This opening is defined by the position shown on the board below. The moves displayed are a typical sequence that leads to it, but different sequences can reach the same position and still carry the same opening name.
Indian Defense: West Indian Defense
Moves: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6
Description: The West Indian Defense is a variation of the Indian Defense where Black fianchettoes the kingside bishop early with ...g6. This setup aims to control the long diagonal and exert pressure on White’s center from a distance.
Characteristic: The key characteristic of this move is Black’s intention to develop the bishop to g7, supporting a hypermodern strategy that challenges White’s center without occupying it immediately with pawns.
Attacking or Defensive: From Black’s perspective, the West Indian Defense is a flexible and somewhat defensive approach initially, focusing on solid development and counterattacking chances rather than immediate confrontation. For White, the position encourages active central play to claim space and challenge Black’s fianchettoed bishop.
Center Control: This opening does not involve an immediate direct attack on the center by Black but instead attacks the center indirectly by putting pressure on the long diagonal and preparing to contest the center with pieces rather than pawns.
Practice puzzles and train your tactics with real positions from games that used the Indian Defense: West Indian Defense, and sharpen your opening mastery.
Puzzle 1 of 159 - Move #6 black
You can also discover how top players used Indian Defense: West Indian Defense to leverage key strategies to secure victories in these classic matchups.