 Rxe7 Rxe7
26 b3 Bf5 27 Nf2 Bxd3 28 Nxd3 Bh6 29
Qc2 Re3 30 Rd1 Qf6
31 Rf1??
White has been playing well and has got
the defence right up to here, Unfortunately,
he now goes astray. The problem with 31
Rf1 is that it allows Black a killer pin. Just
31 Qf2 holds it together.
31 ... Qf5! 32 Ne1 Rxe1 0-1
White’s system is not quite as ordinary
as it was made to look in this game.
Game 78 M.Kazhgaleyev-
A.Abdulwahhab Asian Cup (rapid),
Hamedan 2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 h3
0-0 6 Bg5 Na6
 That ... Na6 move again. As usual, Black
is planning a quick ... e7-e5.
7 Bd3 e5
I think I have to prefer 7 ... Qe8! here,
which is a bit more elastic.
8 d5 Nc5 9 Bc2 a5 10 Nge2
White’s moves come easily. He can
prepare either b2-b4 or f2-f4. Meanwhile,
Black looks like he is playing an old-
fashioned King’s Indian where, with e4 well
protected, he will find it hard to drum up
counterplay.
10 ... c6 11 0-0 cxd5 12 exd5!?
A very interesting point in the game. Just
when we were expecting the routine 12
cxd5, White makes an unusual capture. The
advantages:
1. White keeps the break ... b7-b5 under
control.
2. White may be able to put a knight on
e4 if circumstances permit.
3. White activates the bishop on c2.
The disadvantage:
1. Black has been given a potential
mobile pawn majority in the centre.
So only one problem, but a big one for
White. Black needs to find a way of getting
his central pawns rolling.
12 ... Bd7 13 Rb1
The first sign that b2-b4 may come at the
right moment.
13 ... Qc7
Out of the pin, and a good start. We are
now expecting ... Nh5 and ... f7-f5. Here 13
... Qe8, intending ... Nh5 and ... f7-f5, is met
by 14 Ng3!.
14 Ng3
Preventing ... Nh5.
14 ... Na6 15 Bd3 Nc5 16 f4!
White is first to open the game, making
sure that Black cannot execute his plans.
16 ... Nxd3?
Black immediately goes wrong. 16 ...
exf4 17 Bxf4 Ne8! was required, followed
by ... f7-f5, taking control of the e4-square.
17 Qxd3 h6? 18 fxe5 Ng4
Perhaps he was relying on this move – if
so, a surprise awaits.
19 hxg4 hxg5 20 e6!
White’s judgment in this game has been
excellent, one step ahead of Black all the
way. This move is a crusher.
20 ... Qb6+
Lying back on the ropes with 20 ... Be8
leads to 21 Nge4 f6 22 Rf2 Qe7 23 Rbf1 a4
24 Qg3 and Black is fatally passive.
21 Kh1 Be5 22 c5!?
Is there anything wrong with taking on
d7 immediately?
22 ... Qxc5 23 exd7 Kg7 24 Nce4 Qb6

25 Nxg5
Here 25 Nh5+! would have been a nice
way to finish: 25 ... gxh5 (or 25 ... Kh8 26
Qh3) 26 Nxg5 Rh8 27 Rxf7+ Kh6 28 Rbf1
with mate to follow. Possibly White
couldn’t quite see the mate and so chooses
the easy way.
TIP: When you are winning, keep it
simple. When you are worse, or losing,
complicate.
25 ... f5 26 gxf5
Obviously 26 Ne6+ wins as well, while
the engine wants to play 26 Nxf5+! and
declares mate in eleven.
26 ... Rh8+ 27 Nh3 g5 28 f6+ Kf8 29
Qg6 Rg8 1-0
In view of 30 Qh6+ Kf7 31 Qh7+ and
mates.
This game confirms the potential danger to
Black after 5 h3 and 6 Bg5.

Chapter Six
The Sämisch Variation
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3
The Sämisch Variation is a dangerous
weapon. 5 f3 gives the white centre an
almost rock-like quality which Black may
struggle to break down. White’s plans can
include a direct attack on the black king with
the help of a kingside pawn storm, or a
positional squeeze where Black seeks
counterplay and fails to find it. The soft spot
in the white centre is d4 and almost all the
most successful lines for Black aim at that
point sooner rather than later. Accuracy and
precision are demanded from Black in all
lines of the King’s Indian, but none more so
than after 5 f3.
I have just mentioned the attacking
potential of the Sämisch formation. There
can be no better demonstration of that than
the following classic.
Game 79 B.Spassky-L.M.Evans Varna
Olympiad 1962
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3
c6!?
An interesting sideline. Another is the
double fianchetto 5 ... b6!? 6 Be3 Bb7,
which we saw in Games 4 and 23. For the
rest of this chapter we’ll concentrate on the
standard 5 ... 0-0.
6 Be3 a6
This is the Byrne System, named after
the famous American grandmasters Donald
and Robert Byrne. Black may play ... c7-c6
and ... a7-a6 with or without castling on the
kingside. He may or may not play ... e7-e5
or ... b7-b5. He is trying to be flexible. This
plan nibbles away at the white centre and, to
me, has the best chance of success when the
c4-pawn is temporarily unprotected, as ...
b7-b5 can then hit with force.
7 Qd2 b5 8 0-0-0!?
A very bold move which works in our
game but may not be best. Spassky throws
caution to the winds and goes for it. 8 Bd3
gets better results.
8 ... bxc4
I prefer 8 ... Qa5! here, when White may
have to play 9 Kb1, after which 9 ... Nbd7!
10 Bh6 Bxh6 11 Qxh6 Bb7 gives Black a
good game as he may actually castle long!
This is about as elastic as it gets in the
King’s Indian.
9 Bxc4 0-0
 What is known in the trade as “castling
into it”. Evans is making the judgment call
that he will be able to hold White’s coming
attack and create pressure of his own,
probably on the b-file. Spassky continues
with route one chess.
10 h4! d5
They say that action on the flank should
be met by a reaction in the centre. True
enough, but in this game Spassky throws the
rulebook out of the window.
11 Bb3 dxe4 12 h5! exf3 13 hxg6 hxg6
14 Bh6!?
Black is invited to gorge himself on
white pawns.
14 ... fxg2 15 Rh4! Ng4 16 Bxg7 Kxg7
17 Qxg2 Nh6?
This was the last real chance for
survival. Black simply must play 17 ... Rh8!,
when White is certainly better after 18 Rxg4
Bxg4 19 Qxg4 Nd7 20 Nf3 Rh5 21 Rg1 Nf6
22 Qg3, but I wouldn’t call it clear cut.
18 Nf3 Nf5 19 Rh2
19 ... Qd6
Now 19 ... Rh8 fails to 20 Bxf7!,
stripping the black king bare. There is no
defence: 20 ... Rxh2 (if 20 ... Kxf7 21 Ne5+
or 20 ... Qd6 21 Rxh8 Qf4+ 22 Nd2! Kxh8
23 Qxg6 Nh6 24 Rh1) 21 Qxg6+ Kh8 22
Nxh2 Qf8 23 Ng4 Ng3 24 Rd2 and wins.
20 Ne5 Nd7 21 Ne4 Qc7 22 Rdh1
The white pieces flood into attacking
positions with ease.
22 ... Rg8 23 Rh7+ Kf8 24 Rxf7+ Ke8
25 Qxg6 Nxe5 26 Rf8+ 1-0
I also mentioned that White might be
able to set up a positional squeeze. Let’s
take a look at such a squeeze, which leads in
the end to another crushing attack.
Game 80 Ar.Braun-J.Maiwald German
League 2019
1 d4 d6 2 e4 Nf6 3 f3 g6 4 c4 Bg7 5 Nc3 0-
0 6 Be3
 The standard starting position of the
Sämisch. All of 6 Be3, 6 Bg5 and 6 Nge2
are commonly played, but 6 Be3 is the most
popular by far.
6 ... Nbd7
This move is rarely seen at the highest
level nowadays. Black keeps all options
open as to his pawn formation and may yet
transpose into other lines, but only with the
knight already committed to d7. More
common are 6 ... c5, 6 ... Nc6 and 6 ... e5, all
of which we will look at in the next few
games.
A big moment in the game. By allowing
Black to form a dangerous-looking central
pawn duo, White is stating that he can
restrain those pawns and maybe attack them
in the middlegame.
13 0-0-0 Bd7 14 Be2 b5 15 cxb5 axb5
16 Nb4 Qe8 17 a3!
The squeeze has begun. Black has
distinct problems on the c-file.
17 ... Kh8 18 Rhe1 Rg8 19 Bf1 Rb8 20
Kb1 Qg6 21 Ka1!

7 Nh3! a6 8 Nf2

A very good square for the knight, from

which it reinforces the centre and allows
either Bd3 or Be2. In a lot of lines where
White develops with Bd3 and Nge2, the
bishop on d3 can become a target.

8 ... e5 9 d5 Nh5
Black sets out his stall. He is going to
play ... f7-f5.
10 Nd3 f5 11 Qd2 Ndf6 12 exf5 gxf5
The danger for Black lies in the long
term. He is arranging his pieces as actively
as he can, but there is nothing really to
attack. Meanwhile, White can target c7.
21 ... Bf8
 Attempts to break free only highlight
Black’s difficulty. For example, 21 ... e4 22
fxe4 (22 Ba7 Rb7 23 Bd4 is also good) 22 ...
Nxe4 23 Nxe4 fxe4 24 Rc1 Rb7 25 Bd4
leaves Black with three weak pawns to
nurse: on b5, c7 and e4.
22 Rc1 Ne8 23 Nca2 f4 24 Bg1 Nhg7
25 Bd3 Qf7
25 ... Nf5 26 Nc6 Bxc6 27 Rxc6 Qf7 28
Bxf5 Qxf5 29 Nb4 looks uncomfortable for
Black, due to his lack of counterplay.
26 Nc3 Nf5 27 Bxf5 Qxf5 28 Ne4 Qg6
28 ... Be7 29 Qf2 Rb7 30 Rc3 continues
the restraining policy. The position may not
be lost for Maiwald, but he will only be
defending for the rest of the game and we all
know how unpleasant that is.
29 g4 fxg3
If he passes with 29 ... Be7, White will
prepare h2-h4, starting with 30 Bf2!.
30 hxg3 Bh6 31 Be3 Bxe3 32 Qxe3 Rc8
33 Rh1 Bf5 34 Rh6 Qg7 35 Rch1
White has gone up a couple of gears.
This is a game that can be understood
without too many long variations. Black still
lacks any meaningful counterplay.
35 ... Rd8 36 g4 Bg6 37 Ng5 Rd7 38
Ne6 Qf6 39 f4! exf4 40 Nxf4 Re7 41 Qd2?!
Here 41 Qf2! was an immediate killer:
41 ... Rf7 (if 41 ... Rd7 42 Nc6 Rf7 43 Nd8!,
or 41 ... Re4 42 Qh2 Re7 43 Nc6 Rf7 44
Nxg6+ etc) 42 Nbd3 Rgg7 43 g5! (timing is
everything) 43 ... Qxg5 44 Nxg6+ Qxg6 45
Rxg6 Rxf2 46 Rxg7 and White wins.
41 ... Rf7 42 Ne6?
A further slip. 42 Nbd3! was still
winning.
42 ... c5?
Incredibly, Black can now defend after
42 ... Qf1+!. White has nothing better than
to block with the queen, since 43 Rxf1?
Rxf1+ 44 Ka2 Bb1+ 45 Kb3 Rf3+ forces
him to return the queen anyway with
equality.
43 Nd3 b4
His last chance was 43 ... Nc7! 44 g5
Qf3 45 R6h3 Qxd5 46 Qc3+ Rgg7 47 Nxg7
b4! 48 Qc1 Bxd3 49 Nh5 Bg6. White is
probably winning again, but the game would
have continued.
44 g5 Qf3 45 Ndf4 Ra7 46 Nd4
Whereas now it is over.
46 ... Qe4 47 Nc6 1-0
The following game deals with one of
the most fashionable lines of the modern
Sämisch.
Game 81 G.C.Jones-A.Morozevich
European Team Championship, Warsaw
2013
1 c4 g6 2 Nc3 Bg7 3 d4 Nf6 4 e4 d6 5 f3 0-
0 6 Be3 c5!?
If you haven’t seen 6 ... c5 before,
you might wonder why White
isn’t simply winning a pawn. He
is.
7 dxc5 dxc5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9 Bxc5 Nc6

It seems unlikely that Black has enough
for a pawn, and yet very strong players are
happy to champion this cause. Let’s list the
compensation:
1. Black is ahead in development, having
castled while White has not.
2. White’s pawn centre is rigid and he
can’t get his minor pieces out easily.
3. Black has control over the d4-square.
4. Black holds the initiative.
The realization that 6 ... c5 gives Black a
nice, active option against the Sämisch,
albeit at the cost of a pawn, has led to the
increased popularity of 6 Nge2 and 6 Bg5 in
the present day. Does this mean that White
should now avoid this variation? Probably
not as GM Gawain Jones will show.
10 Nge2
Development will do, covering d4.
10 ... Nd7
10 ... b6 is a good alternative. After 11
Ba3 Ba6! 12 Nb5 Rac8 Black has completed
his development and can face the
middlegame with confidence, despite being
a pawn down. Note that White must avoid
11 Be3? Nb4!, which leads to the win of
material: 12 Rd1 Nd3+ 13 Rxd3 Rxd3 14
Kf2 Rd8 15 Nf4 e6 16 Be2 Bb7 and Black is
virtually winning already, Ale.Hoffman-
D.Di Berardino, Curitiba (blitz) 2019.
11 Be3 Nde5 12 Nf4 b6
Attacking c4 with 12 ... Na5!? is also
interesting. A.Shimanov-G.C.Jones, World
Cup, Tromsø 2013, continued 13 Ncd5
Nexc4! 14 Bc5 e6 15 Nc7 Bxb2 16 Rd1
Bc3+ 17 Ke2 Rxd1 18 Kxd1 b6 19 Nxa8
bxc5 20 Bxc4 Nxc4 21 Nd3 and now Jones
recommends 21 ... Bd4!, rather than 21 ...
Ne3+?! 22 Ke2 Bd4 23 Nc7 c4 24 Rb1!
Nxg2 25 Rb8 cxd3+ 26 Kxd3 Bg1 27
Rxc8+, when White must be winning but
failed to in the end.
13 Rc1!
13 ... Ba6
There are two sides to the 6 ... c5 debate.
The case for Black has already been mapped
out, but games like the following support the
notion that White can grind out his extra
pawn if he is patient and has good
technique. Let Vassily Ivanchuk show how
this is done: 13 ... Bb7 14 b3 e6 15 Be2 Nd4
16 Kf2 Nxe2 17 Kxe2 Nc6 18 Rhd1 Nd4+
19 Kf2 Rac8 20 Nfe2! (once White uproots
the knight from d4, Black’s compensation
reduces to zero) 20 ... Nc6 21 Rxd8+ Rxd8
22 Rd1 Rxd1 23 Nxd1 f5 24 Nec3 Kf7 25
Ke2 Nb4 26 Kd2 Ke7 (26 ... fxe4 27 fxe4
Be5 28 g3 does not change the assessment:
Black is a pawn down for nothing) 27 c5!
fxe4 28 fxe4 b5 29 a3 Na6 30 Nxb5 Bxe4 31
g3 Kd7 32 Ndc3 Bg2 33 Nxa7 Nc7 34 Nab5
(several passed pawns on the queenside
mean the win is now easy) 34 ... e5 35 Nxc7
Kxc7 36 b4 Bf1 37 a4 Bc4 38 b5 Bf8 39 a5
Be7 40 a6 e4 41 b6+ Kc6 42 b7 1-0
V.Ivanchuk-V.Kovalev, World Blitz
Championship, Riyadh 2017.
14 b3 e6 15 Be2 Nb4
15 ... Nd4 16 Nb5! Bxb5 17 cxb5 Bf8 18
Kf2 Ba3 19 Bxd4! Rxd4 20 Rcd1 Rad8 21
Rxd4 leaves Black playing a pawn down.
16 0-0! Ned3 17 Nxd3 Nxd3 18 Rcd1!
A nice move, forcing further exchanges,
exactly what Jones wants.
18 ... Nb4 19 Rxd8+ Rxd8 20 Rc1
20 ... f5
An interesting moment, where regaining
the pawn with 20 ... Bxc3 21 Rxc3 Nxa2 22
Rc2 Nb4 is rejected. To show you the extent
of modern theory, three games have gone
this way and Black only managed a single
draw. The problem is White’s incontestable
dark-squared bishop on e3. Naturally,
Morozevich tries to stay active rather than
play a miserable ending.
21 a3 Nc6 22 Nb5 fxe4 23 fxe4 Bxb5 24
cxb5 Nd4 25 Bc4
White is much better, thanks simply to
his extra pawn. To increase the advantage,
he must now turn to thoughts of a passed
pawn.
25 ... h5 26 g3 Kh7 27 Rf1 Rd7 28 Kg2
Nc2 29 Bc1 Bh6
Black again opts for active defence.
30 Bxe6 Bxc1 31 Rxc1!
But not 31 Bxd7? Ne3+ 32 Kf2 Nxf1 33
Kxf1 Bxa3, which is very equal.
31 ... Rd2+ 32 Kf3 Rxh2 33 Bc4
A passed pawn has appeared and with it
Black’s chance to draw is minimized.
33 ... Kh6
This is the second time that Morozevich
has been given the chance to regain his
pawn and rejected the opportunity. The
trouble here is that 33 ... Nxa3 34 Bd3 traps
his knight offside, giving White plenty of
time to win in the centre; e.g. 34 ... Rb2 35
Rc3 Kg7 36 e5 Kf7 37 Kf4 Ke6 38 Rc6+!
Ke7 39 Rxg6 Rxb3 40 Rg7+ Kf8 (or 40 ...
Ke6 41 Bf5+) 41 Rd7 Nxb5 42 Bg6, when
the white king and e-pawn will advance to
victory.
34 a4 Nd4+ 35 Ke3 Nc2+ 36 Kd3 Nb4+
37 Kd4 Rg2 38 e5 Nc2+ 39 Ke4 Kg5 40 e6
Kf6 41 Rf1+ Ke7 42 Rf7+ Ke8 43 Bd5
With so many pawns left on,
Morozevich cannot save the game anymore.
43 ... Nb4 44 Bc6+ Nxc6 45 bxc6 Re2+
46 Kd5 1-0
Almost sound, with many practical
chances for Black. That is my verdict on the
6 ... c5 pawn sacrifice. I will not be offended
if you disagree.
 Game 82 E.Pähtz-M.Narva European
Women’s Championship, Antalya 2019
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 0-
0 6 Be3 e5
I think it is fair to say that 6 ... e5 is the
traditional main line of the Sämisch. White
usually pushes past with 7 d5, and then
Black gets to work creating play with the
help of ideas like ... c7-c6 or ... f7-f5.
7 d5
Exchanging on e5 leads absolutely
nowhere, as f2-f3 looks out of place in the
positions to come. Black equalizes easily
after 7 dxe5 dxe5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9 Nd5 Nxd5
10 cxd5 c6! 11 Bc4 cxd5 12 Bxd5 Nc6!.
There are several ways now, none of which
give White anything; for example, 13 Bxc6
(if 13 Rd1 Nd4 14 Kf2 Be6, or 13 0-0-0 Nd4
14 Bxd4 exd4 15 Ne2 Be6 16 Bxe6 fxe6) 13
... bxc6 14 Rc1 Be6! 15 b3 a5, intending ...
a5-a4. I think this analysis is useful, as 7
dxe5 is the sort of move that club players
might try just to get away from theory; but
at GM level this line has long been
discarded.
7 ... a5!?
This looks a bit static to me. Either 7 ...
c6 or 7 ... Nh5 is more popular. We’ll
examine the former in the next game; the
latter we saw earlier on in Games 3 and 21.
8 Nge2 Na6 9 Qd2 Nc5 10 0-0-0 Bd7
11 g4!
It’s all very well for Black to shunt her
pieces out to what look like reasonable
positions, but she is going to need some
pawn levers fast, or White’s kingside attack
is going to mow here down. Where are they
going to come from? In the present position
... b7-b5 appears to be the only manageable
idea.
11 ... Qb8 12 Ng3 Na4
Not only exchanging, but removing a
guard of b5.
13 Kb1 Nxc3+ 14 Qxc3 c5 15 h4 b5
A big moment in the game and the
culmination of Black’s opening idea. Narav
has rejected the usual pawn breaks in favour
of this aggressive-looking thrust. Pähtz is
confident that her attack will come first and
presses ahead.
TIP: After castling on opposite sides,
speed of attack is very important.
16 h5 bxc4
I don’t see Black getting mated just yet,
so perhaps 16 ... a4 was a good alternative.
17 Bxc4 Qb4 18 Qc1
There is no way White wants the queens
off here.
18 ... Rfb8 19 Rh2!
 I really like this very calm move,
whereby the rook both defends b2 and aids
White’s own attack – a bit later on, the rooks
may be doubled on the h-file. It is now a
question of which attack will come first.
19 ... Bb5
Now 19 ... a4 does not help that much,
as after 20 hxg6 fxg6 21 g5 Ne8 22 Rdh1
a3? 23 b3 Black’s pressure grinds to a halt.
20 Bxb5 Rxb5 21 Bh6
21 ... Rb7?
She cracks under the pressure.
Interesting here was 21 ... Bxh6 22 Qxh6
Qc3!, going for counterplay. White can try
the same sacrifice that she does in the game,
but it seems Black can defend. For example,
23 Nf5 gxf5 24 gxf5 (not 24 Qxf6? Rab8 25
Qg5+ Kf8 26 Qh6+ Ke8 27 Qc1 Qxf3) 24 ...
Qxf3! 25 Rg1+ Ng4 26 Qg5+ Kf8 27 Qxg4
(and not 27 Rxg4?? Qd1+ 28 Qc1 Qxg4 and
wins) 27 ... Qxg4 28 Rxg4 Ke7 29 Rg7 Rb4
30 Re2 Rh8 is equal. These lines show the
resources available to Black in what looks a
very difficult situation.
22 Bxg7 Kxg7 23 Qg5
23 Nf5+! at once was better. There is no
comparison to the previous line, as the black
queen is not on such an active square; e.g.
23 ... gxf5 (or 23 ... Kg8 24 Nxd6) 24 Qg5+
Kf8 25 Qxf6 fxe4 26 Qh8+ and White wins.
23 ... Ne8 24 hxg6?!
Here again 24 Nf5+! was both stronger
and winning.
24 ... fxg6 25 Nf5+
This is no longer as effective.
25 ... Kf8 26 Qh6+ Kg8 27 Rdh1
27 ... gxf5??
She does not take her second chance
which was available after 27 ... Rab8!. I
don’t think White has time to checkmate any
more, so she must settle for 28 Qg5 (not 28
Qxg6+?? hxg6 29 Rh8+ Kf7 30 R1h7+ Kf6
and the king escapes) 28 ... Kf8! 29 Qh6+
Kg8 with a draw.
28 gxf5 Raa7 29 Rg2+ Rg7 30 Qxh7+
Kf8 31 Qh8+ Kf7
Did Black think she was defending this
position?
32 Rh7! Qe1+ 33 Kc2 Kf6 34 Rg6+
Ke7 35 Rgxg7+ Kd8 36 Qxe8+ 1-0
Exciting, yes. Flawed, yes. A great
example of Sämisch attack and
counterattack – also yes!
The last few games have been painful
for Black, so I feel I must show a better
representation of his chances. Try to play the
King’s Indian with imagination. We have
seen inspiring ideas throughout the book and
the trend continues now.
 Game 83 A.R.S.Salem-M.Venkatesh
Gibraltar 2015
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 0-
0 6 Be3 e5 7 d5 c6 8 Bd3
This is a major alternative to 8 Qd2,
which we saw in Game 11. White plans
simply Nge2 and 0-0 with effective
development.
8 ... b5!?
Black throws a spanner in the works,
attacking the white centre for all he is worth.
The oldest game I can find with 8 ... b5
comes from 1957, played by the legendary
American GM, Donald Byrne. I think he
was the originator of the idea. Later,
Kasparov and Timman would champion
Black’s cause. White must now deal with an
unexpected and unsettling position.
9 Nge2
Concentrating on development and
refusing to get involved in the excitement.
Personally, I don’t think this approach gives
White anything, as we will see.
9 cxb5 is obviously critical and then
comes 9 ... cxd5 10 exd5 e4!? (a second
pawn sacrifice, purely for activity) 11 Nxe4
Nxd5 12 Bg5 Qa5+ (Kasparov lost a game
to Boris Gulko after 12 ... Qb6; thus 12 ...
Qa5+ was his improvement) 13 Qd2 Qxd2+
14 Bxd2 Bxb2 15 Rb1 Bg7 16 Ne2 Nd7 17
Nxd6 Nc5 18 Bc2 Be6 19 Ne4 Rac8 20 0-0
Nxe4 21 Bxe4 f5 22 Bd3 Nb6 23 Nc1 Rfd8
24 Bg5 Rd7 (Black is still a pawn down but
plays with the confidence of a man to whom
a pawn is a mere trifle; dynamic
compensation comes from having two rooks
in play, while the white rooks are still
passive) 25 Re1 Kf7 26 Be2 h6 27 Bh4 Nd5
28 Bd1? (losing material; 28 Nb3 was
correct) 28 ... Bd4+ 29 Bf2 Bxf2+ 30 Kxf2
Nc3 31 Bb3 Bxb3 32 Rxb3 Nd1+ 33 Rxd1
Rxd1 34 Nd3 Rd2+ 35 Ke3 Rxg2 36 Ra3
Re8+ 37 Kd4 Re7 38 Ne5+ Kf6 39 Nc6
Rd7+ 40 Kc4 Rc2+ 41 Kb4 Rxh2 42 Ra6
Kg5 43 a4 h5 44 Rxa7 Rxa7 45 Nxa7 0-1
J.Timman-G.Kasparov, World Cup,
Reykjavik 1988. I am not sure that the
double pawn sacrifice is 100% sound, but it
gives very good practical chances and
provides White with plenty of opportunity to
go wrong
9 ... b4 10 Na4
10 Nb1 is the alternative, though it does
not look very inspiring.
10 ... c5 11 Qd2 Nbd7
A blocked position means that we must
turn to pawn levers to open things up. White
seems to have two ideas at his disposal,
namely a2-a3 and f2-f4, whereas Black only
seems to have ... f7-f5. Does this mean that
White is better? I don’t think so since, of the
three pawn breaks, ... f7-f5 will come with 22 ... Qxa4 23 Kf1 Qc2 24 gxf7+ Kxf7
the most impact when it finally arrives. 25 Rh7+ Ke8 26 Re1+ Kd8 27 Rd7+ Kc8!
12 g4 0-1
White therefore tries to make sure ... f7-
f5 never arrives!
12 ... h5 13 h4?
A ridiculously overambitious move.
Simply 13 h3 was called for, with equal
play.
13 ... hxg4 14 Ng3 gxf3 15 Bg5 Qa5 16
Bh6
After 16 b3 Ng4! Black is suddenly
winning; e.g. 17 Be7 (or 17 h5 f6 18 hxg6
f2+! 19 Kf1 fxg5) 17 ... Re8 18 Bxd6 Bh6
19 Qc2 Qa6! 20 Bxc5 Nxc5 21 Nxc5 Qb6.
16 ... Bxh6 17 Qxh6 Ng4 18 Qg5 Ndf6

