I just played an interesting game on ICC against a black player who started with e6 against my e4. I wasn't scared, but I felt unprepared. My main opening line is the KIA and the KIA just felt wrong against e6. Was I right? I don't know, my mind is a whirl of contradictory thoughts right now. The important thing is that I know now that I don't know when to use the KIA and when to stick with something else. I know the problem.
The KIA may be a universal system and that's the way my book on the KIA advertises it, a system you learn once and use against anything and everything. However, against some openings the KIA is clearly not optimal. What I want to know is, when do I use the KIA and when do I go for something different?
I always start with e4 now, because it is "the best by test" and most flexible. (Nf3 almost forced me to do KIA) To what black responses should I employ a non KIA line and what are good lines for the KIA?
Anyway, here's my game on ICC, the one that got me thinking about all this:
[Event "ICC 2 12 u"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2005.12.05"]
[White "Exigentsky"]
[Black "guest2293"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B07"]
1. e4 d6 2. Nf3 Bg4 3. d4 Nf6 4. h3 Bh5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Be2 Nc6 7. Bg5 Be7 8. O-O
O-O 9. e5 dxe5 10. dxe5 Bxf3 11. exf6 Qxd1 12. Bxd1 Bxd1 13. fxe7 Rfe8 14.
Raxd1 Nxe7 15. Bxe7 Rxe7 16. Rd3 {Black resigns} 1-0
So, was I right now to follow through with a KIA defense? Would KIA have even worked here or would it have been the start of my downfall?
BTW: Sorry for such a long brain dump, I know it may be overwhelming, but I love chess and have an incredible drive to improve. I really need your help. Opening theory is driving me nuts, it is perhaps the single most difficult aspect of the game, at least for me.
Originally posted by exigentskyKIA is fine against the French (1 e4 e6). Fischer used to use it in this way.
I just played an interesting game on ICC against a black player who started with e6 against my e4. I wasn't scared, but I felt unprepared. My main opening line is the KIA and the KIA just felt wrong against e6. Was I right? I don't know, my mind is a whirl of contradictory thoughts right now. The important thing is that I know now that I don't know whe ...[text shortened]... is driving me nuts, it is perhaps the single most difficult aspect of the game, at least for me.