King's Indian 101: Fianchetto Variation--7.b3

The usual move in the Fianchetto Variation is 7.Nc3, but here Beliavsky faces the rare 7.b3.  Black must keep a close watch against the queenside storm, as in many Fianchetto Variation games. 

King's Indian 101: Fianchetto Variation

The King's Indian Fianchetto Variation is reached by several move orders, but let's begin with the most straightforward. 

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 d6 5.Bg2 O-O 6.O-O

Let's agree on this as the starting position for the KI Fianchetto Variation.  The Queen's Knight hasn't been committed yet, unlike the other KI mainlines, and the light-squared Bishop is coming in on the long diagonal, instead of to the usual e2 or d3.  White is likely going to push the e-pawn two squares as in other variations, but even that's in question.   This variation usually lacks the wholesale assault by Black on the White position due to the extra protection afforded by the Bishop, and the center will tend to be more fluid than in the other mainlines (it's more difficult for Black to focus an attack on the kingside when the center is not closed). 

Now White usually plays 6.O-O, but note that because the KI is a hypermodern opening Black is not tying White down to any particular move order. Black has several moves, with the principal being 6...Nbd7.  Others include 6...Nc6, c6, c5, a6, Bg4, Na6, and Bf5. 

6...Nbd7  The Knight is not ideally placed here, of course, but it's going to support Black's play into the center at e5.  In response, White has the major move 7.Nc3, the often-played 7.Qc2, and the minor moves 7.b3 (see G124) and 7.d5.  We'll look at Nc3 in the main, consider Qc2, and handle the other two moves in subsequent games. 

I.  7.Nc3 and now 7...e5 (diagram) is the best by theory.  Black's equalization in this position is still in the future, but he has no weaknesses.  White has the better grip on the center, and the Black Knight at d7, however necessary, is going to have to move again soon.

8.e4 White also plays 8.h3 here, but it has little independent significance.  Black now plays 8...c6 almost half the time and 8...exd4 a little over a quarter of the time.  The other two common moves are 8...Re8 and 8...a6.  After 8...c6, play may continue 9.h3 Qb6 10.Re1 exd4 11.Nxd4 Ne8 and Black is okay.  Continuing, 8.e4 c6 9.h3 (9.b3 Re8 10.h3 exd4) 9...Qb6 10.Re1 (diagram) 

10...exd4 11.Nxd4 Ne8 (11...Re8 12.Nc2 Nc5 =) 12.Nb3 a5 13.Be3 Qb4 14.a3 and White is slightly better (diagram) due to a space advantage and better coordinated pieces. 


II.  7.Qc2 e5 (the alternative is 7...c6 and it may be objectively as good 8.Rd1 Qc7 9.Nc3 e5 with a slight advantage to White) 8.Rd1 Re8 (8...Qe7 Nc3 9.c6 e4 10.exd4=) 9.Nc3 c6 10.e4 (10.b3 and now while 10...e4 has been the move of choice, this position deserves closer attention) 10...exd4 (10...Qe7 and look particularly at 11.b3 or d5) 11.Nxd4 (diagram) and Black is okay. 

Now a couple of games.

King's Indian 101: Fianchetto Variation

The Fianchetto Variation of the King's Indian is a popular way to avoid the mainlines of the opening in which Black will conduct an all-out assault on the kingside.  There are many ways to arrive in the Fianchetto Variation, including as in the below game.

King's Indian 101: Classical Variation--9.Nd2

This King's Indian comes from the 17th Correspondence World Championship.  White scores with the third of the big three White responses to the Mar Del Plata Variation of the King's Indian: 9.Nd2.  The move may only be inferior to 9.Ne1 and 9.b4 in terms of the times it has been played.  Play is often across the entire board as in this game, and here, Black simply wasn't able to hit hard enough on the kingside.  The novelty in the game is at White's 20th. 

King's Indian 101: Introduction Part IV--Sämisch Variation

Click here for Part I: Overview

Click here for Part II: Classical
Click here for Part III: Four Pawns Attack
Click here for Part V: Averbakh System

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3  introduces the Sämisch Variation.  White fortifies e4 and employs a flexible system, including that the King can be tucked away to either side of the board.  Should Black play an early c5, the opening will often look more like a Benoni than a KI.  The main choice by Black now is 5...O-O; Black may also play 5...c6, 5...Nbd7, 5...e5, 5...Nc6, and 5...a6.  In response to 5...O-O, White has a major move, 6.Be3, and two minor choices, 6.Bg5 and 6.Nge2 (see G111).  After 6.Be3, Black has no less than seven moves that have been played more than 1,000 times in Mega 2010.  Kasparov has played five of them.  For purposes of this introduction, let's reduce the numbers by looking at 2600+ players, with the winning percentage, as always, from White's persepective:

6...e5  22 Games  47.7%
6...c5 20 Games  45%
6...Nc6 7 Games  57.1%
6...Nd7 5 Games  70%
6...c6  3 Games  83.3%
6...a6  3 Games  83.3%
6...b6  1 Game  50%

So, it's 61 games, with more than two-thirds of those games involving one of two moves: 6...e5 or 6...c5, with those two moves showing a plus on the Black side.  Unless there be any mistake, the players of the White pieces in all of the above games were also above 2600.  The thrust of this intro is to identify some of the major lines of play, and, as always, the details of the opening will be drawn out through games. 