Anyone can turn on a computer in 2019

and say that an idea is unsound, without
giving the slightest credit to the imagination
that came up with the idea in the first place.
Let us admire the King’s Indian as an
opening that gives rise to the type of varied
position from which beautiful ideas can
originate.

Game 84 S.Pucher-M.Chigaev Metz

2019

1 c4 g6 2 Nc3 Bg7 3 d4 Nf6 4 e4 d6 5 f3 0-

The roadblock in front of White’s attack
is now complete. There is no way through.
19 Nf5
You would expect 19 h5, but then 19 ...
f2+! 20 Kd2 Nh7! 21 Qe7 g5 22 b3 Rd8 23
Nf5 Bxf5 24 exf5 Nhf6 shuts the door on
White’s queen.
19 ... Bxf5 20 exf5 e4!
Counterattack!
21 h5
21 fxg6 exd3 22 gxf7+ Kxf7 leaves
White with nothing.
21 ... exd3 22 hxg6
This is pure bluff or desperation. A bit of
both maybe.
0 6 Be3 Nc6
This is the Panno set-up, which we
encounter many times in this book. The
knight on c6 eyes d4 and provokes White
into advancing in the centre prematurely.
Pawn breaks such as ... e7-e5 or ... a7-a6, ...
Rb8 and then ... b7-b5! are also on Black’s
mind. Here we have a line which has been
used successfully by Black over many
decades.
 7 Nge2
7 d5 Ne5 8 Qd2 c6 9 Bh6 seems
premature. After 9 ... Bxh6 10 Qxh6 Qb6 11
Qd2 cxd5 12 cxd5 Bd7, Black is already
steaming ahead with development.
7 ... a6 8 Qd2 Bd7!?
Black still refuses to commit himself.
More common is 8 ... Rb8, preparing ... b7-
b5 directly, as in Game 10.
Instead, 8 ... Na5!? is a fascinating
recent development and more provocation.
Black voluntarily plays his knight to the
edge of the board – and it is unprotected too!
On the other hand, the c4-pawn is now
under attack. A.Merario Alarcon-
R.Mogranzini, La Roda 2019, continued 9
Nf4 b5!? 10 h4 (10 cxb5 axb5 11 Bxb5
Nb3! gives an indication of the tricks
available) 10 ... Nxc4 11 Bxc4 bxc4 12 h5
White has been duly provoked and tries
to rub Black out. He soon realizes this is not
possible: 12 ... c6! 13 hxg6 fxg6 14 Qe2 d5
15 e5 Nh5! 16 Nxh5 gxh5 17 Rxh5 Bf5 18
0-0-0 Bg6 19 Rh3 e6 20 Rdh1 Rb8 21 g4
Rf7 22 R1h2 Qa5 23 Qe1 Bf8 (Black’s
payback is going to be severe) 24 f4 Bb4 25
Bd2 Bxc3 26 Bxc3 Qxa2 27 f5 exf5 28 gxf5
Rxf5 29 b4 Qa3+ 30 Kd2 (or 30 Bb2 Qxb4)
30 ... Rbf8 31 Qg3 Rf3 0-1. If White
captures twice on f3, a skewer on a2
decides.
9 Rc1 b5! 10 cxb5 axb5
It’s not even a sacrifice since 11 Nxb5
Rxa2 regains the pawn at once.
11 b3 b4 12 Nd1 Qb8
 Black has been allowed to carry out his
plans in peace and already stands slightly
better. The pressure against a2 is more than
useful and he still has ... e7-e5 up his sleeve.
13 Nf2 e5! 14 d5 Ne7 15 Nd3 c6! 16
Nxb4
16 dxc6 Nxc6 17 Ng3 h5! 18 Be2 h4 19
Nf1 Rc8 leaves White struggling to unravel
his pieces, and if 20 Bg5 then 20 ... h3 21 g3
Be6.
16 ... cxd5 17 Nxd5 Nfxd5 18 exd5 Nf5
19 Nc3
19 Bg5 f6 20 g4 fxg5 21 gxf5 Bxf5
looks ghastly for White.
19 ... Nxe3 20 Qxe3 Qb4 21 Bc4?
Mistakes occur when you are under
attack. 21 Qd2 seems forced. Even so, 21 ...
Qh4+ 22 g3 Qh5 23 Be2 Bh3 24 Kf2 (or 24
Ne4 Bg2) 24 ... Bh6 leaves White in a
serious mess.
21 ... Rxa2! 22 0-0 Raa8
Once Black gets the g7-bishop into the
game, it will be all over.
23 Ra1
More or less giving up. 23 Rc2 is a bit
tighter, though Black still holds a large
advantage after 23 ... f5 24 Rfc1 Ra3, thanks
to the greater activity of his pieces.
23 ... Rxa1 24 Rxa1 e4 25 Rc1 exf3 26
Qxf3 Re8 27 Rf1 f5 28 Ne2 Bb5 29 Qd3
Bxc4 30 bxc4 Qc5+ 31 Kh1 Re3 32 Qc2
Re4 33 Rc1 Bh6 34 Ng3? Bxc1 35 Nxe4
Qe3! 36 Qc3 0-1
We have considered all the significant
sixth move options after 6 Be3. If I had to
rank them in order it would go: 6 ... Nc6, 6
... c5, 6 ... e5, 6 ... c6. In any of these cases,
hard work, further research and good
judgment will be needed before launching
them over the board. You can now have
good fun making your own choices.
Game 85 Du.Rajkovic-A.D.Martin
London Haringey 1989
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 0-
0 6 Bg5
This is sharper than 6 Be3 and I have
played it myself with good results, even
recording a 60-minute DVD for ChessBase
on the subject. White sets up the usual idea
of Qd2, while also preventing 6 ... e5. At the
same time the pawn on d4 is more open to
early attack. Consequently, Black’s best
replies are 6 ... c5 (this game) and 6 ... Nc6
(the next game), both eyeing d4.
6 ... c5 7 d5 e6 8 Qd2 exd5 9 cxd5
Bd7!?
My 1989 book recommended this move
and I think the current game was played just
before the book was published, so I had the
chance to try out my own analysis against
GM opposition. 9 ... Bd7 is an odd-looking
move, seemingly blocking in the knight on
b8, but there are a number of ideas behind it:
1. Black is trying to find the best way to
get his queenside pawn majority going.
2. His immediate plan is ... Rb8 and ...
b7-b5.
3. Should White play a2-a4, Black can
consider ... Na6-b4.
Thirty years later, this is still a playable
line.
10 Nge2
Rajkovic decides to allow ... b7-b5 and
will try to hit back against the black pawn
chain at the right moment. There are various
alternatives, all of which seem to be okay
for Black; for example, 10 Bc4!? (10 a4 is
also met by 10 ... Na6!, or similarly 10 Qf4
Qe7! 11 Qh4 Na6) 10 ... Na6 11 Nge2 Rb8
12 a4 Nb4 13 0-0 a6 14 a5 b5 15 axb6 Qxb6
16 Qf4 (or 16 b3 Bb5) 16 ... Nh5!.
10 ... Na6
I could have played 10 ... b5 straight
away.
11 Ng3 Rb8 12 Be2 b5 13 Qf4 Qe7 14
0-0 c4
Planning ... Nc5, With hindsight,
perhaps 14 ... Nc7 was more secure, meeting
15 a4 with 15 ... bxa4!, when the opening of The question now is how either player is
queenside lines cannot harm Black. going to break through. Black is hammering
15 a4! away at b2, but it seems that White can
He chooses the right moment to attack: protect that pawn with the whole chess set.
while the knight on a6 is unprotected, Black Overall, White has the superior structure, so
is temporarily off balance. he is looking for exchanges and to play an
15 ... bxa4 16 Bxc4 endgame, but there is little hope of that.
Here 16 Nxa4 Bxa4 17 Rxa4 Nc5 18 Black will exchange only on his own terms.
Rxc4 Rxb2 seemed okay to me, looking at a I saw a plan to occupy d3. It seemed like a
distance of a few moves, but the damned good idea.
machines are now showing 19 e5! dxe5 20 27 Be3 Nfd7 28 Ra2 Ne5! 29 Qe2?!
Qc1! Rb5 21 Ne4 and Black is suddenly in a Everything hinges on whether 29 Bxc5
spot of bother. He should therefore settle for dxc5 is good for White. I did not think so
16 ... Rfc8. and would have been happy to own a
16 ... Nc5 17 Rf2 Rfc8 18 Bf1 Rb3 19 massive dark-squared bishop, despite the
Nd1 Rcb8 20 Rc1 R3b4 21 Rc4 a5 passed pawn at d5. Indeed, Black is not
Both players are maintaining position. I worse after 30 Nfe3 Qa7 31 Kh1 Rd4 32
guess my idea now was ... Bb5. I recall not Qe2 Rb3, as his pieces remain extremely
feeling in any danger, despite that rock-like active.
white pawn chain. 29 ... Ned3
22 Rfc2 R8b7 Now I start to like Black’s game.
But not 22 ... Bb5?? 23 Rxc5. 30 Nd2
23 Qd2 Bb5 24 R4c3 Bxf1 25 Nxf1 Qf8
Finally out of the pin and ready to join
her colleagues on the b-file.
26 Ra3 Qb8

30 ... R7b5?!
I should have taken on b2 at once and
cannot believe I didn’t. Maybe it was the
pressure of having an excellent position
against a GM and not wanting to mess it up
by missing a tactic. No such tactic exists: 30
... Nxb2! 31 Nxb2 (if 31 Nf2 Nb3! 32 Raxb2
Bxb2 33 Rxb2 Nc1, or 31 g3 Nxd1 32 Qxd1
Nb3 33 Nf1 Rc7) 31 ... Rxb2 32 Nc4 Rxa2
33 Rxa2 Rb1+ 34 Kf2 Qb4 35 Nxd6 Nd3+
wins.
31 Nc4 Rb3 32 Na3?
32 Ra3 is much better, although Black
can keep things very complex and confusing
with 32 ... Rxa3 33 bxa3 Rb1 34 h3 (or 34
g3) 34 ... Qb3.
32 ... Rb7 33 Nc4
By now, time trouble was becoming a
serious factor and the quality of moves
deteriorates.
33 ... Nb4 34 Nxd6?! Nxc2 35 Bxc5
Bd4+ 36 Bxd4 Nxd4 37 Qa6 Rc7 38 Rxa4
Rb6 39 Qd3 Nb3?!
39 ... Rb4! wins on the spot; e.g. 40
Rxa5 Nxf3+! (or 40 ... Rc1) 41 gxf3 Qb6+
42 Kg2 Qxa5 and Black is two exchanges
up.
40 Rc4 Nc5?!
Here 40 ... Rxd6! 41 Rxc7 Qxc7 42
Qxb3 Rb6 43 Qd3 Qc5+ 44 Kf1 Rb4 leaves
a long endgame ahead, but White will have
to struggle.
41 Qe3 Rxd6 42 Rxc5 Rxc5 43 Qxc5
Qb6 44 Qe3 Qxe3+ 45 Nxe3 Rb6 46 Nc4
Rb5 47 Kf2??
At this point 47 b3 probably leads to a
draw.
47 ... a4 48 Ke3 Rxb2!
This was missed by White. If 49 Nxb2,
the a-pawn promotes.
49 d6 Kf8 0-1
Flawed in the latter stages, but a nice
example of how Black might play against 6
Bg5.
Game 86 O.Sulypa-G.Gislason
Icelandic Team Championship 2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 0-
0 6 Bg5 Nc6 7 Nge2
7 d5?! Ne5 8 f4 Ned7 might seem as if it
gains time, but in reality White is only
weakening his position. Black is going to
play ... c7-c6 soon, chipping away at the
centre, when White will start to regret his
premature action.
7 ... a6
Panno-style. 7 ... e5 is misplaced here, as
after 8 d5 Ne7 9 Qd2 Black has a bad
Classical type of position, where ... f7-f5 is a
long way off and the knight on e7 will take a
long time to come into the game.
8 d5 Ne5 9 Nd4!?

