01 Jan 15
Originally posted by aljogeI own and have read both books. They are both great, but I would recommend the McDonald book for two reasons:
Got a voucher for the prize of 1 chessbook: and really like to study kings indian attack. But there are 2 available, both from everymanchess. Which one?
by John Emms, 2005 or
Neil McDonald 2013
1) McDonald's book is a very modern treatment, showing lines, ideas, and finesses that have only come to the forefront in the last few years. I have played the KIA for 20 years, but he introduced nuances I have never seen before.
2) Emms' book is superb, but it is older, so you can probably find it at a discount if you scour the internet a bit.
Ideally, I would recommend reading the Emms book first, as it has a better historical perspective, and then read McDonald's book. The Emms book has more "classic" KIA themes that show up in amateur games all the time, and provides a broader base from which to learn the opening.
What ever book you get cover it in brown paper and write on the cover
in large felt tip pen. 'How to Play Against the KIA.'
That way your White King's Bishop will think when you are playing over the games
it is to learn how to play against the KIA and you are not thinking of adopting it.
If your White King Bishop finds out you are planning to fianchetto
it in every game then you will not be able to get it out of the box.
Reading what Paul says (who has experience with this opening)
Go for Emms first (I also agree with Datafly about the ginger eyebrows.)
Emms has the basics and this bit about the Emms book:
"...KIA themes that show up in amateur games all the time,
and provides a broader base from which to learn the opening."
Ginger eyebrows will pushing you in the deep end with these 'nuances' from GM games.
Learn to doggie paddle first and see how the averge joe reacts to this set-up.
Finally don't forget to tell your team captain what you are intedning to play so he can
arrange it that you get Black in every league game and not waste the White pieces on you.
Send my kindest regards to your White King's Bishop...I hope he gets well soon.
02 Jan 15
Originally posted by greenpawn34Luckily I did not order and changed my mind and changed my mind and handed this voucher in for Emms book. Now got more feeling what those ginger eyebrows are: My opponents come from a day hard work and have sleepy eyebrows and for this introduction: "...KIA themes that show up in amateur games all the time,
What ever book you get cover it in brown paper and write on the cover
in large felt tip pen. 'How to Play Against the KIA.'
That way your White King's Bishop will think when you are playing over the games
it is to learn how to play against the KIA and you are not thinking of adopting it.
If your White King Bishop finds out you are planning to fi ...[text shortened]... ieces on you.
Send my kindest regards to your White King's Bishop...I hope he gets well soon.
and provides a broader base from which to learn the opening." It sounds promising to understand it.
Hope the white pieces are not wasted
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03 Jan 15
1 edit
I have John Emms book, good stuff. (Naa, I don't play the KIA), but if I would thats probably a very good book. Remember reading positive reviews about it. John Emms himself confess to have played KIA extensively in his teens. Plus I like Emms writing much better than McDonald. KIA theory changes very little which is why you should not hesitate not to get the newer book.
03 Jan 15
1 edit
Originally posted by greenpawn34Here is a somewhat reputable 1. e4 player using the KIA as his weapon in an Interzonal tournament (once I get the pgn thingy sorted out):
What ever book you get cover it in brown paper and write on the cover
in large felt tip pen. 'How to Play Against the KIA.'
That way your White King's Bishop will think when you are playing over the games
it is to learn how to play against the KIA and you are not thinking of adopting it.
If your White King Bishop finds out you are planning to fi ...[text shortened]... ieces on you.
Send my kindest regards to your White King's Bishop...I hope he gets well soon.
Originally posted by Paul LeggettHere is a somewhat readable version. This is based on some old work (from 2007) I did involving studying all of Fischer's games in the KIA from 1957-1972. I picked the top 30 and pretended like I was writing a book or a thesis- I wrote from the perspective of a student. I had just finished my MBA and was still in hard core study mode, so I applied it to his games. Errors are all mine.
Here is a somewhat reputable 1. e4 player using the KIA as his weapon in an Interzonal tournament (once I get the pgn thingy sorted out):
[pgn][Event "Sousse Interzonal+"]
[Site "Sousse"]
[Date "1967.??.??"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Fischer, Robert James"]
[Black "Myagmarsuren, Lhamsuren"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A08"]
[WhiteElo "2610"]
[BlackE ...[text shortened]... decades! A pretty end to a well-played game.} (31. Qxh7+ Kxh7 32. hxg6+ Kxg6 33. Be4🙄 1-0[/pgn]
(23) Fischer,Robert James (2610) - Myagmarsuren,Lhamsuren (2279) [A08]
Sousse Interzonal+ Sousse (3), 1967
[C00: French: Unusual White 2nd moves]
1.e4 e6 2.d3 [Arguably, the KIA was Fischer's best approach to the French Defense. At the very least, they are his games against the French that are cited and published the most!]