A.  6...e5 and now White has 7. d5 and 7.Nge2, with mainline play as follows:

 1.  7.d5 c6 8.Qd2 cxd5 9.cxd5 Nbd7     
       
 2.  7.Nge2 c6 8. Qd2 Nbd7 9.O-O-O a6 (see G113)

B.  6...c5 and now White has 7.Nge2, 7.dxc5, 7.d5

1.  7.Nge2 (keeps the tension) Nc6 8.d5 (8.Qd2) Ne5 9.Ng3 e6

2.  7.dxc5 dxc5 8.Qxd8 Rxd8 9.Bxc5 Nc6 and Black's compensation is indicated by that in over 700 games, White has a mere 47% win rate despite the extra pawn.  (See G114)

3.  7.d5 e6 8.Qd2 exd5 9.cxd5 a6

C.  6...Nc6 (Panno Variation) 7.Nge2 (7.d5?! Ne5!) a6 8.Qd2 Rb8

King's Indian 101: Introduction Part V--Averbakh System

Click here for Part I: Overview
Click here for Part II: Classical
Click here for Part III: Four Pawns Attack
Click here for Part IV: SämischVariation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 O-O 6.Bg5

The Averbakh presents a small exception to the notion that it's White's fifth move that determines the line of th KI being played.  White usually plays 5.Be2, and that raises the Averbakh alert.  After 5...O-O, White, however, can transpose back to the Classical with 6.Nf3 or follow through with the Averbakh by 6.Bg5. (Diagram below.)

After 6.Bg5, Black is constrained from pushing 6...e5 because of the resulting pin on the Knight.  7.dxe5 dxe5 8.Qxd8 Rxd8 9.Nd5 Nbd7 10.Rd1.  Black's usual move here is 6...c5, but 6...Na6, 6...h6, and 6...e6 are played with some frequency.  6...Na6 deserves a separate post.  7.d5  (7.dxc5 Qa5 (7...dxc5 8.Qxd8 Rxd8 9.e5 Nfd7 10.e6 Nf6 11.exf7+ Kxf7) 8.Bd2 Qxc5 9.Nf3 Bg4) 7...h6 8.Bf4 (Diagram left.)  Now the most popular move is to go straight for the center-buster 8...e6, but 8...a6 deserves attention, too.  Now the position gets complex fast, and Black does need to sort out these complexities at home.  9.dxe6 Bxe6 10.Bxd6 (Diagram below right.)

The usual move now is overwhelmingly 10...Re8. And one question arising is whether the move no one plays, 11.Bxc5, is playable? 11...Qa5 12.b4 Qa6 and the position appears tenable.  Black is down two pawns, but has significant compensation.  More work is required.  After 10...Re8, the usual play goes  11.Nf3 Nc6 12.O-O Nd4 13.e5 Nd7 14.Nxd4 cxd4 15.Qxd4 Nxe5 16.Bxe5 Qxd4 17.Bxd4 Bxd4, where Black has almost enough compensation for the pawn. (Diagram below left.)

While this certainly an incomplete discussion of the Averbakh, we'll fill in the discussion with forthcoming games.  One thing that stands out in even a preliminary investigation of the this line is that there is tremendous potential for original analysis and computer research. 

King's Indian 101: Introduction Part III--The Four Pawns Attack

For Introduction Part II, click here: Classical.

For Introduction Part I, click here: Overview.

White's fifth move of 5.f4 marks the Four Pawns Attack.  White intends to overwhelm the Black position.  The downside is that White's center is potentially overextended if Black is quick enough to take advantage.  In addition to the vulnerable pawns, White is slightly behind in development.  Black should aim, if the opportunity presents itself, to open the position without delay.  The game typically continues 5...O-O 6.Nf3.  In addition, to 6.Nf3, Black has tried 6.Be2, 6.Bd3, and 6.e5?!.  More on these in future posts.  Back to Nf3, there are two serious moves considered by Black in this position.  The first is the mainline: A.  6...c5.  The second is the more modern B. 6...Na6 (which I haven't made peace with yet). 

A.  6...c5

7.d5 is the common move, closing the position temporarily (diagram right).  7...e6 (7...b5?! 8.cxb5 a6 9.a4! (9.bxa6?! Qa5 10.Bd2 Bxa6 =) 9...axb5 10.Bxb5 Ba6 11.Bd2 Bxb5) 8.Be2 (8.dxe6 fxe6  9. Bd3 Nc6=) 8...exd5, and now both 9.exd5 and 9.cxd5 are possible, with 9.cxd5 being much more common. Black now has two decent possibilities in 9...Re8 and 9...Bg4 (diagram below), both of which will be the subject of future posts.

B. 6...Na6 (diagram below left)

7. Be2 e5 8.dxe5 (8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Nxe5 c5 =) 8...dxe5 9.Nxe5 Nc6 =

7.Bd3 the current fashion 7...e5 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.d5 c6 10.O-O Nc5 (Black must consider 10...Qd6) (diagram below right)

or perhaps better 7...Bg4!? 8.O-O Nd7 9.Be3 e5 and Black has not yet equalized in either of the 7.Bd3 lines

7.e5?! Nd7! 8.Be2 c5 9.exd6 exd6