A relatively modern idea, which doesn’t
look that great but has scored well. White’s
dilemma in many Sämisch lines is to find
the best squares for his kingside minor
pieces. If he succeeds, he can look forward
to rolling his central pawns up the board in
the middlegame. If he fails, he can end up
passive with no real plan. Hence 9 Nd4.
White gives Black ... c7-c5 ‘for free’ but
keeps the board full of pieces and retains
more space.
9 ... h6 10 Be3 c5 11 Nc2
Perhaps the knight doesn’t look so well
placed on c2, but Black has to demonstrate
why.
11 ... e6
I really like the Benko approach here,
trying to take advantage of White’s slow
plan; i.e. 11 ... b5 12 cxb5 e6!.
12 Be2 exd5 13 cxd5 b5 14 Qd2 b4 15
Nd1
White falls back on the ropes. He is
playing provocative chess of his own. Has
Black activated the queenside pawn majority
too early?
15 ... Bd7 16 0-0
16 Bxh6? Nxe4 17 fxe4 Qh4+ is the
familiar trick.
16 ... Kh7 17 Nf2 Bb5
Restraint first, action later. White is
building up to f3-f4 but must show some
care in his preparations.
18 b3! Bxe2 19 Qxe2 a5 20 a4!
Black can’t really stop f3-f4 now, so
everything is going to hinge on the
effectiveness of ... c5-c4 in reply.
20 ... Qe7 21 Rae1 Rfc8 22 f4
Here we go. This is the key idea seen so
many times in Benoni or King’s Indian
positions. Can White smash through in the
centre?
22 ... Ned7 23 Qf3 c4?!
23 ... Re8 24 Bc1 Rac8 repositions the
black rooks and may well have been
superior to the chosen idea, which I guess
Black couldn’t resist.
24 Nd4!
The knight aims for c6.
24 ... cxb3 25 Nc6 Qe8 26 Bd4 Nc5 27
Bxc5
Unstereotyped, but very strong. White’s
centre must march!
27 ... dxc5 28 Qxb3 Nd7 29 Rc1
29 ... Rc7?
The right idea, but the wrong rook on the
wrong square. 29 ... Ra6! was correct, when
30 e5 Nb6 31 Rxc5 Nxd5 is fine for Black,
who has three pieces attacking the c6-
knight. Gislason may not have liked 30 Qc4,
but it is still very much ‘game on’ after 30 ...
Raxc6! 31 dxc6 Rxc6, as Black’s soon-to-be
mobile queenside pawn majority gives him
good compensation for the exchange.
30 e5
White now threatens 31 Ne4, targeting
the c5-pawn, and with the g7-bishop locked
in there is nothing left for Black to do.
30 ... Nb6 31 Rxc5 Rac8 32 Rfc1 Bf8
33 R5c2 1-0
On this evidence at least, 6 Bg5 is a
strong alternative to the traditional 6 Be3.
Game 87 B.Van de Plassche-
S.Maroroa Reykjavik 2019
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 0-
0 6 Nge2!?
I have always regarded this move as a
poor relation to 6 Be3 or 6 Bg5. It looks
inflexible, as for the most part White would
prefer the knight on f2 (i.e. Nh3-f2), but of
course he is dependent on Black playing an
early ... Nbd7 for that to happen. In the
present day, 6 Nge2 has become popular as
a way of tackling Black systems with an
early ... c7-c5.
6 ... c5
Back in 1989, I recommended 6 ... c6!
and I still think that is a good way to go.
Black keeps flexible and retains options of
... e7-e5, or ... a7-a6 and ... b7-b5. We’ll
look at this idea in the next game.
7 d5 e6 8 Ng3 exd5 9 cxd5
White threatens the usual build-up to a
central pawn advance with f3-f4 and e4-e5.
Black’s next move is an imaginative idea,
which intercepts White’s plan before it even
gets off the ground.
9 ... Nh5!?
King’s Indian dynamics come to the
fore! Black deliberately allows her kingside
pawns to be smashed up in order to achieve
a quick ... f7-f5. I approve of this risky
approach, and it certainly leads to a violent
game.
10 Nxh5 gxh5
11 Bd3
Maroroa had to face 11 Be2 earlier in the
event, but since GM Gawain Jones is her
husband and second, we might assume she
was ready: 11 ... f5 (11 ... Qh4+!? 12 g3 Qe7
is interesting, softening White up before
playing ... f7-f5) 12 0-0 f4 13 g3 Bh3 14 Rf2
Bd4 (14 ... fxg3! 15 hxg3 Bd4 is the
probable improvement) 15 Bxf4! Rxf4? (too
imaginative; she should settle for 15 ...
Bxf2+ 16 Kxf2 a6 17 Qd2 Qf6 18 Bg5 Qg6,
when the position is very unclear) 16 gxf4
Kh8 17 Qe1 Nd7 18 Nb5 Bxb2? (but if 18 ...
Bxf2+ then 19 Kxf2! Qh4+ 20 Ke3 Qe7 21
Bf1) 19 Bf1 Bxf1 20 Rxb2 Bxb5 21 Qc3+
Qf6 22 Qxf6+ Nxf6 23 Rxb5 b6 24 a4 Nd7
25 Kf2 Kg7 26 a5 a6 27 axb6 1-0
T.Sachdev-S.Maroroa, Reykjavik 2019.
11 ... f5 12 0-0 f4 13 Ne2
There seems to be more central cover for
White after 13 Ne2. Black needs to hold the
blockade for the time being.
13 ... Be5! 14 Rb1 h4 15 Kh1 Kh8 16
Bd2
White thinks he has all the time in the
world to exploit the obvious defects in the
black pawn structure; the kingside will
defend itself, and ideas of Qc1 and Bc3
come to mind. Black must create some
action quickly.
16 ... a6 17 a4 a5 18 Bb5
18 Qc1 Qg5 19 Bc3 Nd7 20 Bb5 Bxc3
21 bxc3 Ne5 shows how Black may keep the
centre intact, with ideas like ... Ra7, ... b7-b6
and ... Rg7 thereafter.
18 ... Bd7 19 g3?!
This looks like a misjudgment of the
position. Why on earth is White opening up
his own king? After, say, 19 Qb3! Van de
Plassche would have kept an advantage.
19 ... hxg3 20 hxg3 Bh3 21 Nxf4 Bxf4
22 Bxf4 Rxf4?!
The immediate 22 ... Bxf1! is more
accurate: 23 Bxf1 (23 Qxf1 Rxf4! 24 gxf4
transposes to the game) 23 ... Rxf4 24 gxf4
Qh4+ 25 Kg1 Nd7, followed by ... Rg8+.
23 gxf4 Bxf1
24 Qxf1?
Maroroa is now able to finish with a nice
attack. Van de Plassche misses the excellent
resource 24 Qe1!!, which would defuse
Black’s attack and perhaps even enable
White to start one of his own. After 24 ...
Qf6 (not 24 ... Bxb5?? 26 Qc3+ Kg8 27
Rg1+ and wins) 25 Bxf1 Qh6+ (and not 25
... Nd7?? 26 Qc3) 26 Kg1 Nd7 27 Qc3+
Nf6, it’s all to play for.
24 ... Qh4+ 25 Kg2 Nc6! 26 Qe1 Rg8+
27 Kf1 Qh2 28 Qc3+ Nd4 29 Ke1 Rg1+ 30
Bf1 Qe2 mate
Who would not want to play a game like
this with the black pieces?
Game 88 F.Caruana-P.Svidler Russian
Team Championship 2013
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 f3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nc3 0-
0 6 Nge2 a6
I gave 6 ... c6! in the previous game, but
obviously 6 ... a6 and 7 ... c6 comes to the
same thing.
7 Bg5 c6 8 Qd2 b5

Good timing by Svidler. This method of
counterplay gains in strength when c4 is
unprotected.
9 h4
After 9 cxb5 axb5 10 b4 Nbd7 11 Nc1
Nb6 12 Nb3 Nc4 13 Bxc4 bxc4 14 Na5
Qb6, Black had an active position in
L.M.Evans-W.Pietzsch, Lugano Olympiad
1968.
9 ... h5 10 0-0-0
10 e5 is premature, as by simply
exchanging queens Black achieves a good
game: 10 ... dxe5 11 dxe5 Qxd2+ 12 Bxd2
Nfd7 13 f4 f6 (13 ... Nc5 14 Ng3 Bg4 also
looks perfectly okay) 14 exf6 Nxf6 15 Ng3
e5! 16 fxe5 Ng4 17 Nce4 was
P.Harikrishna-Wen Yang, Biel 2012, when
17 ... Bxe5! leads to a position which can
only be a bit better for Black; e.g. 18 Bb4
(or 18 0-0-0 Bxg3 19 Nxg3 Nf2) 18 ... Re8
19 0-0-0 Bf4+! 20 Kb1 Bxg3 21 Nxg3 Nf2.
10 ... Nbd7 11 g4!?
White has burnt his bridges. 11 e5 looks
a bit more dangerous now, but Black can lie
on the ropes with 11 ... Nh7! and soak up the
pressure: e.g. 12 Bh6 Nb6 13 Bxg7 Kxg7 14
Nf4, L.Psakhis-J.Gentilleau, Andorra 1995,
and now 14 ... bxc4! would have been best,
with plenty of counterplay.
11 ... b4 12 Na4 hxg4 13 Ng3
If he pushed on with 13 h5 we might
have seen an extraordinary sequence: 13 ...
Nxh5!? 14 fxg4 Nhf6 15 Bh6 Nxg4 16 Bxg7
Kxg7 17 Qf4 Rh8 18 Rxh8 Qxh8 19 Qxg4
Nc5 20 Qg5 Nxa4 21 Qa5 Qh6+ 22 Kb1
Qe3 23 Qxa4 Bg4 24 Qc2 Rh8, when
White’s queen has enjoyed a world tour, but
I prefer Black in this final position.
13 ... Nh7 14 Bh6 gxf3!
Svidler cannot see a reason why he
should not capture on f3.
15 Bxg7 Kxg7 16 h5 g5!
Absolutely necessary in order to keep
lines closed.
17 Qxb4 Ndf6?!
But this isn’t. Either 17 ... Rb8 or 17 ...
g4 at once seems better.
18 Rd3?!
Caruana is already struggling to find a
way to revive his initiative, and this just
misplaces his rook. 18 Qc3 was best, with
ideas of e4-e5. For example, 18 ... Qc7 19
Re1 Bg4 (the f3-pawn was en prise, and 19
... g4? 20 e5! is too strong) 20 e5 dxe5 (or
20 ... Nd7 21 Ne4 dxe5 22 Nf2) 21 dxe5
Nd7 22 Bd3 with mutual chances.
18 ... g4
To the end White will be labouring to
get rid of the advanced black pawns. This is
classic King’s Indian play by Svidler, who
first drains all the life out of White’s attack
and then takes over the position completely.
19 Rg1?
Again, 19 e5! was the right idea,
initiating complications and keeping Black’s
advantage to a minimum after 19 ... Nd7 20
exd6 Rb8! 21 dxe7 Rxb4 22 exd8Q Rxd8 23
b3.
19 ... Qc7 20 Qd2 Kh8 21 c5 Rb8 22 b3
Rg8 23 Rc3 e5!
Undermining what is left of the white
centre. What becomes clear is that the white
king is by far the more vulnerable of the
two.
24 dxe5 dxe5 25 Qe3 a5 26 Nb6 Be6 27
Nc4
After 27 Bc4 Rbd8! Black is happy for
his pawns to be doubled, as the d5-square is
then covered and he can occupy d4; e.g. 28
Bxe6 fxe6 29 Nc4 a4 30 bxa4 Rd4.
27 ... a4
Another excellent move, opening lines.
28 bxa4 Rb4 29 Nb6 Qa7 30 a5 Rd8
The engine wants to take the a-pawn
with 30 ... Qxa5, since 31 Ra3 apparently
fails to 31 ... Rb3!! 32 Rxb3 Bxb3 33 axb3
f2! 34 Qxf2 (or 34 Rg2 Qe1+) 34 ... Qa1+
35 Kd2 Qb2+ 36 Ke3 Qc1+ 37 Qd2 Qxc5+
38 Ke2 Qxg1. Remarkable computer tactics.
31 a6 Bxa2
I think I prefer 31 ... Rbd4! 32 Bd3 Nd7
33 Nxd7 Qxd7 with total control, although
as Svidler wins quickly one can hardly be
critical.
32 Bd3 Bb3 33 Nf5 Be6 34 Kc2?
After this White is swept away. 34 Ra3
puts up sterner resistance, but even there 34
... Bxf5 35 exf5 Rbd4 36 Bc2 e4 looks
completely winning for Black.
34 ... Bxf5 35 exf5 e4 36 Bc4 Rxc4 37
Rxc4 Qxa6 38 Qb3 Qa5 39 Rc3 f2 40 Rb1
e3 41 Nc4 e2 0-1
A very picturesque final position.

Chapter Seven
The Four Pawns Attack
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f4
The Four Pawns Attack is the most
direct way of confronting the King’s Indian.
The broad white centre has a menacing
appearance. Nonetheless, overly aggressive
play can lead to disaster (see Game 14, for
example), so the modern treatment for
White is to show a bit more restraint,
concentrating on development after the early
pawn advances, before then turning to
attack. Objectively, Black should have
nothing to fear, but he cannot be passive in
his response. Black must embrace the
counterattacking spirit of the King’s Indian
and go for it himself!
My own personal experience with the
Four Pawns has been mixed. Nice wins
interwoven with crushing defeats. In the first
game below, I get a lesson from IM George
Botterill about how dangerous the KID can
be in the right hands.
Game 89 A.D.Martin-G.Botterill
Charlton 1978
1 e4 d6 2 d4 g6
Do you recall Botterill and Keene’s
groundbreaking works on the Pirc and
Modern Defence? Fantastic books, part of
the old Batsford series. I was in no hurry to
test out his latest Modern Defence analysis
and headed for a queen’s pawn variation.
3 c4 Bg7 4 Nc3 Nf6 5 f4 0-0 6 Nf3
I actually played 6 Be2 first, but the
game soon transposed after 6 ... c5 7 d5 e6 8
Nf3.
6 ... c5!
This move and 6 ... Na6 are the two most
important counters to the Four Pawns. With
6 ... c5 Black tries to punch a hole in the
white centre so that he can get his
counterplay going as quickly as possible.
We’ll look at 6 ... Na6 in Games 96 and 97,
and the belligerent 6 ... e5!? in Game 98.
7 d5
White can also play 7 Be2, allowing
Black to exchange on d4 (see Game 95), but
7 d5 is far more popular.
7 ... e6 8 Be2
Here too White has options. Simon
Williams played 8 e5!? in Game 14, while 8
dxe6!? features in Game 94.
8 ... exd5 9 cxd5
 The thematic Four Pawns move, keeping
White’s centre in a single mass. The quieter
capture 9 exd5 is examined in Game 93.
9 ... b5
Either 9 ... Bg4! or 9 ... Re8 is thought to
be more reliable than 9 ... b5, but Botterill
was a fearless player and decides to go for it.
We’ll look at the alternatives, including 9 ...
Nbd7, in the next three games.
10 e5!
10 Bxb5 is met by 10 ... Nxe4! 11 Nxe4
Qa5+ 12 Kf2 Qxb5, regaining the piece,
with serious counterplay for Black after 13
Nxd6 Qb6 or 13 ... Qa6.
10 ... dxe5 11 fxe5 Ng4 12 Bf4
It was either this or 12 Bg5. Today, I
think I would play 12 Bg5. I was trying to
recall an old game between Keres and
Spassky in this line, which I knew Black had
won, but which I also believed was
unjustified. Eventually I decided to protect
the e-pawn. The risks to both players are
obvious. White is one move away from
pushing Black backwards (with h2-h3) and
then, hopefully, off the board. On the other
hand, the white king is still in the middle, so
Black must go for it right away.
12 ... b4!
Botterill plays differently to Spassky. I
was now on my own.
The Keres-Spassky game continued 12
... Nd7!?, leading to some remarkable
tactics: 13 e6 fxe6 14 dxe6 Rxf4 15 Qd5
Kh8! 16 Qxa8 Nb6 17 Qxa7 Bxe6 18 0-0
Ne3
19 Rf2? (White should bail out with 19
Rad1! Nxd1 20 Rxd1 Bd4+ 21 Kh1 b4 22
Nb5 Bd5 23 Nbxd4 cxd4 24 Nxd4 Rxd4 25
Rxd4 Bxg2+ 26 Kxg2 Qxd4 and a level
endgame, but Keres needed to win) 19 ... b4
20 Nb5?! (Keres opts to go down fighting;
after 20 Nd1 Nc2! 21 Rc1 Nd4 22 Kh1 Nxf3
23 Bxf3 Bd4 Black has all the chances) 20
... Rf7 21 Qa5 Qb8 22 Re1 Bd5 23 Bf1 Nxf1
24 Rfxf1 Nc4 25 Qa6 Rf6 26 Qa4 Nxb2 27
Qc2? (27 Qa5 was forced) 27 ... Qxb5 28
Re7 Nd3 29 Qe2 c4 30 Re8+ Rf8 31 Rxf8+
Bxf8 32 Ng5 Bc5+ 33 Kh1 Qd7 34 Qd2 Qe7
35 Nf3 Qe3 0-1 P.Keres-B.Spassky,
Candidates (10th matchgame), Riga 1965.
13 Ne4 Nd7 14 e6 fxe6 15 dxe6 Rxf4 16
Qd5
The same idea as in Keres-Spassky, but
with the major difference that a white knight
stands on e4, which limits the actions of the
white queen.
16 ... Kh8 17 Qxa8
17 Rd1 Rb8 18 Qg5 (18 Nxc5?? loses to
18 ... Ne3 19 Qd2 Bd4!) 18 ... Qxg5 19
Nexg5 h6 did not seem appealing. It was
time to whip off the rook and hope for the
best.
17 ... Nb6 18 Qc6
I couldn’t take on a7 as the e4-knight
hangs.
18 ... Ne3
A most unwelcome intruder. Both
players were now consuming oceans of time
trying to find the right continuation. I had
reached a position I did not like at all.
19 g3
Not 19 Kf2? Bd4.
19 ... Nc2+!
I was hoping for 19 ... Rxf3 20 Bxf3
Nc2+ 21 Kf2, when I couldn’t see a win for
Black. I knew he could get a draw after 21 ...
Bd4+ 22 Kg2 Ne3+ 23 Kg1!, but I think that
is all Black can manage; for instance, 21 ...
Qf8? 22 Rhe1! Bxb2 23 Rad1 Bd4+ 24 Kg2
Nxe1+ 25 Rxe1 or 22 ... Qxf3+ 23 Kxf3
Nd4+ 24 Kg2 Nxc6 25 Nxc5 Bxb2 26 Rad1
leaves the pawn on e6 looking dangerous.
20 Kf2??
Missing the power of Black’s next move
completely. White must play 20 Kf1, when
he has a chance to survive: 20 ... Rxf3+ (20
... Rf5 21 Rd1 Ne3+ 22 Kf2 Bd4 23 Rxd4!
Qxd4 24 e7 Rxf3+ 25 Kxf3 Bg4+ 26 Kf2
Nc2+ 27 Kg2 Ne3+ 28 Kf2 is a draw) 21
Bxf3 Nxa1 22 Qxc5! Bxe6 23 Kg2 Bxb2 24
Rd1 is probably equal. The analysis of these
variations at the board was making my brain
hurt.
20 ... Qd4+! 21 Kg2 Qxe4
Well played, George Botterill!
22 Qxe4 Rxe4 23 Bd3 Rxe6
24 Rac1
Or 24 Bxc2 Re2+.
24 ... Ne3+ 25 Kf2 c4 0-1
This is the type of game that puts people
off the Four Pawns. White’s early tactics did
not work and he got hit by a vicious
counterattack. It’s a scenario which has been
repeated many times. Is this the full story?
Not really.
Game 90 S.Golubov-D.Bocharov
Taganrog 2019
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f4 0-
0 6 Nf3 c5 7 d5 e6 8 Be2 exd5 9 cxd5
I think it is fair to say that this is the
main line of the Four Pawns Attack. Black
now has to make a choice. 9 ... Re8 is sharp,
9 ... b5 even sharper, 9 ... Nbd7 a halfway
house, and 9 ... Bg4 the most solid. Looking
at the diagram we notice the undeveloped
pieces on a8, b8 and c8. In such positions,
Black can often find these pieces tripping
over each other’s toes, so it makes perfect
sense to exchange one of them off.