2...d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.g3 [It is more common for White to play 4. Ngf3 first, but the game transposes in any case. With this move, White preserves the option of playing f4 before committing the Knight.]
4...c5 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.Ngf3 Be7 7.0–0 0–0 8.e5 [Diagram
The thematic move, effectively splitting the board in two.]
8...Nd7 9.Re1 [GM Henley provides a very insightful comment here: "If a student had time to learn only one game thoroughly in the KIA, I would recommend this game. Fischer's play in this game became the standard to which other games are compared!"]
9...b5 [This is the best and most aggressive way to play the French against the KIA. If Black does not aggressively pursue Queenside action, White will conduct the game on his own terms against Black's King.]
10.Nf1 [A typical redeployment in this variation. The Knight will return to action via h2 and g4, or sometimes to e3–especially if Black plays his Queen to c7 and the thematic sacrifice on d5 becomes viable.]
10...b4 11.h4 a5 12.Bf4! [Exclam by GM Alexander Chernin, who added "A good move, overprotecting e5 so that the Nf3 can later play to g5". Indeed, the move is now part of the main line, having stood the test of time.]
12...a4 13.a3! [Diagram
Exclam by FM Smith and SM Hall. In their words, the move is "designed to block the positional threat 13. ... a3 which would force a weakening of the dark squares."]
13...bxa3 14.bxa3 Na5? [Smith and Hall consider this move suspect, and recommend 14. ... Ba6 or even 14. ... Nd4. GM Emms is the one who awards the punctuation, arguing that "the knight does little here; Black should continue with 14. ... Ba6."]
[Black tried 14...Nb6 and achieved a quick draw, although the final arrangement of pieces would encourage many White players to play on. 15.h5 c4 16.h6 g6 17.d4 Na7 18.Qd2 ½–½ Rodriguez Cordoba,J (2390)-Robatsch,K (2460)/Skopje 1972/EXT 2000]
15.Ne3 [15.N1h2 Here is an example of the alternative deployment given in the notes at move 10: 15...c4 16.d4 c3 17.Bh3 Ra6 18.Qd3 Rc6 19.Ng5 g6 20.Ng4 Nc4 21.Qf3 Kg7 22.Nh6 Nd2 23.Qd1 Qb6 24.Bxd2 cxd2 25.Qxd2 Qb2 26.Rab1 Qxc2 27.Qf4 Bxg5 28.hxg5 Qd3 29.Bf1 Qxa3 Hera,I (2312)-Erdelyi,Z (2146)/Budapest 2000/EXT 2001/1–0 (41)]
15...Ba6 16.Bh3! [Diagram
Smith and Hall assign the exclam here, and Dunnington concurs. It is a recurring theme for White to deploy the Bishop to h3 to eye the e6 pawn, especially when Black puts his Queen's bishop on b7 or (more often) a6. The move not only inhibits Black from playing ...f6 or ...f5, but can also increase the effectiveness of a potential sacrifice on d5.]
[A more modern treatment has White assaulting the center and clearing the h1–a8 diagonal in the style of Reti: 16.c4 dxc4 17.Ng5 cxd3 18.Qh5 Bxg5 19.hxg5 f5 20.exf6 g6 21.Qh3 Qb6 22.Nd5 exd5 23.Bxd5+ Rf7 24.Bxf7+ Kxf7 25.Qxh7+ Kf8 26.Qg7# 1–0 Meschke,A-Seeling,K (2200)/Schwaebisch Gmuend 1998/CBM 062 ext]
16...d4 [While it is clear that Black must open lines in the center on the Queenside, White will now be able to use the e4 square for operations against the Black King.]
17.Nf1! [Exclam by GM Emms. Here we have another fine Fischer Knight move to the back rank, with the idea of redeployment (shades of Fischer- I. Ibrahimoglu, which occurred three years later). It also presages Fischer's famous King's Indian Defense speed game against Korchnoi at the "World Blitz Championship" in Herceg Novi in 1970, where his Knight redeployment ended the game in his favor. IM Dunnington also gives the exclam, adding that " White shows his understanding of these positions with this retreat. Many players would use the g4–square for the knight, but then White's queen would have difficulty when the time comes to swing over to the kingside".]
