King's Indian

Originally posted by Mahout
A couple of years ago when I was just starting to take more of an interest in chess and had just joined a chess club I was using the KIA. It was relatively easy to learn with the simple and interchangeable move order. It also seemed to come as a surprise to many of my opponents. Typically I ended up with a very crowded board reaching 15 sometimes 20 moves w ...[text shortened]... h was disappointing, although I haven't spent enough time with it to be able to say quite why.

Regarding the interchangeability of the opening moves for White, I wonder if this is really so. For example, after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 when Black thinks he is getting the Sicilian, but White intends to play the KIA, 3.g3 is I think a big mistake due to 3...d5. So here White must play 3.d3 when after 3...d5 4.Qe2 White seems to have a very strong game.

After 3 d3 Nc6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.o-o Nge7 7.c3 d5 I am not sure how the game stands -- there is a great deal of inconsistency in the databases. However, it looks as if Black has at least equalized. Perhaps some of the KIA players (Kepler?) would like to weigh in on this.

Regarding Seirawan, I thought his Winning Chess Strategy was lucid and worthwhile. His prose is generally clear and well-targeted at the novice reader. As a first book on strategy it has something to recommend it. I didn't think he made the section on minority attacks clear enough, however.

Originally posted by Mark Adkins
After 3 d3 Nc6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.o-o Nge7 7.c3 d5 I am not sure how the game stands -- there is a great deal of inconsistency in the databases. However, it looks as if Black has at least equalized. Perhaps some of the KIA players (Kepler?) would like to weigh in on this.

I would be happy with that position although it might not be to everyone's taste. I would be thinking of playing Qe2 or Nbd2 at this point and follow up with Nh4 and f4 with the trademark KIA kingside attack. I think that in this sort of opening whether or not black can equalise is not so important. in fact it is likely he will be able to do so but what is he going to do with it? Black's natural attacking chances lie on the queenside where there are few targets while white is likely to have a big fat king to aim at.

Originally posted by Kepler
I would be happy with that position although it might not be to everyone's taste. I would be thinking of playing Qe2 or Nbd2 at this point and follow up with Nh4 and f4 with the trademark KIA kingside attack. I think that in this sort of opening whether or not black can equalise is not so important. in fact it is likely he will be able to do so but what is he ...[text shortened]... queenside where there are few targets while white is likely to have a big fat king to aim at.

Don't forget the center. After Qe2 I think perhaps ...d4; after Nbd2 I'm not sure, but I do think as Black here I ought to be playing to control the center.

Originally posted by Mark Adkins
Don't forget the center. After Qe2 I think perhaps ...d4; after Nbd2 I'm not sure, but I do think as Black here I ought to be playing to control the center.

The key for black is to break open the centre without allowing white to stick a pawn on e5. If you allow the centre to become locked then white will happily attack on the kingside while black flails about achieving nothing in particular on the queenside.

There is an argument that white is not intending d4 at all despite the pawn on c3 apparently preparing the way. That c3 pawn is actually there (so the argument goes) to prevent black occupying d4 with a knight or some other piece and the d3 pawn supports e4.

Nbd2 is a sort of combination developing move and waiting move. Do I want the queen on e2? e1? c1? I'll wait and see and while I am waiting the knight on d2 supports e4, the knight on f3 (just in case black plays Bg4 at some point) and can move to the kingside via f1 if needed.