9 ... Bg4!
A very reliable counter to the White
system. Not only does Black ease his cramp
on the queenside, he takes the sting out of an
upcoming e4-e5.
10 0-0
It’s worth mentioning that 10 e5?! dxe5
11 fxe5 leaves White very loose in the
centre; for example, 11 ... Nfd7 12 e6 (or 12
Bg5 Qb6) 12 ... fxe6 13 0-0 Bxf3 14 Bxf3
Ne5 15 Be4 Rxf1+ 16 Qxf1 Ng4! 17 g3
Bxc3 18 bxc3 exd5 19 Bg2 Nc6.
10 ... Nbd7 11 h3
Forcing Black to surrender the bishop
pair. 11 Qc2!? was seen in Game 13.
11 ... Bxf3 12 Bxf3 a6 13 a4 Rb8
To understand this position better we
must look at the pawn structure. Black has a
queenside pawn majority and so, with 13 ...
Rb8, prepares the typical plan of ... b7-b5.
White has a central majority, so he would
like to counter with e4-e5 or f4-f5 and start
attacking. Many games in the Four Pawns
Attack revolve around who can implement
their plan more quickly. Black seems to be
winning this particular race.
14 a5 Ne8!
Covering e5 one more time and coming
to c7 and perhaps even b5, from where the
knight may aid counterplay.
15 Be3
15 Qd3 Nc7 16 Bd2 b5 17 axb6 Nxb6 18
Be3 Nd7 19 Rf2 Re8 saw Black developing
actively and comfortably in A.Adly-
A.Grischuk, World Team Championship,
Ningbo 2011, so White now switched gears:
20 e5!? dxe5 21 f5 (with a little more time, a
kingside attack would be inevitable – true to
the spirit of this variation, Black does not
give White that time) 21 ... c4! 22 Qxc4
gxf5 23 d6 Ne6 24 Nd5 Kh8
25 Ne7 (here 25 Nc7! would have given
Adly a better chance of carrying out his
plan, when 25 ... Rf8 leads to a very unclear
situation; e.g. 26 Nxe6 fxe6 27 Qxe6 Rf6!
28 Qe7 f4 29 Ba7 Bf8 30 Qxd8 Rxd8 31
Rxa6 Rxd6) 25 ... e4 (Grischuk hounds his
opponent at every stage) 26 Bh5 f4 27 Bxf4?
(the unlikely 27 Ba7 appears to be best, but I
can understand why he might not have
played that move) 27 ... Nxf4 28 Rxf4 Qb6+
29 Kh1 Qxd6 (with a double attack on e7
and f4) 30 Rxe4 (or 30 Nd5 Nb6!) 30 ...
Rxe7 31 Rxe7 Qxe7 32 Qc7 Qc5 33 Qxc5
Nxc5 34 Bxf7 Bxb2 35 Ra2 Bc3 36 g4 a5 37
Kg2 Kg7 38 Bc4 a4 39 Kf3 Bb2 0-1.
15 ... Nc7 16 e5?!
White is provoked into action a little too
soon. 16 Qd3 b5 17 axb6 Rxb6 18 Qc2 was
more careful. The pawn weaknesses at a6
and b2 appear to counterbalance one
another, so I think it is fair to call the
position equal.
16 ... dxe5 17 fxe5 Bxe5 18 Ne4
18 Qd2 seems more Four Pawns-like,
but White doesn’t have very much for his
pawn after 18 ... Ne8.
18 ... Nb5 19 Nxc5 Bxb2 20 Rb1 Be5
21 Qd3 Nxc5 22 Bxc5 Bd6
Whatever White was hoping for has
failed to materialize. The pawn on d5 is
firmly blockaded and the a5-pawn is a
source of concern.
23 Be3
After 23 Bb6 Black can bring all his
pieces to active squares: 23 ... Qg5 24 Kh1
Rfe8 25 Bg1 Rbc8.
23 ... Qxa5 24 Rb3 Rfe8 25 Bg4 Qc7 26
Kh1 Qe7 27 Bg1 h5 28 Bxh5?!
Since 28 Bf3 Rbc8 is hopeless in the
long run, White tries a last ditch sacrifice.
28 ... gxh5 29 Qf5 f6 0-1
There is much more that can be said
about 9 ... Bg4, and there are thousands of
games to sift through if you want to master
every refinement. Here, I would sum up by
saying that this is a solid line which takes a
lot of the fun out of playing the Four Pawns
Attack.
Game 91 Ba.Jobava-P.Ponkratov
Moscow 2012
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 g6 4 Nc3 Bg7 5 e4
d6 6 f4 e6 7 Nf3 exd5 8 cxd5 0-0 9 Be2 Re8
I would classify 9 ... Re8 as a natural
move. Black hits e4 and tries to put the
brakes on e4-e5. This idea has always been
popular. Play can be very sharp. The
disadvantage from my perspective is the
amount of theory that has accumulated in
many of the variations. White has quite a
few aggressive tries and Black must know
everything about each of them. This is
definitely not the line to be taking your “first
steps” in. I can’t show everything, as that
would take a separate book, but I can
highlight some interesting chess.
10 e5
 GM Bachar Kouatly, now FIDE bigwig
and a long-time fan of the Four Pawns, used
to taunt his opponents by castling here with
10 0-0?!. It looks like White has made an
outright blunder, but when Black gleefully
took the pawn, Kouatly would rattle out his
idea: 10 ... Nxe4 11 Nxe4 Rxe4 12 Bd3 Re8
13 f5 (when he first showed me this, I
couldn’t help but feel White’s play was
totally unsound – and it is, but as Kouatly
said: “play is very tricky”) 13 ... Nd7! (a
strong move; Black brings the knight to e5
to bolster the defence) 14 Ng5 Ne5 (I had
thought that 14 ... Qb6 15 Kh1 Ne5 16 Nxf7
Nxd3! was a simpler refutation, but the
engine comes out with 17 f6! and claims
equality) 15 Nxf7 (scary if you haven’t seen
this before) 15 ... Nxf7 (15 ... Kxf7 16 fxg6+
Kg8 is also good; whereas 15 ... Qh4!? leads
to mayhem: 16 Bb5 Rf8 17 Bg5 Qg4 18
Qxg4 Nxg4 19 Nxd6 Bxb2 20 fxg6 Bd4+ 21
Kh1 Nf2+ 22 Rxf2 Rxf2 23 gxh7+ Kxh7 24
Re1 and White is definitely in the game) 16
fxg6 hxg6 17 Bxg6 Ne5 18 Bxe8 (18 Qh5
Nxg6 19 Qxg6 Re5! cuts out the tricks) 18
... Qxe8 19 Bf4 Qg6 and I think Black is
winning this position. If you want to gamble
in a rapid or blitz event with this stuff, but
all means try, but after 14 ... Ne5! it is hard
to find compensation.
There is also 10 Nd2 for Black to
consider; for instance, 10 ... Nbd7 11 0-0
transposes to the next game.
10 ... dxe5 11 fxe5 Ng4 12 e6!?
This is about as close to the original
spirit of the Four Pawns as can be.
Discounting risk, White lunges forward,
hoping to blow Black off the board. If I was
facing Jobava, one of the strongest and most
original players in the world, I would be
starting to feel uneasy. 12 Bg5 is the main
line.
12 ... fxe6 13 Bg5 Qb6
After the voluntary retreat 13 ... Nf6,
Jobava showed his skill against a world-
class opponent: 14 d6 h6 15 Bxf6 Qxf6 16
Nb5 Bd7 17 Nc7 Nc6 18 Nxa8 Rxa8 19 0-0
Nb4 (19 ... Qxb2 20 Rb1 Qxa2 21 Rxb7
allows the white rook to start playing) 20
Qd2 Bc6 21 Rae1 Bd5 (21 ... Qxb2? 22
Qxb2 Bxb2 23 Bc4! is good for White, as 23
... Bd5 fails to 24 Bxd5 exd5 25 d7 or 24 ...
Nxd5 25 Rxe6) 22 b3 Qc3 23 Bc4! Bxc4?
24 bxc4 Qxc4 25 Ne5 Qc2? (25 ... Qd5 26
Qxd5 Nxd5 27 Nxg6 Bd4+ 28 Kh1 Ne3 was
a better stab at defence, though White still
has the upper hand after 29 d7 Nxf1 30
Rxe6 Kf7 31 Re7+ Kxg6 32 Re8) 26 Qf4
Rf8 27 d7 Rxf4 28 d8Q+ Rf8 29 Rxf8+
Bxf8 30 Rf1 1-0 Ba.Jobava-V.Bologan,
Turin Olympiad 2006. You get a good
impression of the entire variation by playing
through this game. An early e5-e6 leads to
very tactical and unclear play where one
mistake costs the full point. It’s all or
nothing chess, which has a definite appeal.
14 Qd2 c4
This is supposed to be good for Black.
White cannot castle and Black threatens to
infiltrate on f2. Time for a unique solution!
15 0-0-0!!
I don’t think I’ve ever seen White castle
long in the Four Pawns ... until now! Black
is put to the test.
15 ... exd5
15 ... Nf2? is answered by 16 Be3.
 16 Nxd5!?
Another move Black could not have
been expecting. 16 Rhe1 Be6 17 Nxd5 was a
slightly safer way to go.
16 ... Qxb2+ 17 Qxb2 Bxb2+ 18 Kxb2
Rxe2+ 19 Kc3 Nc6 20 Rhe1
White concentrates on exchanging
Black’s active pieces.
20 ... Rxe1 21 Rxe1 Bf5 22 h3 Nf2 23
Bh6
Although the analysis engines may show
this as equal, this position is definitely easier
for White to play, who threatens a plan like
Ng5 and then Ne7+. Black’s two extra
pawns are irrelevant at this point.
23 ... Nd3?!
I think he should have tried 23 ... Ne4+!?
24 Rxe4 Bxe4 25 Nf6+ Kf7 26 Nxe4 Ke6,
which would lead to a very unclear
endgame. White can pick up the b-, c- or h-
pawns, but the black king is now fully
involved in the action.
24 Ng5!
Ignoring the attack on the rook, as 24 ...
Nxe1 25 Nf6+ Kh8 26 Nf7 is a pretty mate.
24 ... Nce5??
The wrong knight. 24 ... Nde5 was
correct, leaving the other knight to guard e7.
25 Rf1
Suddenly, I don’t like Black’s position.
There is a deadly threat of g2-g4.
25 ... b5 26 g4 b4+ 27 Kd4 Rd8
If 27 ... Bd7 then 28 Ne7+ Kh8 29 Nf7+
Nxf7 30 Rxf7 terminates.
28 gxf5 b3 29 axb3 cxb3 30 fxg6 hxg6
31 Ke4 1-0
It may be that when you get really
strong, you will be able to make a
considered choice between 9 ... Bg4 and 9 ...
Re8, but for now 9 ... Bg4 is the more
practical move by far. I have no doubt at all
that 9 ... Re8 is a good and sound idea, but
you will surely find yourself heading into a
favourite attacking line of the opponent.
Then again, if you are happy with that – no
problem!
Game 92 Mat.Bach-V.Kotronias
Aarhus 2019
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f4 0-
0 6 Nf3 c5 7 d5 e6 8 Be2 exd5 9 cxd5 Nbd7
I think it was the American IM, John
Watson, who recommended this move in
one of his excellent books. The variation
tends towards complexity, as Black covers
against the e4-e5 break but does not yet
solve the problem of his congested
queenside. Transpositions to (or from) the 9
... Re8 line are frequent.
10 0-0 Re8 11 Nd2 c4!?
 An intriguing sacrifice, which is one of
the points of the variation. Black clears the
c5-square for his knight.
12 Kh1
Taking the c4-pawn is fraught with risk:
a) 12 Nxc4? Nxe4! 13 Nxe4 Rxe4 14
Bd3 Rd4 15 Be3 b5! is just good for Black.
b) 12 Bxc4 has also scored very poorly,
as after 12 ... Nc5 Black’s position has come
to life; for example, 13 Qf3 Bg4 14 Qg3
Ncxe4! 15 Ncxe4 Nxe4 16 Nxe4 (not 16
Qxg4? Qb6+ 17 Kh1 Nf2+) 16 ... Rxe4 17
Bd3 Qb6+ 18 Kh1 Be2! 19 Bxe2 (or 19
Bxe4 Bxf1 20 Be3 Qb5) 19 ... Rxe2 20 f5
Rae8 and Black is clearly better, P.C.Peev- 28 ... Re8 29 Qd2 h6 30 h3 Re4 31 Qd3
J.Lechtynsky, Lublin 1975. Re8 32 a4 a5 33 Qd2 Re4 34 Qd3
12 ... Nc5 13 e5 If White wants to win, he must try 34
This is the move on which White relies, Qc3!. I guess that he was afraid of 34 ... g4,
trying to disrupt Black’s plans. which is indeed dangerous. The two players
13 ... dxe5 14 Nxc4 cop out.
14 fxe5 Rxe5 15 Nxc4 Re8 16 Bg5 looks 34 ... Re8 35 Qd2 ½-½
frightening for Black, but if he plays From this lone game, you can see that 9
carefully he has nothing to fear: 16 ... h6! 17 ... Nbd7 is complex and risky with plenty of
Bxf6 (or 17 Bh4 Nce4!) 17 ... Bxf6 18 Nb5 theory to learn. Self-confidence in one’s
a6 19 Nbd6 Rf8 20 b4 Na4 21 Rc1 Nc3 and tactical ability would also be a bonus. I have
Black is holding his own in the tactical an open mind about the line, but one
battle. shouldn’t take one’s first steps here.
14 ... e4 15 Ne5
After 15 Be3 Black insists on a pawn Game 93 V.Colin-M.Hebden Guernsey
sacrifice: 15 ... Nd3! 16 Bxd3 exd3 17 Qxd3 2013
Bf5 18 Qd2 Rc8 with full compensation
thanks to his active development. 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f4 0-
15 ... Nfd7 16 Be3 Nxe5 17 Bxc5 Nd3 0 6 Nf3 c5 7 d5 e6 8 Be2 exd5 9 exd5
18 Bxd3 exd3 19 Qxd3 b6 20 Bd4 Ba6
Tactics all the way. Black forces a
simplification.
21 Qxa6 Bxd4 22 Rad1 Bxc3 23 bxc3
Qd6 24 f5 g5 25 Qd3 Re5 26 Rfe1 Rae8 27
Rxe5 Rxe5 28 c4
White is a pawn up and undoubtedly
better, but this is one of those advantages
that will be very hard to realize. Black will
keep the queens on with an ever-present
threat to the white king.
 15 ... Rab8!, preparing ... b7-b5, was a
more patient approach. If then 16 a4 Na6!
17 Nb5 Ne4, the hole on b4 is noticeable.
16 cxb5 Reb8

This is an old-fashioned and quieter way

to play the position. White relies on the
advance f4-f5 to drum up chances and, as
you can see, that is not so easy to achieve.
White often finds that his strategy runs A position has been reached where,
aground and he has to try and seek major frankly, the pawn on f4 looks way out of
piece exchanges on the e-file just to try and place. White may not be worse, but it is
get a draw. Let King’s Indian specialist GM much easier to play Black.
Mark Hebden show a good method for 17 b4 cxb4 18 axb4 Nxb5 19 Ra5 Nxc3
Black. 20 Bxc3 Qb7 21 Kh1 Re8 22 f5 Rac8
Meanwhile, the ultra-aggressive 9 e5?! is Hebden simply puts his pieces on the
met very satisfactorily by 9 ... Ne4! (rather most active squares he can find.
than take pawns, Black throws a spanner in 23 fxg6 fxg6 24 Bd4 a6!?
the works) 10 cxd5 (10 Nxd5 Nc6! 11 Qc2 24 ... Qxb4 25 Rxa7 Nh5 26 Bxg7 Nxg7
f5 or 11 Bd3 f5! 12 exf6 Nxf6 13 0-0 Nxd5 is roughly equal.
14 cxd5 Nd4 is also good for Black) 10 ... 25 Rxa6 Qxd5 26 Ra7
Nxc3 11 bxc3 Nd7 12 0-0 dxe5 with White
scoring very badly from this position.
Basically, this line is tricky but unsound.
9 ... Re8 10 0-0 Bf5! 11 Bd3 Qd7
Taking on d3 would aid White in his
quest to play f4-f5, so Hebden firmly blocks
that advance.
12 Qc2 Bxd3 13 Qxd3 Na6 14 a3
Perhaps 14 f5 now, but it can be
answered dynamically with 14 ... b5! 15
fxg6 hxg6 16 cxb5 (or 16 Nxb5 Nb4 17 Qd1
Nbxd5) 16 ... Nb4 17 Qd1 a6 18 bxa6 c4.
Black has fine chances in these variations as
his development is so good.
14 ... Nc7 15 Bd2 b5 26 ... Bh8?!
 It might have been time to admit that
White has been playing very well and
maintaining equality. Black should therefore
settle for 26 ... Nh5!. Instead, the game has
all the hallmarks of a terrible time scramble,
Hebden takes a risk and is rewarded when
Colin makes a tragic blunder.
27 Qb1 Re4 28 Rd1 Rxd4?!
28 ... Qf5 was objectively better.
29 Rxd4 Qe6 30 h3?
Passed pawns should be pushed: 30 b5 is
more or less winning for White.
30 ... d5 31 Rh4 Qe3 32 Kh2??
Missing the backwards takes. 32 Qa2!
was correct. 10 g3 Nc6 11 0-0 b6 12 f5
32 ... Qxa7 0-1 I would say this is necessary, even at this
I doubt the line with 9 exd5 will ever early stage. With the d4-square under
become popular again. Nonetheless, you Black’s command, Turov is already in
may encounter it from time to time. danger of being positionally outplayed
unless he sticks to the aggressive credo of
Game 94 M.Turov-T.Hillarp Persson the variation.
Stockholm 2015 12 ... exf5 13 exf5 gxf5
Fearless.
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f4 c5 14 Nd5
6 d5 0-0 7 Nf3 e6 8 dxe6!? The knight on h5 hangs but White
Introducing a double-edged procedure cannot exploit it. If 14 Ng5 Bd4+ 15 Kg2
by which White gives up his central pawn in Nf6 16 Bxf5 Bxf5 17 Rxf5 Qd7 18 Rf1 Ne5,
return for kingside attacking chances. A plan you have to say that of the two kings
involving Bd3, 0-0, f4-f5, Qe1-h4 comes White’s is the more vulnerable.
into the frame, but this takes time, so Black 14 ... Qd7 15 Nh4 Bd4+
should be able to organize effective Making room for the knight to retreat
counterplay. and defend on g7.
8 ... fxe6! 16 Be3 Ng7
Safest and best. While 8 ... Bxe6 is
clearly possible, it encourages White to play
f4-f5 soon.
9 Bd3 Nh5!
I really like this move, interrupting
White’s plan before it even gets underway.
As 10 Ne2 is undesirable, White has to play
10 g3 now and that means Qe1-h4 cannot
happen.
 17 g4?!
Turov overestimates his position, or
simply doesn’t appreciate the full impact of
capturing on f5. This was White’s chance:
17 Bxf5! Nxf5 18 Nxf5 Rxf5 19 Rxf5 (not
19 Qg4+?? Qg7!) 19 ... Qxf5 20 Bxd4 cxd4
21 Qa4 Be6! (otherwise a potential fork on
e7 could be embarrassing) 22 Rf1 Qe5 23
Qxc6 Bxd5 24 Qxd5+ (or 24 cxd5 Re8) 24
... Qxd5 25 cxd5 Rc8 26 Rd1 Rc2 27 Rxd4
Rxb2 28 a4 reaches a drawn endgame. If
this is the best that White can do, his whole
opening set-up seems dubious.
17 ... f4! 18 Bxd4 Nxd4 19 Be4
19 Nxf4 Bb7! leaves the light squares
around the white king looking very
draughty. Note the far-sightedness of forcing
g2-g3 earlier.
19 ... Bb7 20 Kh1 Rae8 21 Qd3 Nge6
22 Bg2 Kh8 23 Rae1 f3!
Clearing f4 for a knight. This might have
been even stronger on the previous move.
24 Nxf3
An unhappy choice. 24 Bxf3 Nf4 is
uncomfortable for White too; e.g. 25 Rxe8
Qxe8! 26 Qe4 Nxf3 27 Qxf3 (27 Qxe8?
Rxe8 28 Nxf3 Nxd5 wins) 27 ... Qe5 28 Qc3
Qxc3 29 bxc3 Kg8 30 Nf5 Nxd5 31 cxd5
Bxd5+ 32 Kg1 Be6!.
24 ... Bxd5 25 cxd5 Nf4 26 Rxe8 Qxe8
27 Qa6 Nxg2 28 Nxd4
Not 28 Kxg2? Qe4!.
28 ... Ne3 29 Rxf8+ Qxf8 30 Nf5 Nxf5
31 Qf1?
Black wins after 31 gxf5 Qxf5 as well,
but it will take much longer.
31 ... Ng3+ 0-1
Well, I can say that 8 dxe6 is one of
those lines that is only going to be seen
occasionally and which is only dangerous if
Black has no prior knowledge. It’s the sort
of line that club players might specialize in
and, due to a lack of detailed theory at that
level, would probably win lots of games
with. I can’t say I like it for White and have
shown a good method for Black which
promises at least equality. All the same, the
variation cannot be counted out.
 Game 95 Jon.Rogers-Ri.Bates British
League 2009
1 c4 Nf6 2 Nc3 g6 3 e4 d6 4 d4 Bg7 5 f4 c5
As Black has no reason to fear 6 dxc5
Qa5, it is quite acceptable to push the c-
pawn straight away. Generally, play will
transpose into the main lines after 6 d5 0-0 7
Nf3 or 6 ... e6 7 Nf3 exd5 8 cxd5 0-0 9 Be2.
In the game White opts for a different plan,
equivalent to 5 ... 0-0 6 Nf3 c5 7 Be2 cxd4 8
Nxd4 via the standard move order.
6 Nf3 cxd4 7 Nxd4 0-0 8 Be2 Nc6 9
Be3
9 Be3 introduces a system featuring the
Maróczy Bind, in a loose form. The idea is
that the two white pawns on e4 and c4
prevent Black from freeing himself with
pawn breaks of his own, such as ... d6-d5 or
... b7-b5. In the true Maróczy, White would
not normally have played f2-f4 at this early
stage and thus gives Black additional
chances. White’s set-up received an
enthusiastic recommendation from IM Tim
Taylor in a recent book. Let’s see whether
his optimism is justified.
9 ... Bg4!
Taking the opportunity to exchange
pieces and ease any cramp, now that White
cannot play f2-f3. There are other moves but
for me 9 ... Bg4 solves all problems.
10 Nxc6
Instead:
a) 10 Bxg4 Nxg4 11 Qxg4 Nxd4 12 Qd1
Nc6 13 Rc1 Qa5 leads nowhere for White.
b) 10 0-0 Bxe2 11 Ndxe2 (11 Qxe2?
allows 11 ... Nxe4! 12 Nxc6 Nxc3 13 Nxe7+
Qxe7 14 bxc3 Rfe8 15 Rf3 Bxc3) 11 ... Ng4
also gives Black what he wants.
10 ... Bxe2 11 Qxe2
11 Nxd8 Bxd1 12 Nxf7 is a rather hot
pawn to take, as after 12 ... Bg4! Black is
regaining the pawn anyway; i.e. 13 Ng5 h6
14 Nf3 Nh5! or 14 Nh3 Be6!.
11 ... bxc6 12 0-0 Qa5 13 Rfd1
Here 13 Bd4 e5 14 Be3 exf4 15 Bxf4
Rad8 16 Rad1 Rfe8 is approximately equal,
as the weak pawns on d6 and e4 balance
each other out.
13 ... Rab8 14 Rab1 Nh5!
Knights on the side of the board are not
meant to be great, but there are always
exceptions and in this case Black opens fire
against both f4 and c3.
15 g3 Bxc3 16 bxc3 Qxc3 17 c5
Rogers might not have liked 17 Bxa7
Rxb1 18 Rxb1 c5, shutting out the bishop
and preparing ... Ng7-e6-d4, or even 18 ...
e5!?, fixing the pawn on e4 and giving rise
to concern about the open white king. If 19
Qb2 then 19 ... Qd3! keeps up the pressure.
17 ... dxc5 18 e5 Rxb1 19 Rxb1 Rd8

