k This lecture is one in a series that will review the moves and ideas behind the King's Indian Attack (KIA). The KIA is a flexible opening system used by many of the world's top players including Fischer, Stein & Tal. It has been successfully played against the French, the Sicilian and the Caro-Kann. This opening lends itself to players who can't spend a great deal of time memorizing openings as White can reach the basic position regardless of what Black does. 44 k The KIA vs. the Caro Kann 6 k Bobby Fischer and Leonid Stein played the KIA vs. the solid Caro Kann defense. White's plan is to attack the e5 square (usually occupied by a pawn and attack on the Q-side) or favorably break up Black's center. We shall see examples of each. 23 k Black's plan is to solidify his center position and suppress White's Q-side play. 8 wname Stein 1 bname Hort 1 e2e4 k Although the KIA can be reached by starting with 1.Nf3 it is more often reached after 1.e4. May e4 players use the KIA as an alternative to the semi-open games. 16 c7c6 d2d3 k By playing d3 (instead of d4) White has less space but more options. More importantly White is avoiding Black's opening preparation and playing the opening on his(her) terms. 17 d7d5 b1d2 k Shielding the queen from exchange in case of an exchange on e4. 8 g7g6 k Since White has not played d4, Black decides to occupy the long diagonal with his dark squared Bishop. 10 g1f3 k Attacking the e5 square. 6 f8g7 g2g3 k The basic setup begins to show itself. The KIA is really nothing more than the King's Indian Defense with the colors reversed! 12 e7e5 k Grabbing space in the center. 6 f1g2 g8e7 k Leaving the long diagonal clear and protecting d5. 6 c2c3 e8g8 e1g1 k Controlling the d4 square and preparing to expand on the Q-side. 7 b8d7 b2b4 k Gaining space on the Q-side and preparing to oppose the Bishop on g7. 8 k This is the basic setup for the KIA vs. the Caro Kann with ...g6 and ...e5. To see it in action, we will continue by showing Stein-Hort Los Angeles, 1968. 15 b7b6 c1b2 c8b7 f1e1 f8e8 g2h3 d8c7 e4d5 c6d5 c3c4 d5d4 a1c1 f7f5 h3g2 g7f6 c4c5 b6b5 d2b3 b7d5 a2a4 a7a6 b3a5 e7c6 a4b5 a6b5 k Now comes a shot .... I'll give you 60 seconds to find it! 65 f3e5 c6b4 e5d7 c7d7 c5c6 d7f7 e1e8 a8e8 a5b7 f6e5 g2d5 f7d5 c1c5 d5f7 d1f3 g6g5 c6c7 g5g4 f3d1 e5c7 d1d2 c7b6 c5b5 b4d3 b7d6 f7d7 d2g5 g8h8 g5f6 h8g8 f6g5 g8h8 d6e8 d7e8 g5f5 d3e1 b5b6 e1f3 g1g2 e8a8 f5f6 h8g8 f6e6 g8h8 e6c6 k And Black resigned here. 6 k Another black strategy is an early ...Bg4 with the idea of trading the N on f3 to relieve some of the pressure on the e5 pawn. 12 revert 1 wname Fischer 1 bname Ibrahimoglu 1 e2e4 c7c6 d2d3 d7d5 b1d2 g7g6 g1f3 f8g7 g2g3 g8f6 f1g2 e8g8 e1g1 c8g4 h2h3 k Forcing Black to commit to either Bxf3 or Bd7. Bh5 looses a piece to g4. 8 g4f3 d1f3 b8d7 f3e2 d5e4 d3e4 d8c7 a2a4 k Here Fischer gains space on the Q-side and challenges Black for control of the b5 square. 