[If 17.Ng4 then 17...Nb6=]
17...Nb6 18.Ng5 [A recurring, thematic move in this type of position. White tries to tempt Black to create a pawn weakness in front of his King, or give up his dark-squared Bishop.]
18...Nd5 [Smith and Hall criticize this superficially-appealing move. Interestingly, Rybka considers 18. ... Bb7, 18. ... h6, and 18. ... c4 to all be equal.]
19.Bd2 [This move has the effect of keeping the Queen on the a5–d8 diagonal to protect the Knight, and discourages ...c4. Dunnington adds that " Fischer does not want to exchange his queen's bishop because his g5–knight is menacing enough to push Black into giving up his own dark-squared bishop. Keeping watch over the squares f6 and h6 is vital".]
[19.Qh5 If 19...Bxg5 20.Bxg5 Qe8= and Black is OK. This last move is important- in many variations of the KIA vs. the French Defense, the Black Queen's move to the e8 square becomes a valuable defensive asset, and solves many of Black's problems.]
19...Bxg5 [Naturally, the removal of Black's dark-squared Bishop immediately makes him weaker on the dark squares- a fact his King will become personally acquainted with in just a few short moves.]
[19...c4 20.Bxa5 Qxa5 21.dxc4=]
20.Bxg5= [Diagram
While computers may consider this position to be equal, White's two Bishops and the relative King positions ae such that, given the choice, I think most players would rather play the White side here.]
20...Qd7 21.Qh5 Rfc8 22.Nd2 Nc3 23.Bf6! [GM Keene awards this move an exclam, while Smith and Hall give it two- I suspect exclams crossing the ocean are subject to the same exchange rate as the dollar and the pound!]
23...Qe8 [The Bishop is taboo: 23...gxf6 24.exf6 Kh8 25.Bf5 exf5 26.Re7 Qd8 (26...Qxe7 27.fxe7+&ndash😉 27.Rxf7 Qg8 28.Rg7 Qxg7 29.fxg7+ Kxg7 30.Re1+–]
24.Ne4 [See note at move 16.]
24...g6?! [Black has a creative defense involving a sacrifice of the exchange starting with 24...Bb7! and after 25.Nd6 Qf8 26.Nxc8 Rxc8 27.Bg5 White may still have some advantage, but Black is certainly better than the game continuation. He will be down the exchange, but the positon definitely favors his Knights over White's Bishops.]
25.Qg5± [Now Fischer has the pawn lever h4–h5, and g3–g4 if Black tries ...h5. White's advantage is clear. Just when Black's King really needs to find religion, his dark-squared Bishop is nowhere to be found.]
25...Nxe4 26.Rxe4 c4? [Perhaps 26...Bb7!? might be a viable alternative 27.Rf4 Bd5±]
27.h5 [If 27.Rxd4 Rc7 28.h5 cxd3 29.cxd3 Nb7+–]
27...cxd3 28.Rh4 Ra7? [Black needed to play Rc7– a variation of the old annotator's standby, "wrong Rook".]
29.Bg2!! [GM Emms awards this move a double exclam without comment, but]
[NM Pandolfini writes that "White has a powerful Kingside attack, but Black may be able to hold the position ( 29.Qh6 , for example, is answered by ... 29...Qf8 , offering to trade Queens, dissipating White's assault). Fischer played a move so subtle that Black gve it little attention."]
29...dxc2 [If Black plays the obvious 29...Qf8 there follows 30.Be4 dxc2 31.hxg6 fxg6 32.Bxg6 hxg6 33.Rh8+ Kf7 34.Rxf8+ Rxf8+–]
30.Qh6 Qf8 [The "promotional sacrifice" 30...c1Q+ fails to alter the decision: 31.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 32.Kh2 Rh1+ 33.Bxh1 Qf8 34.Qxh7+ Kxh7 35.hxg6+ Kg8 36.Rh8#]
31.Qxh7+!! [Exclams provided by a chorus of Grandmasters over the last four decades! A pretty end to a well-played game.]
[31.Qxh7+ Kxh7 32.hxg6+ Kxg6 33.Be4#]
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