White now faces a long, uphill struggle
to make a draw. This is not why we play
chess.
20 Rc1 Qa3 21 Rxc5 Qa4 22 Qc2 Qb4
23 Kf2
Not 23 Rxc6?? Qe1+.
23 ... Ng7 24 Rxc6 Nf5 25 Rc8 Rxc8 26
Qxc8+ Kg7
Black still has the upper hand, despite
limited material left on the board, thanks to
White’s open king and the combined
attacking power of queen and knight.
27 Qc2 Qb7
With ... Qh1 in mind.
28 Qc1 Qd5 29 a3 a6 30 Kg1 h5! 31
Bf2 Qf3 32 a4 Nh6 33 Qf1 Ng4 34 Bc5
Qc3 35 Bxe7?
In uncomfortable positions mistakes
occur. The computer is showing 35 Ba7 as
the best defence, although 35 ... Qd2! 36
Qg2 (after 36 Bf2 a5! White barely has a
good move to his name) 36 ... Qd7 37 Bf2
Qxa4 must win for Black, even if takes a
long queen endgame to get there.
35 ... Qd4+ 36 Kh1 Ne3 37 Qf2 Qd1+
0-1
I think White’s opening system is
absolutely playable and may work well
against an unprepared opponent, but 9 ...
Bg4! is an easy equalizer.
Game 96 A.Vaisser-M.Neef German
League 2019
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f4 0-
0 6 Nf3 Na6!
6 ... Na6 is very much in the modern
style of the King’s Indian and we see this
move cropping up in many variations. Black
keeps flexible, develops a piece, protects c7,
and prepares to attack the white centre with
... e7-e5, while not ruling out the traditional
... c7-c5 either. Our first game with 6 ... Na6
is short but, at the time of writing, is the
most current example I can find. It also
features GM Anatoly Vaisser, who has
championed the Four Pawns Attack for
decades and even wrote an excellent book
on the subject. What does the expert have to
show us with the white pieces?
7 Bd3
The most popular continuation for
White. Other common moves:
a) 7 Be2 can lead to tactical
complications: 7 ... e5! 8 fxe5 (8 dxe5 dxe5
9 Qxd8 Rxd8 10 Nxe5 transposes to Game
98) 8 ... dxe5 9 d5 Nc5 (White’s e-pawn is
not protected adequately, so ... Nc5 becomes
attractive) 10 Qc2?! Nfxe4! (an unexpected
blow which has scored very well for Black
in master play) 11 Nxe4 Bf5 12 Bd3 Bxe4
13 Bxe4 f5 and however White plays now,
Black regains his piece with a strong
initiative.
b) 7 e5!? tries to interrupt Black’s ... e7-
e5 idea, so ... c7-c5 becomes the right way
to react: 7 ... Nd7 8 Be2 c5! 9 exd6 exd6 10
0-0 Re8 with plenty of play.
7 ... e5!
A necessary strike in order to avoid
becoming passive. White usually advances.
8 fxe5 dxe5 9 d5
It is worth noting that neither of the
captures on e5 give White anything at all: 9
Nxe5? Qxd4 or 9 dxe5 Nc5! 10 Bc2 Qxd1+
11 Nxd1 Ng4 12 Bf4 Re8.
9 ... Ne8
The knight heads for d6, an excellent
blockading square. In the next game Black
tries the immediate 9 ... c5.
10 Bg5
10 0-0 c5 will reach a similar position.
10 ... f6 11 Bh4 c5!
12 0-0
12 Qd2 Nd6 13 a3 is also very similar to
our featured game, but perhaps a little more
elastic from White’s perspective.
12 ... Nd6
White now has to tackle the problem of
how he is going to demonstrate any
advantage, and this is not easy at all. Black’s
knight on d6 is beautifully placed and he
plans ... f6-f5 or ... b7-b5 after preparation.
Thus Vaisser plays for b2-b4, which is the
favoured way to try and chip away at
Black’s centre and thus make inroads.
13 a3 Qe7 14 b4 Bd7
I guess Black could take on b4, but this
unleashes the white centre and Neef
probably didn’t want to take the risk; for
example, 14 ... cxb4 15 axb4 Nxb4 16 c5
Nf7 (or 16 ... Qc7!? 17 Bf2 b6 18 Nb5 Nxb5
19 Bxb5 bxc5 20 d6 Qb6 21 d7 Bb7 22
Qb3+ Kh8 23 Qxb4) 17 d6 Qe8 18 Bb5 Bd7
19 Qa4 and White has a nice initiative for
the pawn.
15 Rb1 Rac8 16 b5 Nc7 17 b6
Releasing the pressure to an extent. I
think I prefer 17 Qd2 b6 18 a4, though even
here Black has counterplay: 18 ... Nf7! 19 a5
Bh6, followed perhaps by ... Ne8-g7-h5.
17 ... axb6 18 Rxb6 Na8 19 Rb1 Nc7
20 Rb6
White bails out. He may not have liked
20 Bf2 b5! (sharp and necessary) 21 cxb5 c4
22 b6 (or 22 Be2 Ncxb5) 22 ... cxd3 23 bxc7
Rxc7 24 Qxd3 Rfc8.
20 ... Na8 21 Rb1 Nc7 22 Rb6 ½-½
Brief, but instructive. The idea of ... e7-
e5, followed by a knight transfer to d6,
seems to be the key to this line and gives
Black good play.
 We will now see a slightly different
interpretation by Black, which also seems
very playable.
Game 97 E.Vorobiov-A.Shimanov
Moscow (rapid) 2013
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 0-0 5 f4
d6 6 Nf3 Na6 7 Bd3 e5 8 fxe5 dxe5 9 d5 c5
You will recall that the last game
featured 9 ... Ne8. Thus, seeing ... Ne8-d6
coming up, White interferes with this plan.
10 Bg5 h6 11 Bh4 Qe8!
Stepping out of the pin.
12 Bc2 Nh5!
Thinking about both ... Nf4 and ... f7-f5.
Should White exchange on f5 it is useful
that the queen on e8 will then protect the
knight on h5.
13 Ba4 Bd7 14 Bxd7 Qxd7
Positionally, this is impeccable play by
White, who has not only traded off a
potential problem piece (the light-squared
bishop, stuck in behind its own centre), he
also seems to have taken some of the sting
out of ... f7-f5. Nevertheless, once the black
knight reaches f4, there is counterplay to be
found.
15 0-0 Nf4! 16 Bg3 g5
A white knight would love to come to
f5. Vorobov starts the journey but finds that
it takes an awful long time.
17 Ne1 Nc7
Meanwhile, a black knight heads for d6!
18 Nc2 Ne8 19 Ne3 Nd6
Usefully covering f5.
20 Be1 f5!
As so often in the King’s Indian, this is
the key move which frees up Black’s game.
21 exf5 Nxf5 22 Nxf5 Qxf5 23 Bd2 e4
White would have loved to put a knight
on e4; this move ensures that he cannot.
Moreover, the bishop on g7 suddenly enters
the game with effect.
24 Be3 Qe5! 25 Qg4
Vorobiov does not like lines like 25
Bxc5 Rfc8 26 Be3 Rxc4 27 Qb3 Rac8 28
Qxb7 (or 28 d6 Qxd6 29 Rad1 Qb4 30 Qxb4
Rxb4 31 Bxf4 gxf4 32 Rxf4 Rxb2) 28 ...
Rb8 29 Qa6 Rcb4 30 Bxf4 gxf4 31 Qe6+
Qxe6 32 dxe6 e3!, which seem to activate
Black’s position still further.
25 ... h5 26 Qd7 Rf7 27 Qb5
It is not clear what the white queen tour
has achieved.
27 ... b6 28 g3 Raf8!
 Excellent. Black piles on the pressure,
even managing to offer his proud knight as
bait.
29 Qc6
Capturing the knight leads to disaster: 29
gxf4 gxf4 30 Bf2 e3 31 Qc6 (after 31 Kh1
Qf5 or 31 Bh4 Qf5, Black infiltrates on the
light squares) 31 ... exf2+ 32 Rxf2 f3 33
Kh1 Qd4 34 Raf1 Re7! 35 Qg6 Qxf2 (a nice
touch) 36 Rxf2 Re1+ 37 Qg1 Rxg1+ 38
Kxg1 Bd4 and wins.
29 ... Nh3+ 30 Kg2 Rf3 31 d6
Another possible defence lay with 31
Qg6! Rxe3 (or 31 ... g4 32 Rae1) 32 Rxf8+
Kxf8 33 Kxh3. This would have taken
nerves of steel to play but seems to be okay.
31 ... Rxe3 32 Rxf8+ Bxf8 33 d7 Rd3
34 Qg6+ Qg7 35 Qxg7+ Kxg7
36 Nd5?
The rapid time limit catches up with
White. After 36 Rd1! Rxd1 37 Nxd1 Be7 38
Kxh3 Kf6 39 Kg2 Ke6 40 Kf2 Kxd7 41
Ke3, the game is heading for a draw. The
point surely is that this has not been an easy
position to play for White for some time.
36 ... Rd2+! 37 Kxh3? g4+ 38 Kh4
Kh6 39 Rh1 Rxd5 0-1
The modern 6 ... Na6 introduces a
wholly different and very playable
alternative to 6 ... c5. There is less theory to
learn and fewer forcing variations; these
twin ideas have proved attractive to a new
generation of King’s Indian specialists.
Game 98 M.Potterat-G.Guseinov
Zürich 2017
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f4 0-
0 6 Nf3 e5!?
Very direct. 6 ... e5 has never really
enjoyed a great reputation, but the games of
GM Guseinov show that a different
evaluation may be necessary. In many cases,
Black may be able to transpose into the 6 ...
Na6 variation (as we saw in Game 12). It’s
fair to say that 6 ... e5 has a confusing
appearance. Why can’t White just win a
pawn?
7 dxe5
 Instead, 7 fxe5 dxe5 8 d5 Na6 9 Bd3
returns to Game 96 and 97.
7 ... dxe5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9 Nxe5 Na6!
For the pawn, Black has considerable
compensation:
1. White’s position is loose, due to the
early f2-f4.
2. Black has ideas of ... Nc5 or ... Nb4.
3. Black is in charge of the only open
file.
4. Black has castled, White has not.
Altogether, this comprises a package
which compels White to be careful.
10 Be2 Nc5 11 Bf3
The immediate 11 Nd5 was seen in
Game 12.
11 ... Be6 12 Nd5
So far, so theory. White’s precarious
position is revealed after 12 b3? Nfd7!,
when Black’s development advantage really
starts to tell. Similarly, 12 0-0 Nfd7! 13
Nxd7 Bd4+! 14 Kh1 Rxd7 15 Nd5 c6 16
Ne3 Nd3 shows the type of initiative that
Black can create.
12 ... Nfxe4! 13 Nxc7 Bxe5
This looks like home analysis.
14 Nxe6
Potterat had plenty to think about. 14
Nxa8?? Bd4! equals instant White death.
The engine goes for the dangerous 14 fxe5
Bxc4! 15 Nxa8 Nd3+ 16 Kf1 Nxc1+ 17 Kg1
Ne2+ 18 Bxe2 Bxe2 19 Nc7 g5!, but only a
computer will take White in this line.
14 ... Bxb2! 15 Bxb2 fxe6 16 Ba3 Rd3
This is not a position where the bishops
can show any strength, The black knights
are excellently stationed and the white king
and pawns are in danger. For a lower-rated
player up against a GM this equates to a
miserable experience.
17 Bxc5
Grovelling with 17 Bc1 may be met by
17 ... Rc8. Black can improve his position,
whereas White cannot.
17 ... Nxc5

The smoke has cleared and Black is
much better. He has a dominant knight
which will never be shifted, and he can pin
White down to merely defending weak
pawns. Guseinov makes the winning process
look easy.
18 Ke2 Rf8! 19 g3 Ra3 20 Rhd1 g5
Either of 20 ... b6 or 20 ... Kg7 were
other ways to continue the torture.
21 Rd4 Kg7 22 h4 gxh4 23 gxh4 Kf6
Every black piece is out of the bishop’s
reach.
24 Rd2 Ke7
Progress is inexorable. Black hits f4 and
has improved the position of his king. White
is running on the spot.
25 Rg1
Defending the f4-pawn with 25 Rd4 is
no good either; e.g. 25 ... b6 (or 25 ... Rg8
26 f5 Rf8!) 26 Bc6 Rf5 27 Bf3 e5 28 Rd5
Ne6.
25 ... Rxf4 26 Bxb7 Rxh4 0-1
He could have played on with, for
instance, 27 Rg7+ Kf6 28 Rc7 Rh2+ 29 Ke1
Rxd2 30 Kxd2 Rxa2+ 31 Kc3 Nxb7 32
Rxb7 h5 33 c5 Ke5 34 Rh7 Kd5 35 Rxh5+
e5, but ultimately this ending is hopeless.
A game which certainly appealed to me and
made me think afresh about 6 ... e5!?. We
bid our leave to the Four Pawns chapter with
the thought that this idea may have a bright,
new future.

