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.
Name: King's Indian Defense
Moves: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3
FEN: rnbqkb1r/pppppp1p/5np1/8/2PP4/2N5/PP2PPPP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 1 3
The King's Indian Defense is a dynamic and flexible opening choice for Black against 1.d4. By fianchettoing the dark-squared bishop with ...g6 and ...Bg7, Black aims to control the long diagonal and prepare for a strong kingside presence.
Characteristic: This opening is characterized by Black allowing White to occupy the center initially with pawns on d4 and c4, while Black plans to counterattack the center later with moves like ...e5 or ...c5. The fianchettoed bishop on g7 plays a crucial role in pressuring White’s center and supporting Black’s counterplay.
Attacking or Defensive: For Black, the King's Indian Defense is primarily an attacking opening, focusing on counterattacking White’s center and launching a kingside offensive. For White, it is more positional and controlling, aiming to maintain central space and sometimes preparing to exploit Black’s kingside commitments.
Center Control: White initially occupies the center with pawns on d4 and c4, while Black deliberately delays direct contest of the center in the opening, planning to challenge it later. Thus, the King's Indian Defense is a hypermodern approach where Black attacks the center from a distance rather than occupying it immediately.
Practice puzzles and train your tactics with real positions from games that used the King's Indian Defense, and sharpen your opening mastery.
Puzzle 1 of 132 - Move #6 black
You can also discover how top players used King's Indian Defense to leverage key strategies to secure victories in these classic matchups.