Chapter Eight
Less Common White
Systems
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6
We move on now to a variety of ideas
for White which, while not part of an
established main line, have to be respected.
As Black, you probably won’t have to face
these systems too often, but this does not
mean that they can be ignored.
First up is 5 Bd3 (Games 99 and 100), a
continuation that US grandmaster Yasser
Seirawan honed into a winning weapon.
We’ll then examine the Kramer System with
5 Nge2 (Games 101 and 102). Note that this
could transpose into a 6 Nge2 Sämisch at
any moment (i.e. after f2-f3), but in practice
White normally plays 6 Ng3, giving rise to
the characteristic position of the line, where
the knight on g3 is delicately placed.
Finally, we take a look at 5 Be2 0-0 6 g4!?
and 6 h4!? (Games 103-105), lines I have
dubbed “kamikaze systems” in the past, but
as they are sometimes played by
grandmasters, I may have to eat my words.
Game 99 Y.Seirawan-J.Egger
Mancilla Istanbul Olympiad 2000
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Bd3
A Seirawan favourite. The system with
Bd3 and Nge2 concentrates firstly on
reinforcing the centre against a Black
counterattack. Then, once White sees the
reaction, he will decide how to expand. It’s a
practical decision. A complicated,
interesting situation will be reached, where
the better player can win.
5 ... 0-0 6 Nge2
6 ... Nc6
Black can play virtually any reasonable
move here, 6 ... c5 and 6 ... e5 being two
more. The Panno-style game move,
preparing ... e7-e5, is very popular. In the
next game we’ll see Black opt for 6 ... a6
and 7 ... c6.
7 0-0 e5 8 d5 Nd4 9 Bg5!?
Steady development. An alternative is 9
Nxd4 exd4 10 Nb5, which Yasser has tried
at least twice; 10 Ne2 is also possible.
9 ... h6 10 Bh4
The onus is being put on Black to come
up with a plan which will equalize. It’s not
that easy. Meanwhile, White can play with
b2-b4, c4-c5 or f2-f4, according to
circumstances.
10 ... c5
 10 ... g5 11 Bg3 Nh5 seems okay for
Black, though I can understand why he
didn’t do it. The light squares seem
weakened. Nevertheless, after 12 Nxd4
Nxg3 13 Ne6!? (13 Nc6!?) 13 ... fxe6 14
hxg3 exd5 15 cxd5 c6, Black has play.
11 Rb1
White latches on to Black’s last move
and prepares to open it up with b2-b4.
11 ... a6
Securing c7 for the queen, though he
might just have played 11 ... Bd7 since 12
Nb5 isn’t really a threat, and if 12 b4 then
12 ... Nxe2+ 13 Qxe2 (or 13 Nxe2) 13 ...
cxb4 14 Rxb4 Qc7 with a blockade of c5.
12 b4 cxb4
I slightly prefer 12 ... b6 13 bxc5 bxc5,
but there is a little nibble for White after 14
Na4.
13 Rxb4 Qc7 14 Bxf6!? Bxf6
If 14 ... Nxe2+ 15 Qxe2 Bxf6, then 16
Na4 Bd7 17 Nb6 could get uncomfortable
for Black, all due to the weakness created by
his 11th move.
15 Nxd4 exd4 16 Ne2 Qc5 17 Qd2
Seirawan has assessed both the position
and his opponent very shrewdly. Black may
not be very much worse, but he doesn’t have
a lot to do and this can lead to frustration –
and in turn, a mistake.
17 ... b5?!
Black does something and instantly
becomes worse. He could try to jog on the
spot with something like 17 ... Kg7 18 Rfb1
Bd8, but then 19 R4b3! gives White all the
chances on both sides of the board.
18 Rc1
Alternatively, 18 cxb5 axb5 19 Rxb5
Qa3 20 Rfb1 Qxa2 21 R5b2 leaves h6 under
attack.
18 ... Qa7 19 Qxh6 Bd7 20 h4!
An excellent move. The black king has
few defenders so White opens up another
front. Here we see exactly how a strong
player outplays a lesser opponent.
20 ... Bg7 21 Qg5 Rae8 22 Qd2 a5 23
Rxb5!
A sacrifice, yes, but only nominal
generosity is involved. White’s queenside
pawn majority and a block on c6 will see to
it that any counterplay by Black is limited.
23 ... Bxb5 24 cxb5 Rc8 25 Rc6! Rxc6
26 dxc6 Bf6 27 h5
 27 ... Qc5
Pushing past with 27 ... g5 is no better as
28 Ng3!, heading for f5, is crushing.
28 hxg6 fxg6 29 Qh6 Kf7 30 Qh7+ Bg7
31 e5! 1-0
Own up. Who thought the light-squared
bishop on d3 would play the decisive role?
Seeing Nigel Short on the White side of
a King’s Indian is rarer than a Two Penny
Blue, so I simply had to include the
following game.
Game 100 N.Short-T.Hillarp Persson
Tromsø Olympiad 2014
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Bd3
0-0 6 Nge2 a6 7 0-0 c6
This sort of elastic set-up with ... c7-c6
and ... a7-a6 would be known as the Byrne
System against the Sämisch. It’s playable
against all but the most direct White main
lines. Black can continue with either ... b7-
b5 or ... e7-e5, maybe both, in the late
opening/early middlegame.
8 f3 b5 9 Bg5 Nbd7 10 Qd2 e5
Black has achieves good play with these
natural moves. If you want something for
Black against 5 Bd3, this might be the
answer.
11 d5 bxc4 12 Bxc4
12 dxc6?? cxd3 loses instantly for
White.
12 ... Nb6 13 Bb3 c5
 What are Black’s plans? He has a
flexible position! He may play down the b-
file or try to prepare the usual ... f7-f5.
White’s chances seem connected with f3-f4,
but he will have to time it right as opening
the position too soon could rebound on him
in a big way.
14 a4 Rb8! 15 Rfb1 Qc7 16 Kh1 Nh5
With ... f7-f5 in the offing.
17 g4
So Short stops it.
17 ... Nd7! 18 Bd1 Nf4!
A typical King’s Indian pawn sacrifice
where Black gets excellent value for his
small investment. Specifically:
1. A strong knight on e5.
2. Pressure on the b-file.
3. Possible pressure against the airy
white king.
NOTE: You cannot play the King’s
Indian passively.
19 Nxf4 exf4 20 Bxf4 Ne5 21 Be2 Rb4
22 Bh6
Maybe he could have tried 22 b3 Qb7 23
Qc2 and ask Black to prove it.
22 ... Bxh6 23 Qxh6 f6 24 Ra2 g5
Both cementing the knight on e5 and
cutting off the queen’s retreat. Practically,
with the clock ticking, I think most of us
would prefer to play Black.
25 a5 Qe7 26 Qh3 Ng6 27 Qf1 h5! 28
Bxa6
Short understands how dangerous the
position has become and gives himself a
possible winning trump in the shape of an
outside passed pawn. The drawback is
obvious: his king lacks protection.
28 ... Bxa6 29 Qxa6 hxg4 30 Qf1 Nh4
31 fxg4 Rxe4 32 a6
32 Nxe4?? Qxe4+ 33 Kg1 Nf3+ 34 Kf2
Nxh2 is disastrous for White.
32 ... Ra8 33 Rba1 Re3 34 Ra4?
34 Qf2 was necessary, to meet 34 ... Nf3
with 35 Rf1 Qh7 (or 35 ... Kg7 36 Nd1) 36
Qxf3! Rxf3 37 Rxf3, when White is still in
the game.
34 ... Kg7 35 a7
35 ... Qe5?
35 ... Nf3! at once is the correct idea.
The difference lies in 36 Qf2 Rh8!, when 37
a8Q Re1+ leads to mate, while 37 Re4 Rxe4
38 Qxf3 (or 38 Nxe4 Qxe4 39 a8Q Rxa8 40
Rxa8 Qb1+ 41 Kg2 Nh4+ 42 Kh3 Qd3+ 43
Qg3 Qf1+) 38 ... Re1+ 39 Rxe1 Qxe1+ 40
Kg2 Qa1 also wins.
36 Qf2 Nf3 37 Ne4??
This looks like time pressure. 37 Qg3!
now holds.
37 ... Rxe4 38 Qxf3 Rh8 39 Qg2
 After 39 Kg1, a possible finish might be
39 ... Rxa4 40 Rxa4 Qxh2+ 41 Kf1 Qxb2 42
a8Q Qc1+ 43 Kg2 Qh1+ 44 Kf2 Rh2+ 45
Ke3 Qc1+ 46 Ke4 Qc2+ 47 Ke3 Qd2+ 48
Ke4 Re2+ 49 Qxe2 Qxe2+ 50 Kf5 Qe5
mate.
39 ... Re2 40 a8Q Rxh2+ 0-1 Game
101 A.D.Martin-G.Buckley British League
2000
1 c4 g6 2 d4 Bg7 3 e4 d6 4 Nc3 Nf6 5
Nge2
The Kramer System – an idea which I
picked up from a 1980s repertoire book by
Raymond Keene and have been playing on
and off ever since. White generally moves
his knight to g3, bishop to e2, and then
might start a kingside demonstration with
h2-h4.
5 ... h5!?
An extraordinary move, directed against
Ng3, which set me thinking. Generally,
Black just castles here, as in the next game;
while 5 ... c5!? was seen in Game 20. In my
1989 King’s Indian book, I recommended 5
... c6 for Black, to be followed by ... a7-a6
and ... b7-b5, delaying castling.
6 h3!?
I can honestly say that, after long
thought, I didn’t know what to do. I was torn
between 6 Bg5, 6 h3 and 6 f3. A choice had
to be made.
6 ... e5! 7 d5 Na6
The normal Kramer plan has been rudely
interrupted by Black’s flexible play. I was
anxious to keep the knight out of c5.
8 b4! 0-0 9 Rb1 c5 10 a3 Nh7!
White has been tricked into playing a
mixture of systems and I really wasn’t sure
what I should be doing here. The knight on
e2 is getting in the way, playing on the
queenside seemed difficult, and Black is
leading up to ... f7-f5. Basically, the Kramer
system, with Ng3 at least, is a bit inflexible.
If Black allows the standard plan, White is
in business; but if, in particular, Black
delays castling. it can become difficult for
White, as here.
11 Be3 b6
11 ... f5! was certainly a strong
possibility, when 12 exf5 gxf5 gives Black
good counterplay. I’m not sure why Graeme
Buckley didn’t play this.
12 Ng1
Looks crazy, but the knight on e2 was
really gumming up the works.
12 ... f5 13 Nf3 Nc7 14 Be2 Ne8 15
Rb3!
The rook can perform both offensive and
defensive functions from this square. Note
that White hasn’t castled yet either and
reserves the possibility of running his king
to the queenside if Black attacks too quickly.
15 ... Nef6 16 exf5 gxf5 17 Ng5
Exchanging a pair of knights dampens a
possible Black attack.
17 ... Qe8 18 Nxh7 Kxh7 19 f4 Bd7 20
0-0
Better late than never. I was hoping to
make Black regret the extravagant ... h7-h5.
20 ... Rc8 21 bxc5 bxc5 22 Qe1 Qg6 23
Qh4
Game on! With Buckley heading into
time trouble it was important to take the
initiative.
23 ... Bh6 24 Rf3 Rg8 25 Bf1 Rg7 26
Rb7 Be8?
The tactical point of 26 Rb7 is revealed
after 26 ... e4 27 Rf2 Qg3?? 28 Qxf6 Qxe3
29 Rxd7 Rxd7 30 Qxf5+, but 27 ... Be8! 28
Rfb2 Rcc7 seems about equal.
27 Rxg7+?
White goes wrong in turn. 27 Rg3! was
correct, not giving Black a chance to close
the centre; e.g. 27 ... Rxb7 28 Rxg6 Kxg6 29
Qg3+ Kf7 30 fxe5 and wins.
27 ... Bxg7
Not 27 ... Qxg7? 28 fxe5 Bxe3+ 29 Rxe3
dxe5 30 Rxe5 with a winning position.
28 Be2 Ne4??
Time trouble. Black had to play 28 ... e4,
when 29 Rg3 Qh6 30 Rg5 Ng8! (threatening
... Bxc3 or ... Bf6) 31 Qe1 Ne7 keeps his
position together. After the move played, the
game has turned and there is no advice to
offer Black which will help.
29 Nxe4 fxe4 30 f5 Qf6 31 Qxe4
Here 31 Bg5 was more accurate; e.g. 31
... exf3 32 Bxf6 fxe2 33 Bxg7 and so on.
31 ... Rb8 32 Rg3 Bh6 33 Bxh6 Qxh6
34 Qh4 Rb7 35 Bd3 Qf4 36 f6+
36 ... Kh6
36 ... Kh8 leads to an attractive finish:
37 f7! Qxf7 (if 37 ... Bxf7 38 Qd8+, or 37 ...
Rxf7 38 Qxh5+ mates) 38 Bg6 Qxg6 39
Rxg6 Bxg6 40 Qf6+ Kh7 41 Qxd6 and wins.
37 Qxf4+ exf4 38 Rg8 Bf7 39 Rg7 Rb3
40 Bf5 Be8 41 h4 1-0
Nowadays, I am not even convinced that
White’s standard Kramer plan is any good.
Take a look at the following modern game.
Game 102 A.Spirliadis-A.Demchenko
European Blitz Championship, Skopje 2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 0-0 5
Nge2 d6 6 Ng3 e5
This time Black responds in standard
King’s Indian fashion.

7 d5 a5 8 Be2 Na6 9 h4?!
Advancing the h-pawn may preface a
kingside attack, or a positional squeeze if the
pawn is allowed to go to h6 and force the
fianchettoed bishop back to f8. This is the
standard plan, but I think White should just
castle here, with a roughly equal position.
9 ... h5!
There is no doubt in my mind that Black
should block the h-pawn.
10 Bg5
The bishop sits well on g5 – or does it?
This is the issue. Black quickly unpins and
then hits the exposed bishop.
10 ... Qe8 11 Qd2 Bd7
12 0-0
Not exactly ideal, but here we see
Spirliadis’ problem. He lacks a decent plan.
Perhaps he should just go 12 f3! Nh7 13 Be3
Qe7 14 Nf1, waiting to see what Black will
do, but there can be no doubt that White’s
overall scheme has been disturbed again.
12 ... Nh7! 13 Bh6
13 Be3 Qe7 is similar to the game.
White regrets h2-h4.
13 ... Qe7! 14 Bg5
Abject.
14 ... Nxg5 15 hxg5 f6
Right to the point.
16 gxf6 Qxf6 17 Nd1 Nc5 18 Bf3 Kh7
19 Re1 Bh6
White is now totally on the back foot
and probably lost. This is only a blitz game,
so one cannot be too critical. It serves our
purpose, as it shows how Black may
adequately meet the Kramer System in one
of the established main lines.
20 Qe2 Rf7 21 b3 Raf8 22 Nf1 Qg5 23
Rb1??
A blunder, but 23 Nh2 Bh3 24 Ne3 Rf4
25 Kh1 Bd7 maintains a huge advantage
anyway. White is in a mess.
23 ... Rxf3 0-1
My best guess is that 5 Nge2 will fall out
of fashion, if it ever was in fashion, and will
be used solely as a surprise weapon in the
future.

Finally, we come to the ‘kamikaze’ lines
where White plays the standard 5 Be2, but
only as the precursor to an immediate charge
on the kingside with g2-g4 and/or h2-h4.
Game 103 J.Kociscak-J.G.Gallagher
Mitropa Cup, Zillertal 2015
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 g4!?
This move is common enough in the
Sämisch and Averbakh systems. White
prepares a kingside squeeze or even a direct
assault if Black’s counterplay comes too
slowly. The immediate 6 g4 is not thought to
be much good, but I can assure you it is
difficult to face. I once had a crazy game as
Black against Simon Williams in this
variation, which eventually ended in a draw
and gave me a healthy respect for White’s
chances. The brutal plan, if it is allowed to
be carried out, is g4-g5, h4-h5, Qd3-g3-h4,
h5xg6 and, hopefully, carnage. Don’t laugh.
It may happen to you!
Having stated the positive sides to
White’s idea, I think it’s fair to say the plan
takes time to put into practice and Black has
plenty of opportunity to organize a vigorous
response.
6 ... c5! 7 d5 e6
Going into a Benoni position is one of
the best counters to g2-g4.
8 g5 Nfd7 9 h4
This is par for the course. White lunges
forward, at the cost of development.
9 ... exd5 10 cxd5 Qe7!
The queen is useful on e7. She could
even defend the h7-square in an emergency.
11 Qc2 Na6 12 h5 Rb8 13 Nf3 b5!
Black sees no threats and continues in
aggressive style himself.
14 Be3
Taking on b5 merely activates the entire
black army; for example, 14 Nxb5 (not 14
Bxb5?? Bxc3+) 14 ... Nb4! 15 Qb1 (and not
15 Qd1?? Rxb5 16 Bxb5 Qxe4+) 15 ... Ba6
16 a4 Rfe8 17 hxg6 (or 17 Rh4 Nxd5) 17 ...
hxg6 18 Kf1 Qxe4 19 Qxe4 Rxe4. These
brief variations are worth studying closely,
as the themes can be replicated in similar
positions across other main lines.
14 ... Nb6! 15 Rh4
Once again 15 Nxb5 Nb4 is very risky
for White; e.g. 16 Qb1 N6xd5 or 16 Qd2
Bg4.
15 ... Nc4 16 Bc1 Nb4 17 Qb3 f5!
Excellent, dynamic play by Joe
Gallagher, exposing the extravagance of
White’s opening system.
18 h6
 Carrying on, since 18 gxf6? Bxf6 19
Rh2 Bg4 is pretty much winning for Black.
18 ... Bh8 19 a3 Na5 20 Qd1 fxe4 21
Nxe4
Not 21 Rxe4?? Bxc3+.
21 ... Na6 22 Nf6+
White is trying to subdue the opponent’s
initiative by exchanging, but by now the
counterattack has become too strong, despite
the two black knights on the edge.
22 ... Rxf6!! 23 gxf6 Bxf6 24 Rf4 Bf5
25 a4 Nb4 26 Rxf5
The only good move; otherwise White
would be pulverized.
26 ... gxf5 27 axb5 Nc4 28 Qb3 Nb6
Missing 28 ... Nxb2!, a surprising turn of
events. Maybe Joe was in time trouble. Old
habits die hard. The point is 29 Bxb2 Bxb2
30 Rd1 (or 30 Qxb2?? Nd3+) 30 ... Qf6 31
Kf1 Re8 and Black dominates the board.
29 Kf1 Re8 30 Bd3 c4 31 Qxb4
Not 31 Bxc4?? Qe4!.
31 ... cxd3
32 Be3?
32 Qf4 was the only possible defence.
32 ... Nxd5 33 Qc4 Qe6?
With more time, he would have found 33
... Qe4, which more or less wins on the spot.
34 Qxd3 f4 35 Rxa7?
Perhaps the clock was catching up with
both players. After 35 Bd4! White survives.
35 ... Nxe3+ 36 fxe3 Qh3+
Back on track.
37 Ke2 Rxe3+ 38 Qxe3 fxe3 39 b6 Qf5
40 Rb7 d5 41 Rc7 Be5 42 Rc5 Bf4 43 b7
Qg4 44 Rxd5 Qg2+ 45 Kd3 Qxf3 46 Rg5+
Kf7 47 Rf5+ Kg6 0-1
It’s obvious that 6 g4 is going to
promote an exciting game, so we should
thank all White players in advance for
taking the risk. Objectively, Black, keeping
calm, has nothing to fear and can hit back in
various ways. Perhaps the Benoni method,
as shown here, is the most effective.
Game 104 Ale.Hoffman-M.Lynch US
Open, Reno 1999
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 g4!?
Here it is again. We saw Black play ...
c7-c5 in the previous game. What can
happen if he goes for ... e7-e5 instead?
 6 ... e5 7 d5 a5 8 h4 Na6 9 g5 Ne8 10
h5
10 ... f5
Black is starting to worry about the
impending White attack, but now Hoffman
is able to change plan and play much more
positionally. Meanwhile, 10 ... c6 11 Qd3
(of course 11 Be3 cxd5 12 cxd5 Bd7 13 Nf3
is completely possible, with a sort of
Averbakh Variation) 11 ... Nc5 12 Qg3 f5
13 gxf6 Nxf6 14 hxg6 Nfxe4 15 Nxe4 Nxe4
16 Qg2 leads us on a wild trail.
11 gxf6 Qxf6 12 Be3! g5 13 Bg4!
Very nice. The exchange of light-
squared bishops emphasizes the weakness of
the f5-square.
13 ... Nc5
Maybe he should just take on g4 and
play ... h7-h6, though White is still to be
preferred after 13 ... Bxg4 14 Qxg4 h6 15 0-
0-0 a4 16 Kb1 a3 17 b3 Rf7 18 Nge2.
14 Bxc8 Rxc8
15 Qg4
I’m sure Hoffman will have considered
15 h6! Bxh6 16 Qh5 Bg7 (16 ... Kg7? 17
Nge2!, threatening Ng3-f5, is a
straightforward win since 17 ... Qg6 18 Qh3
also hits the c8-rook) 17 Qxh7+ Kf7
carefully, before maybe deciding it wasn’t
necessary at this point.
15 ... Nd3+?
Black loses the plot, a common
occurrence when under pressure. He should
just move the rook with 15 ... Ra8. In this
case Hoffman might have reverted to 16 h6!
Bxh6 17 Qh5, though it’s not quite as strong
as before after 17 ... Kg7 18 Nge2 Qg6 19
Ng3 (19 Qh3? now allows 19 ... Nd3+ 20
Kf1 Nf4) 19 ... Qxh5 20 Rxh5 Kg6.
16 Ke2 Nxf2 17 Qxc8
Why not? Black has overlooked that his
knight is trapped.
17 ... Nxh1 18 Qh3 Nf2 19 Qg2
Suddenly, White’s task becomes a lot
easier.
19 ... Qh6 20 Bxf2 Qxh5+ 21 Kd3 g4
22 Be3 Qg6 23 Nge2 h5 24 Ng3 Bh6 25
Nf5
 There was never any compensation
because of this very idea. After the arrival of
the knight on f5, Black could resign.
25 ... Bg5 26 Bxg5 Qxg5 27 Qd2 Rxf5?
27 ... Qxd2+ 28 Kxd2 Ng7 was
relatively best, but then 29 Nxg7 Kxg7 30
Nb5 Rf7 (or 30 ... Rf2+ 31 Ke3 Rxb2 32
Nxc7) 31 Ke2 Kg6 32 Rf1 should lead to a
technical win.
28 exf5 Qxf5+ 29 Ne4 Kh7 30 Qe2 Ng7
31 Rf1 Qg6 32 Rf6 1-0
You play this line at your own risk, but
one can certainly state that 6 g4!? is worth
consideration and might make a very good
surprise weapon.
Game 105 Ba.Jobava-D.Yuffa World
Rapid Championship, St. Petersburg 2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2
0-0 6 h4!?
The King’s Indian cannot be bashed flat
in this fashion! But as the Georgian
grandmaster Baadur Jobava has taken a
liking to this move, along with other
distinguished titled colleagues, there must be
more to 6 h4 than meets the eye. Or is it just
a temporary craze? First up, if White is
allowed to play h4-h5 and transfer his queen
to the h-file, he could be in business. The
Benoni/Benko approach seems an
aggressive response.
6 ... c5! 7 d5 b5!?
Simply 7 ... e6 8 h5 exd5 9 cxd5 Re8
seems good for Black to me, allowing White
to do his thing. Pointed development should
head off any White attack. For example, 10
hxg6 (I guess AlphaZero would play 10 h6!?
here) 10 ... hxg6 11 Bg5 (it’s worth noting
that 11 Bh6?! is just a bluff; i.e. 11 ... Bxh6
12 Rxh6 Nxe4! 13 Qd3 Qe7 14 Nf3 Bf5) 11
... Qb6! 12 Qc2 Na6 13 a3 c4! (exactly the
sort of energetic response we are looking
for)
 14 Be3 (14 Bxc4? Nxe4! is damaging,
since 15 Nxe4 Bf5 16 f3 Nc5 17 Be3 Nxe4!
18 Bxb6 Ng3+ wins on the spot) 14 ... Nc5
15 Rd1 (still not 15 Bxc4? Nfxe4! 16 Nxe4
Bf5! etc) 15 ... Ng4 16 Bxg4 Bxg4 17 f3
Bd7 (even here 17 ... Nxe4!? was tempting)
18 Nge2 Nd3+ 19 Rxd3 cxd3 20 Qd2 Qb3
21 Nc1 Qc2 22 Nxd3 Qxd2+ 23 Kxd2 f5 24
Bf4 Bxc3+ 25 bxc3 fxe4 26 fxe4 Rxe4 27
Bxd6 Rae8 28 c4 Bf5 29 Kc3 b6 30 Kb4
Re3 31 Nf4? Bd7 (threatening ... a7-a5
mate) 0-1 S.Danailov-L.Ftacnik, Tekirdag
2016. The type of game that makes one
wonder about the future of 6 h4.
8 cxb5 a6 9 bxa6 Bxa6 10 h5
It is very hard to believe in this,
especially against the Benko – even more so,
given that White is now returning the pawn
he has won.
10 ... Bxe2 11 Ngxe2 Nxh5 12 f3 Nd7
12 ... Qb6 looks very promising too.
13 Kf2 Rb8 14 Rb1 c4 15 g4 Nhf6 16
Kg2 Ne5 17 Bh6
17 ... Qd7
17 ... Bxh6 is often correct in positions
where White cannot recapture with his
queen. In this case, White’s game is
unenviable after 18 Rxh6 Nd3 19 b3 Qb6 20
Qg1 Qxg1+ 21 Kxg1 cxb3 22 Rxb3 Rxb3
23 axb3 Nh5!, with ... Kg7 in the offing.
18 Bxg7 Kxg7 19 Ng3 h6
He seems to be afraid of Qd2, but there
is no need: 19 ... Qa7! is strong, meeting 20
Qd2 with 20 ... Kg8 21 Qh6 Nd3!.
20 Qd2 Rh8 21 Nce2 Qa7 22 b4 Nd3
The immediate 22 ... Qa3! leaves White
in a mess.
23 Rhf1 Qa3 24 b5 Ra8 25 Nc3 h5?!
I am not sure this is necessary. 25 ... Qc5
gives White less to work with.
26 g5 Nd7 27 Nge2 N7e5 28 Nd4 Nf4+
Again 28 ... Qc5, and if 29 Nc6?! then
29 ... Ra3.
29 Kh2 Ned3 30 Nc6 Rhb8!? 31 Nxb8
Rxb8 32 b6
 33 Rb5 Qa8 34 Rh1 Qc8 35 Kg3 Qd8
36 Rh4 Rxb6 37 Rxf4 e5??

A horrible mistake, presumably

prompted by time pressure. 37 ... Rxb5 38
Nxb5 Qb6! was indicated, with Black
retaining an edge after 39 Rh4 Qxb5 40 Rh1
Qa6 41 Qc3+ Kg8.

38 dxe6 Rxb5 39 Rxf7+ Kg8 40 e7 1-0

The 6 h4 line is bound to lead to a messy

position, where anything can happen. This
32 ... Rb7 suits a carefree type of player, which Jobava
seems to be. From England, I am sure GM
Even here, having given up the Simon Williams would love this stuff. But is
exchange, Black is still better after 32 ... it really as good as the main lines? No way!
Qa6! 33 a4 Rxb6 34 Rxb6 Qxb6 35 Ne2
Nxe2 36 Qxe2 Qa7, as the knight on d3 is so
strong. Maybe White can clamber his way to
a draw; e.g. 37 Qa2 Qe3 38 a5 c3 39 a6
Qf4+ 40 Kh3 Qxg5 41 a7, when Black has
to take perpetual with 41 ... Nf4+ 42 Kh2
Qh4+ 43 Kg1 Qg3+ etc.

Chapter Nine
King’s Indian Byways
In this final, but no less important, chapter
of the book, I will examine some ideas
which cannot be considered main lines, but
which definitely deserve our full attention.
In order:
1. 4 ... 0-0, leaving the black d-pawn on
d7 for the moment.
2. Lines with an early ... c7-c6.
3. The Dizdar-Indian with 4 ... Bf5.
Castling First
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 0-0!?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with 4
... 0-0, yet we see 4 ... d6 far more often. It is
not clear to me why. Even after Black
castles, most of the games transpose to the
main lines we have already covered, but
there are some that do not. Strong players
sometimes choose 4 ... 0-0 to offer White
the opportunity to take the game off the
beaten track. So what are the differences?
1. White can play the immediate 5 e5.
2. White is being given the opportunity to
over-extend.
3. Black may not play ... d7-d6 at all,
preferring an offbeat system with ... c7-c6
and ... d7-d5!?.
4. Since Black has made a developing move
rather than a pawn move, he may counter in
the centre a bit more aggressively than
usual.
All this makes play after 4 ... 0-0 interesting
and exciting.
Game 106 S.Donoso Diaz-D.Di
Berardino Foz do Iguacu 2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 0-0 5 e5!?
A move that doesn’t have a good
reputation. White neglects development in
favour of a dubious-looking pawn attack.
Black now seems to be able to undermine
the centre quickly with ... d7-d6 and then ...
c7-c5!. Yet 5 e5 might not be all that bad, if
White can restrain himself over the next few
moves.
Of the other possibilities, we’ll look at 5
Bg5 in Game 108, and 5 Nf3 c6!? in the
next section.
5 ... Ne8 6 Bf4
I think this is best. White gets a piece
out.
The classic game that is often given
when discussing this line is R.Letelier
Martner-R.J.Fischer, Leipzig Olympiad
1960, which went as follows: 6 f4?! d6 7
Be3 c5! (Fischer is not afraid to sacrifice a
pawn to open things up) 8 dxc5 Nc6! 9 cxd6
exd6 10 Ne4 Bf5 11 Ng3 Be6 12 Nf3 Qc7
13 Qb1 (13 exd6 Nxd6 sets the entire black
army free) 13 ... dxe5 14 f5 e4! (White’s
king is stuck in the centre, so it makes
perfect sense to switch to full-on attack)
 15 fxe6 (perhaps he originally intended
15 Qxe4, but then 15 ... Bxb2 16 Rb1 gxf5
17 Qc2 Bg7 or 15 ... gxf5 16 Qf4 Qxf4 17
Bxf4 Bxb2 18 Rb1 Bc3+ leaves Black with
a big advantage) 15 ... exf3 16 gxf3 f5 17 f4
Nf6 18 Be2 Rfe8 19 Kf2 (19 0-0 is no good
either: 19 ... Rxe6 20 Bf2 Qxf4 21 Bxa7
Qg5 or 20 Bc5 b6 21 Ba3 Nd4 22 Bf3
Nxf3+ 23 Rxf3 Ng4 24 Qc2 Bd4+ and
Black wins) 19 ... Rxe6 20 Re1 Rae8 21 Bf3
(Fischer now uncorks a splendid finish) 21
... Rxe3! 22 Rxe3 Rxe3 23 Kxe3 Qxf4+!! 0-
1, since 24 Kxf4 Bh6 is checkmate! But
what did White expect? He broke the rules
of opening play, pushing pawns instead of
developing pieces. His opponent then
opened up the game and crushed him.
6 ... d6 7 Nf3
Natural, but if White wants to make this
line work, he should play 7 h3, as we will
see in the next game.
7 ... Bg4!
Now Black is comfortable. I don’t say he
is better, but after an exchange on f3 he will
be able to develop easily and attack the
centre.
8 Qb3?!
8 h3 Bxf3 9 Qxf3 Nc6 10 0-0-0 dxe5 11
dxe5 Qc8 12 Qe4 Qe6 13 Re1 Rd8 14 Nd5
leads to a rather sharp position. I think
White should have played this way, as the
knight on d5 is imposing. Nevertheless,
Black has counterplay after 14 ... f6.
8 ... Bxf3! 9 gxf3 Nc6 10 0-0-0 Qc8 11
Nd5?!
A berserk charge was possible: 11 h4!?
(again, Simon Williams would no doubt
approve) 11 ... Nxd4! (a typical Black
counterstroke) 12 Rxd4 dxe5 13 Nd5 Kh8!
14 Bxe5 (14 Nxe7 Qe6 15 Qxb7? fails to 15
... Nd6) 14 ... Bxe5 15 Re4 Qf5!? 16 Bh3
Qh5 17 Qe3 Bg7 18 Bg4 Qh6 19 Rxe7 leads
to very sharp play.
11 ... e6 12 Bh3 Qb8 13 Rhe1
Retreating the knight leads to a collapse
of his centre, so White goes for it.
Unfortunately, his position is already very
fragmented and it may not be possible to
find a good plan.
13 ... exd5 14 cxd5 Nxd4!?
Blow for blow. Black could just have
retreated the knight.
 15 Rxd4 dxe5 16 Bxe5 Bxe5 17 Rxe5
c5!
A killer discovered attack on both rooks,
giving Black the time he needs to play his
knight to the wonderful square d6.
18 Rde4 Nd6 19 Re1 Qd8 20 Qa4 Qf6
21 Qg4 b5 22 Bf1 c4 23 f4 Rad8 24 Bh3
c3!
The time is right to attack the white
king.
25 b3
25 bxc3 Nc4 is disastrous for White; e.g.
26 Qf3 Qd6 27 R5e2 Qa3+ 28 Kb1 b4 or 26
Qg3 Qa6 27 R5e2 Qa3+ 28 Kb1 Rxd5 and
wins.
25 ... Nb7
25 ... b4 also looks very strong.
26 f5 Qa6 27 R1e2 Nc5 28 fxg6
28 ... Nd3+ 29 Kb1
If 29 Kc2 then 29 ... Nxe5 30 gxf7+ Kh8
31 Rxe5 Qxa2+ wins.
29 ... c2+
Or 29 ... Nxe5 again; e.g. 30 gxf7+ Kh8
31 Qd4 c2+! 32 Rxc2 Qf6.
30 Rxc2 Nxe5 31 gxf7+ Kh8 32 Qf4
Rxd5 33 Rd2 Rxf7 34 Re2 0-1
If White wants to play 5 e5, he must go
in with his eyes open and be aware of the
consequences should the game open up
early.
Game 107 D.Bronstein-B.Rytov Tallinn
1973
1 c4 Nf6 2 Nc3 g6 3 d4 Bg7 4 e4 0-0 5 e5!?
I suppose White could argue that he is
gaining space. Perhaps this how
grandmasters Bronstein and Gulko saw the
position.
5 ... Ne8 6 Bf4 d6 7 h3!
 Not allowing Black any easy exchanges
with ... Bg4. I reckon this is the way to make
5 e5 playable.
7 ... Nd7
7 ... c5 8 dxc5 Qa5 is the sharpest way to
tackle the position, as in B.Gulko-
B.McCarthy, Columbus 1987. With Black
coming out of the traps very fast indeed,
White has to show care. Boris Gulko is not
intimidated: 9 exd6 Bxc3+ (maybe he
shouldn’t give up the bishop just yet; after 9
... exd6!? 10 Nf3 dxc5 11 Be2 Nc6 12 0-0
Nc7 both sides simply develop and Black is
equal; essentially, Gulko is asking his lower-
ranked opponent to make a difficult
judgment call at an early stage of the game)
10 bxc3 Qxc3+ 11 Bd2 Qe5+ 12 Be2 exd6
13 cxd6 Qxd6 14 Nf3 Nc6 15 0-0 (White
has made it out of the opening with a small
edge: he has a nice dark-squared bishop that
cannot be contested, even if his pawn
structure isn’t ideal)
15 ... Ng7 16 Bc3 Qxd1 17 Rfxd1 Re8
18 Bf1 Be6 19 Ng5 Rad8 20 Ne4 (the dark
square weaknesses have turned out to be the
most important feature of the position) 20 ...
Nh5 21 g4 f5 22 Rxd8 Rxd8 23 Nc5 Nf4 24
Nxb7 Rf8 25 g5 Bf7 26 Nd6 Rd8 27 Rd1
Ne6 28 Bf6 Rd7 29 Bg2 (White is now
winning comfortably) 29 ... Na5 30 Rd5 Nf4
31 Nxf7 Nxd5 32 Nh6+ Kf8 33 Bxd5 Rc7
34 Be5 Rc8 35 c5 Nc6 36 Bd6+ Kg7 37 Nf7
Nb4 38 Bc4 Nc2 39 Ne5 Nd4 40 Kg2 f4 41
Nd7 f3+ 42 Kh2 Nc6 43 Bd5 h6 44 Bxc6
Rxc6 45 Be5+ Kh7 46 Nf8+ Kg8 1-0. I’m
guessing that McCarthy went back to the
sheds and was rather puzzled by what had
happened. How could an opening line that
was supposed to be at least okay for Black
turn out so badly?
8 Nf3 c5
Without this thrust Black’s position
would become passive.
9 dxc5 dxe5
9 ... Nxc5 seems very reasonable to me.
10 Bxe5 Bxe5 11 Nxe5 Qc7 12 Nxd7
Bxd7 13 Qd4 Bc6 14 Nd5
 White has found a way to make life
difficult for his opponent, who is a pawn
down and facing the great Bronstein. I’m
sure that Black is okay here, but he will have
to play accurately as he has no attack. Rytov
does not manage the task well.
14 ... Bxd5
Instead, 14 ... Rd8 leads to unclear play;
for example, 15 Nxc7 (or 15 Rd1 Bxd5 16
cxd5 Nf6 17 d6 Qc6 18 f3 b6 19 b4 a5 20
a3) 15 ... Rxd4 16 Nxe8 Re4+ 17 Be2 Rxe8
18 b4!? Re5 19 f3!, though Black is yet to
get his pawn back in either line.
15 cxd5 Ng7 16 Be2 Rfd8 17 Rc1
Perhaps Bronstein didn’t castle due to 17
0-0 Nf5 18 Qc4 b5!? 19 Qxb5 Nd4 20 Qc4
Nxe2+ 21 Qxe2 Qxc5, though all I see is a
long hard struggle for Black to get a draw
after 22 Rfd1 Rxd5 23 Rxd5 Qxd5 24 Qxe7
Qd2 25 Qb7.
17 ... Nf5
It is a question of coordination after 17
... Qa5+ 18 b4 Qxa2 19 Bf3 a5 20 0-0.
White has strong pawns in the centre, a
superior minor piece, and potential pressure
against e7 and b7, whereas Black has
nothing to write home about. Against a GM
this adds up to a miserable defence.
18 Qe4
18 ... e6?
Black has to try 18 ... Nd6! 19 Qd3 Ne8
20 0-0 Nf6 and hope to hang on. Play might
continue 21 d6! (or 21 Bf3 Nxd5! 22 Bxd5
e6) 21 ... exd6 22 Qf3 Kg7 23 cxd6 Qxd6 24
Qxb7 Rab8 25 Qxa7 Rd7 26 Qa3 Qd2,
which to me looks like a shot at a draw. At
least Black is active.
19 dxe6 Rd4 20 exf7+ Kf8
Or 20 ... Qxf7 21 Qf3 Qxa2 22 0-0.
21 Qe6 Rd2?
I can’t guess what Black thought he saw
when playing this move.
22 Kxd2 Rd8+
Neither 22 ... Qa5+ 23 Rc3 nor 22 ...
Qf4+ 23 Kc3 is any good either.
23 Ke1 Qf4 24 Rd1 Nd4 25 g3 1-0
Is 5 e5 so bad? I don’t think so, although
it wouldn’t be my first choice.
There are plenty of other ways White
can meet 4 ... 0-0. Let me show you my
favourite.
Game 108 F.Vallejo Pons-M.Mustaps
European Rapid Championship, Tallinn
2016
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 0-0 5
Bg5!

A nice aggressive move. White will back
up the bishop with Qd2, possibly follow
with Bh6 at some point, and try to attack the
black king. This cannot be a refutation of the
whole line, but Black has some problems to
solve.
5 ... d6
5 ... h6 6 Be3 shows the difference from
the 4 ... d6 5 Bg5 h6 line in Game 75. Here
Black is unable to play ... Ng4, and then 6 ...
d6 7 f3 prevents it, when a subsequent Qd2
will force Black to think about his h-pawn.
He can play ... Kh7 to defend, but does he
want to?
6 Qd2!
The thematic continuation. If White
wishes he can also play 6 Be2, transposing
to the Averbakh Variation in Chapter Five.
6 ... c5
As usual 6 ... e5? is a clear mistake, as it
has been many times with a white bishop on
g5. After 7 dxe5 dxe5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9 Nd5
White wins material. 9 Bxf6 Bxf6 10 Nd5
Nd7 11 Nxc7 Rb8 12 Nd5 Bg7 is also
terrible for Black, but he has limited his
losses to a pawn.
7 d5 a6
The Benoni set-up received some rough
treatment in B.Chatalbashev-G.Verhaeren,
Gent 2017: 7 ... e6 8 Bd3 exd5 9 exd5 Re8+
10 Nge2 Nbd7 11 f4?! (impatient; White
should prefer simply 11 b3 Ne5 12 Bc2 Bg4
13 0-0) 11 ... a6? (Black is not on form and
misses the chance to play 11 ... h6 12 Bh4
Ne4!, when it will be White who has to
scramble for equality) 12 0-0 Qa5 13 f5 Ng4
14 h3 Nge5 15 f6 Bh8 16 Ng3 h6 (16 ...
Nxd3 17 Qxd3 Ne5 can be met by 18 Qc2,
since 18 ... Nxc4? 19 Nce4! and b2-b3 is
very good for White) 17 Bxh6 Nxf6
18 Rf4 (the computer likes 18 Rxf6!
Bxf6 19 Nce4 Qd8 20 Nxf6+ Qxf6 21 Ne4,
but I think Chatalbashev took the view that
he didn’t need to sacrifice anything to beat
his opponent – it would just happen
naturally) 18 ... b5 19 Raf1 bxc4 20 Bc2?!
(and here 20 Bxg6! fxg6 21 Rxf6 Bxf6 22
Rxf6 and 23 Qg5 apparently crashes
through) 20 ... Nfd7? (he was right; Black
has to try 20 ... Nh7 21 Qf2 Ra7, when
there’s no immediate way in for White) 21
Qf2 Nd3? (making it easy) 22 Bxd3 cxd3 23
Ra4 1-0. Not a perfect game, but in a way
representative of the whole line after 5 Bg5.
White brings immediate pressure to bear.
Dropping down below master level; we
come to 7 ... Re8?!, a typical club player’s
move. Black is trying to sidestep Bh6, but
the rook is unimpressive on e8. C.Melville-
E.Steger, San Francisco 2016, continued 8
f3 e6 (he thinks he is activating the rook, but
once White plays f2-f3, the rook bites on
granite) 9 Nge2 Qa5 10 Nb5 Qb6 11 dxe6! 10 ... b4 11 Nd5 fxe6 12 e5!
(suddenly, the pressure is pounding down on
Black in a rather unusual way)

11 ... Rxe6? 12 Nf4 Nxe4 (going
ballistic; it doesn’t work) 13 fxe4 Rxe4+ 14
Be2 Be5 15 Nd5 Qa6 16 Ne7+ Kf8 17 Nxc8
f6 18 0-0 Nc6 19 Nc7 1-0.
Black had to try 11 ... Bxe6 and hope
that the roof doesn’t cave in after 12 Nxd6!
(12 Nec3! gives White a safe edge, but no
more than that) 12 ... Rd8 13 e5 Nbd7! 14
exf6 Nxf6 15 0-0-0 Rd7. This may actually
work, as White is now coming under a
counterattack, but the line is not easy to find.
TIP: The King’s Indian player must
possess tactical flair, which will often be
needed to break out of a cramped or
inferior-looking position.
Devastating.
12 ... exd5 13 exf6 Bxf6 14 Qxd5+ Rf7
15 Bxf6 Qxf6 16 Qxa8
Vallejo says “why not?”
16 ... Rb7
There will be no way for Black to
confine the white queen permanently or trap
her in the corner.
17 Nh3 b3 18 a3 Qd8 19 Bd3 Nd7 20
Be4 Nb6 21 Qxa6 Rf7 22 Qa5 1-0
These brief games should whet your
appetite for 5 Bg5!.
Lines with an early ... c7-c6
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 0-0 5 Nf3
c6!?

8 f3 e6 9 0-0-0 b5?
To say that Black is going for it would
be an understatement. He has forgotten that
the centre is not yet secure. Interestingly, 9
... e5! may now be correct, looking like it
loses a tempo, but blocking the position as a
prelude to ... b7-b5. After 10 h4 (or 10 g4)
10 ... b5, it’s game on!
10 dxe6!
With the point that 10 ... Bxe6 is met by
11 e5!, winning.
 A true offshoot of the King’s Indian,
where Black is thinking about playing ... d7-
d5. This may produce positions which are
similar to the Grünfeld or even Slav
Defences. I remember that English GM
Jonathan Mestel was fond of this
unbalancing approach. Black gets decent
results with this system, but that is usually
because White is surprised by 5 ... c6. He is
getting ready to bash out his theory and
suddenly has to face something new.
Perhaps the whole line is best used as a
shock weapon.
Game 109 E.Tomashevsky-Ba.Jobava
FIDE Grand Prix, Tbilisi 2015
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 0-0 5 Nf3
c6 6 Be2
White continues his Classical
development. A more critical response is 6
e5, which we examine in the next game.
6 ... d5
Obviously Black can return to Classical
lines if he prefers. On the previous move 5
... d6 just enters the main lines of Chapter
Three, while 6 ... d6 here transposes to
Game 8, or if 7 0-0 e5 then Game 50.
7 e5!
7 ... Ne4
7 ... Ne8 8 cxd5 cxd5 9 0-0 Nc6 10 Be3
f6 may just about be playable for Black, but
there is no doubt that White has both a
development and spatial edge after 11 exf6
Nxf6 12 Rc1!.
8 0-0 Nxc3 9 bxc3 Nd7 10 a4
Cramping Black. White could also
exchange on d5 at once with 10 cxd5 cxd5,
when 11 Qb3 Nb6 12 a4 transposes to the
game.
10 ... Nb6 11 cxd5 cxd5 12 Qb3 Qc7 13
Nd2 Be6 14 a5 Nd7 15 c4?!
I am not sure about this move, as it
brings the bishop on e6 into the game.
Simply 15 Ba3 would maintain White’s
edge.
15 ... Nxe5!?
Mixing it up, a typical decision from
Jobava, who is a most inventive player.
Naturally, Black could have preferred the
steadier 15 ... dxc4 16 Bxc4 Bxc4 17 Nxc4
Rac8 with a very reasonable position.
16 cxd5
Not 16 dxe5? Qxe5, when White’s e2-
bishop and a1-rook are both under attack.
16 ... Ng4 17 Qh3!?
Tomashevsky is up for a fight as well.
17 ... Bxd4?
The wrong way. GM Mikhalchishin
notes that Black had to play 17 ... Nxf2! 18
Qh4 Ng4! 19 dxe6 Bxd4+ 20 Kh1 Bxa1 21
Qxg4 f5 22 Qf3 “and the two pieces should
give White some advantage over the rook
and two pawns.”
18 dxe6 Nxf2 19 Rxf2 fxe6 20 Qxe6+
Kh8 21 Bb2!

Perhaps underestimated by Jobava.
White gets to keep his extra piece and
converts with comparative ease.
21 ... Bxb2 22 Rxf8+ Rxf8 23 Rf1
Rxf1+ 24 Nxf1 Qxa5 25 Qxe7 Qf5
25 ... Qb6+ 26 Kh1 Qf2 27 Ne3! is much
the same. Black can’t take the bishop due to
28 Qf8 mate, and otherwise White gets to
consolidate; e.g. 27 ... h5 28 Qe8+ Kh7 29
Nc2 a5 30 Bd3 Qf6 31 Ne1, 32 Nf3 and so
on.
26 Ne3 Qc8 27 Bg4 Qb8 28 Nd5 b5 29
Bd7 a6 30 g3 Bg7 31 Kg2 Qf8 32 Qe4 Qd6
33 Bc8 a5 34 Qe8+ Qf8
If 34 ... Bf8? then 35 Be6 followed by
Qf7 wins.
35 Qxf8+ Bxf8 36 Bd7 b4 37 Ba4 Bd6
38 Kf3 Kg7 39 h3 h5 40 Bc2 g5 41 g4
hxg4+ 42 hxg4 Kf7 43 Ke4 Ke6 44 Bb3
Kd7 45 Ba4+ Ke6 46 Nb6 Bc7 47 Nc4 Bd8
1-0
The black king has to give way after 48
Bb3.
We have just seen that White can get a
small but steady edge by allowing ... d7-d5.
It may be better still to hit the black knight
immediately.
Game 110 Al.Aleksandrov-E.Mirzoev
European Championship, Batumi 2018
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 0-0 5 Nf3
c6 6 e5!
Once Black has played the relatively
passive ... c7-c6, White’s advance in the
centre starts to become a lot more attractive.
Positions are reached which resemble
Alekhine’s Defence, with White holding
more space and, as a consequence, the better
chances.
6 ... Ne8 7 Be2 d6
7 ... d5 is a bit clunky now and
transposes to 7 ... Ne8 in the notes to the
previous game. It can even be met by the
audacious 8 h4!, which Stockfish likes and
which has scored well for White over the
board.
8 0-0 Nd7?!
Black is just asking to end up in a
cramped position. To make this playable, he
should probably go for 8 ... dxe5 (8 ... Bg4 is
met by 9 Ng5! Bxe2 10 Qxe2 Nc7 11 Bf4
and White holds the edge) 9 dxe5 (or 9
Nxe5 Nd6) 9 ... Qxd1 10 Rxd1 Nc7 11 Bf4
Ne6 12 Bg3 Nd7 and, compared to the
game, Black’s situation is eased somewhat
with the queens off the board.
9 Re1 dxe5 10 dxe5 Nc7 11 Bf4 a5
 11 ... Ne6 12 Bg3 a5 13 Qc2 Ndc5 14
Bf1 Qb6 15 Rad1 Nc7 16 Bh4 Re8 17 h3 is
similar to the game. It’s a murky position,
with White a little better. I’m slightly
concerned that Black’s pieces will end up in
a tangle.
12 h3 Ne6 13 Bh2 Qb6 14 Qc2 Ndc5 15
Rad1 Bh6 16 Bf1 Nc7 17 g4
The first sign of real ambition. White
prevents ... Bf5 and keeps Black in the box.
Of course he also weakens his king slightly.
Which is the most significant factor?
17 ... a4 18 Kh1 Be6 19 Nd4 a3 20 b3
N5a6 21 f4!
This advance, gaining more space, is
consistent with g2-g4, and from here on in
Black struggles to find a decent plan. He
was always a bit worse; now it gets bad.
21 ... c5
He could have tried something like 21 ...
Rad8!? 22 Qf2 Bc8 23 f5, but White clearly
has strong pressure.
22 Nxe6 Nb4 23 Qe4! Nxe6
23 ... fxe6 24 Bg2 Nc6 25 Rd7 is quite
horrible for Black.
24 Nd5 Nxd5 25 cxd5 Nd4 26 Bg1 f5
27 exf6 exf6 28 Bxd4 cxd4 29 Qxd4
Black has unsuccessfully tried to mix it
up. The suffering now starts in earnest.
29 ... Qd6
Or 29 ... Qxd4 30 Rxd4 f5 (trying to bail
out with opposite-coloured bishops) 31 g5!
Bg7 32 Rdd1 Rfe8 33 Rxe8+ Rxe8 34 d6.
This may not be 100% lost for Black, but it
is exceedingly uncomfortable. Mirzoev
takes a quicker way out.
30 f5 gxf5 31 gxf5 Rac8 32 Re6 Qg3 33
Qg4+ Qxg4 34 hxg4 Rc2 35 d6 Rxa2 36
Bc4 b5 37 d7 bxc4 38 Re8 1-0
To write the 5 ... c6!? line off in the
space of two games would be completely
wrong, but it simply is not as good as the
main lines. If you want to play this against a
weaker opponent to get some sort of
interesting game, then please do, and that is
where this system might be at its best.
Objectively, 5 ... d6 is superior.
The Dizdar-Indian We close this chapter
and the book, by taking a look at the Dizdar-
Indian, named after Bosnian grandmaster
Emir Dizdarevic. It’s a fusion of the King’s
Indian and Old Indian and is only applicable
against certain move orders, specifically
when White has played an early Nf3. It is an
uncommonly interesting system, but I can
only whet your appetite here. A First Steps
volume is no place for exhaustive analysis.
 Game 111 R.Buhmann-N.Vitiugov
Moscow 2017
1 Nf3 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 c4 g6 4 Nc3 Bf5!?
Here it is. Instead of entering a Classical
System after the automatic 4 ... Bg7 5 e4,
Black prevents e2-e4 in a rather unusual
way. The bishop is provocatively placed, but
it is precisely if White gets carried away
trying to prove the bishop to be exposed that
Black’s position starts to show some teeth.
Fabiano Caruana has played this system a
lot in recent years, which speaks for both the
soundness and originality of 4 ... Bf5.
TIP: Developing offbeat weapons for
occasional tournament use will lead to
improved results.
5 Nh4!?
Forcing through e2-e4 at the risk of
misplacing the knight. I doubt this is
White’s best response.
We cannot bypass this variation without
showing a Caruana game and an effort from
the inventor. First, Fabiano.
a) 5 d5 Bg7 6 Nd4 Bd7 (the bishop
almost always drops back here if attacked
early) 7 e4 0-0 8 Be2 e6 9 Bg5 h6 10 Be3
exd5 11 exd5 Re8 12 Qd2 Kh7 13 0-0-0!?
(very optimistic) 13 ... Na6 (Black has found
decent squares for his pieces, but can he
survive a sudden kingside assault?) 14 h4!?
Nc5 (Caruana relies on centralization to see
him through) 15 h5 g5 16 f3 Kg8 17 g4
Rb8! (the counterattack must come from
somewhere, so Black gets ready to open the
queenside)
18 Rhe1 c6 19 Kb1 cxd5 20 cxd5 a6 21
Bd3 Nxd3 22 Qxd3 Rc8 23 Nde2 b5!
(suddenly, it is White who is on the
defensive) 24 Ng3 Rc4 25 Bd2 Rf8 26 Nf5
Bxf5 27 Qxf5 b4 28 Ne2 Nd7 29 Rc1 Rxc1+
30 Rxc1 a5 31 Ng3 Re8 32 Re1 Nc5 33
Rxe8+ Qxe8 34 b3 a4 35 Bxb4 axb3 36
axb3 Qb8 37 Bxc5 dxc5 38 Ne4 (the smell
of time trouble is in the air) 38 ... Qxb3+ 39
Kc1 Bd4 40 Kd2?? (40 Nd2 Be3 41 Qc8+
Kg7 42 Qxc5! Qd3 43 Qc2 Qxd5 is equal)
40 ... c4 41 Qc8+ Kg7 42 d6 Qd3+ 43 Kc1
Be3+ 0-1 V.Akobian-F.Caruana, Isle of
Man 2017. In an open tournament and a
must-win game, Black pushes the risk
button and comes out on top. This is actually
a very good example of the potential of 4 ...
Bf5.
b) 5 g3 (many players will opt for this
type of quiet stuff, refusing to be provoked)
5 ... Ne4!? (simply 5 ... Bg7! 6 Bg2 0-0 7 0-
0 Ne4 seems okay for Black too) 6 Qb3!
Nxc3 7 Qxc3 (7 Qxb7?! Be4! 8 d5 Nd7 9
bxc3 Bg7 10 Bd2 0-0 gives Black very
comfortable play, despite being a pawn
down) 7 ... Bg7 8 Bg2 c5 9 Qb3 Qb6 10 Nh4
Bc8 (the recent moves give you a taste of
the original ideas that Black is bringing to
the table and how he might lure White into
making poor decisions; Black is already a
bit better, as White now has to look after his
centre)
11 d5 Nd7 12 0-0 0-0 13 e4 Qb4 14
Qxb4 cxb4 15 Rb1 Ne5 16 b3 b5! 17 cxb5
Bd7 18 Bg5 Rfe8 19 Rfc1 Bxb5 20 Rc7 Kf8
21 Rbc1 Nd3 22 R1c2 Bd4 23 Bh6+ Kg8 24
Be3 Bxe3 25 fxe3 Ne1 26 Rc1 Nxg2 27
Kxg2 Bd3 28 Kf3 e6 29 Rd7 exd5 30 exd5
Be4+ 31 Kf2 Rec8 32 Rcc7 Rxc7 33 Rxc7
a5 34 Nf3 a4 35 Nd4 Bb1 (White has been
outplayed) 36 Rb7 Bxa2 37 Rxb4 axb3 38
Nxb3 Ra3 39 Nd4 Bxd5 40 Rb6 Ra2+ 41
Kg1 Rg2+ 42 Kf1 Rxh2 43 Rxd6 Be4 44
Rd8+ Kg7 45 Re8 Bd5 46 Re5 Bc4+ 47 Kg1
Rb2 48 Rc5 Bd3 49 g4 h6 50 g5 Be4 51
gxh6+ Kxh6 52 Re5 f5 53 Ne6 Re2 54 Nf4
Rxe3 0-1 F.Cunjalo-E.Dizdarevic, Zenica
2016. The first game with 4 ... Bf5 that I
have on record from Dizdarevic stems from
1998. It is good to see him still playing the
line in the present day.
5 ... Bd7 6 Nf3!?
Surely 6 e4, after which Black can
respond with either 6 ... Bg7 or 6 ... e5.
Instead, it feels like White is suggesting a
quick draw by repetition. He is disappointed.
6 ... Bg7
Vitiugov has gained the extra move ...
Bd7 for free. Will it prove useful?
7 e4 0-0 8 Be2 c5
This break looks best here. After 8 ...
e5?! 9 dxe5! dxe5 10 Nxe5 Nxe4 11 Nxe4
Bxe5 12 Bg5 f6 13 Qd5+ Kg7 14 Qxe5! (not
14 Qxb7?? Bc6) 14 ... fxe5 15 Bxd8 Rxd8
16 Nc5 Na6 (or 16 ... Bc8 17 Bf3) 17 Nxa6
bxa6 18 Bf3 Rab8 19 0-0-0 Be6 20 b3,
Black faced a tricky endgame which he was
unable to defend in V.Ikonnikov-
V.Balashov, Moscow 2005.
9 d5 e6 10 0-0 exd5 11 exd5 Re8 12 h3
Na6 13 a3 Nc7 14 Rb1 Rb8
Black has built up a very reasonable
Benoni position and has made sense of his
bishop on d7. Chances are equal but not in
any sort of drawing sense.
15 Bf4 b5!?
Just 15 ... Bf5! was fine.
16 cxb5
If 16 Bxd6 then 16 ... Bf5 17 Bxc7 Qxc7
18 Bd3 bxc4! 19 Bxf5 gxf5 20 Nd2 Qf4
continues to unbalance the position. Like
Caruana before him, Black pushes the boat
out to try and win.
 16 ... Nxb5 17 Bxb5 Bxb5 18 Nxb5
Rxb5 19 Qd3 a6 20 b3 Qa8 21 Bxd6 Nxd5
22 Qc4 Nb6 23 Qc2 Qc6

Although the machines show “equal”, I

actually prefer Black here. His pieces are
more active and, practically, it is easier to
play Black’s game – as proven now when
White makes a mistake.

24 a4? Nxa4! 25 bxa4 Rxb1 26 Rxb1

Qxd6 27 Qc4 Bd4 28 Rb7 Qf4 29 Kf1??

Spot the tactic. 29 Kh1 Qf6 30 Qa2 was
a better stab at resistance.
29 ... Re1+! 30 Kxe1 Bxf2+ 0-1
The Dizdar-Indian is definitely worth your
consideration, though you will only be able
to play it occasionally. As a surprise
weapon, it can be recommended!
 Final Words
We have reached the end of this book and I thank you for reading. I set out to introduce you to
the King’s Indian and enthuse you, and I hope I have succeeded. More work will undoubtedly be
required if you wish to play this opening at a high level, but we are taking our “first steps” and
should not be befuddled with too much theory. Maybe I’ll still be around in fifteen years time to
pick up my pen again on this subject. I hope so – although quite what an opening book will look
like in 2034 is anyone’s guess. Until we meet again, may good fortune come your way!
Index of Complete Games
Aleksandrov.A-Mirzoev.E, European Championship, Batumi 2018
Alterman.B-Barnes.M, London Lloyds Bank 1994
Arkell.K-Martin.A, British Championship, Torquay 1998
Arun Prasad.S-Perez Mitjans.O, Badalona 2012
Averbakh.Y-Fritsch.K, Graz 1987
Averbakh.Y-Panno.O, USSR-Argentina match, Buenos Aires 1954
Bach.M-Kotronias.V, Aarhus 2019
Bekker Jensen.D-Hammer.J, Helsingor 2018
Bhakti.K-Kovalev.V, Dubai 2018
Blechzin.I-Ager.J, World 65+ Team Championship, Rhodes 2019
Bogner.S-Zerafa.R, Batumi Olympiad 2018
Braun.A-Maiwald.J, German League 2019
Bronstein.D-Rytov.B, Tallinn 1973
Brown.M-Mamedyarov.S, PRO League, chess.com (rapid) 2018
Buhmann.R-Vitiugov.N, Moscow 2017
Carlsen.M-Yuffa.D, Doha 2015
Caruana.F-Svidler.P, Russian Team Championship 2013
Chatalbashev.B-Aabling Thomsen.J, Danish Championship, Svendborg 2019
Colin.V-Hebden.M, Guernsey 2013
Cori Tello.J-Izquierdo.E, Peruvian Championship, Lima 2017
Danailov.S-Kasparov.G, World Junior Championship, Dortmund 1980
Donoso Diaz.S-Di Berardino.D, Foz do Iguacu 2018
Drazic.S-H.Lee.J, Novi Sad 2019
Flear.G-Hawkins.J, British Championship, Torquay 2013
Gareyev.T-Ehlvest.J, US Open (rapid), Orange 2013
Gareyev.T-Gong.D, Auckland 2019
Geller.E-Ree.H, Amsterdam 1970
Gheorghiu.F-Kasparov.G, Thessaloniki Olympiad 1988
Gligoric.S-Kozul.Z, Yugoslav Team Championship 1990
Golubov.S-Bocharov.D, Taganrog 2019
Gorovets.A-Zapata.A, Charlotte 2018
Grischuk.A-Carlsen.M, Sinquefield Cup, St. Louis 2018
Gurevich.M-Hebden.M, Clichy 2001
Gustafsson.J-Naiditsch.A, Dortmund 2012
Gutman.L-Martin.A, Hastings 1984/85
Hansen.H-Fitzsimons.D, British League 2018
Hoffman.A-Lynch.M, US Open, Reno 1999
Hoi.C-Lugovoi.A, Oslo 2018
Iturrizaga Bonelli.E-Popovic.D, Batumi Olympiad 2018
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