9 k So far we have been following Fischer-Ibrahimoglu Seigen Olympiad, 1970. The rest of the game shows how Fischer makes use of the b5 square to tie up Black. 15 a8d8 d2b3 k Looking to occupy the c5 square. 6 b7b6 k Black denies the Knight c5 but weakens the b5 square in the process. 8 c1e3 c6c5 a4a5 e7e5 b3d2 k The Knight starts the long journey to b5. 6 f6e8 a5b6 a7b6 d2b1 c7b7 b1c3 e8c7 k To challenge the Knight when it arrives at b5. 6 c3b5 b7c6 b5c7 c6c7 e2b5 k b5 is still a problem for Black. 6 d8a8 c2c3 a8a1 f1a1 k White now adds control of the open a-file to his list of positional pluses. 8 f8b8 a1a6 g7f8 g2f1 k Relocating the Bishop to a more useful diagonal. 6 g8g7 b5a4 b8b7 f1b5 d7b8 k Black's pieces are very passive. 6 a6a8 f8d6 a4d1 b8c6 d1d2 k Having tied Black up on the K-side Bobby now shifts his focus to the Black King. 8 h7h5 e3h6 g7h7 h6g5 b7b8 a8b8 c6b8 g5f6 b8c6 d2d5 c6a7 b5e8 h7g8 k A small combination winning a pawn..can you spot it? 30 seconds.... 36 e8f7 c7f7 d5d6 k Black resigns 6 revert 1 wname Stein 1 bname Portisch 1 e2e4 c7c6 d2d3 d7d5 b1d2 g7g6 g1f3 f8g7 g2g3 g8f6 f1g2 d5e4 k Black prematurely releases the central tension. This allows White's pieces some more breathing room. 10 d3e4 b8a6 e4e5 k Establishing a cramping pawn on e5. 6 f6d5 d2b3 c8g4 d1e2 d8c8 e1g1 e8g8 f1e1 a6c7 c1d2 f7f6 k It's ugly, but there is no other way to undermine the White's e5 pawn. 8 e5f6 g7f6 c2c3 k Blunting the dark squared Bishop's activity. 6 f8f7 e2e4 g4f5 e4c4 d5b6 c4f1 b6a4 d2c1 c8d7 f3e5 f6e5 e1e5 c7b5 c1f4 a8d8 b3c5 a4c5 e5c5 b5c7 c5e5 c7e6 f4h6 d7d6 f1e2 e6g7 a1e1 f5d3 e2g4 d3f5 g4c4 k Here Black miscalculates...the idea behind this is attempting to trap White Rook and Bishop in a mating trap. White shows us how to proceed correctly. 15 d6e5 e1e5 d8d1 g2f1 f5h3 k Winning a very important pawn. 6 e5e7 d1f1 c4f1 h3f1 e7f7 g8f7 k With a Bishop versus Knight in and endgame with pawns on both sides of the board (as well as being a pawn up), White has a won game. 12 g1f1 g7f5 h6e3 a7a6 f1e2 h7h5 e2d3 b7b5 d3e4 f7e6 h2h3 a6a5 e3c5 a5a4 c5f8 k Black resigns. 6 k This game is a good illustration of White's use of the long diagonal (h1-a8) 8 revert 1 wname Stein 1 bname deLange 1 e2e4 c7c6 d2d3 d7d5 b1d2 e7e5 g1f3 f8d6 g2g3 g8e7 f1g2 f7f6 k A clumsy way to support the e5 pawn. This also weakens the a2 - g8 diagonal. 8 d3d4 k Stein is quick to open up the center to get at the Black King. 8 c8g4 c2c4 k Hitting the weak diagonal again! 6 e5d4 c4d5 c6d5 e4d5 b8d7 e1g1 e8g8 d2b3 k Stein wants to get his Knight to c5 where it controls some key White squares (i.e. e6 and d7). 9 d7b6 d1d4 g4f3 g2f3 d6e5 d4d3 e7d5 b3c5 d5c7 d3b3 g8h8 c5b7 d8e8 b7a5 a8c8 c1e3 k A solid pawn up ... the rest is just good technique on Stein's part. 8 c7e6 a1c1 e5d4 c1c8 e8c8 f1c1 c8e8 a5c6 d4e3 b3e3 e6g5 f3g2 e8e3 f2e3 f8f7 c1d1 g7g6 b2b3 h8g7 a2a4 f7c7 a4a5 b6c8 b3b4 f6f5 b4b5 g5e4 g2e4 f5e4 d1d8 c8e7 c6e7 c7e7 d8b8 e7e5 a5a6 k and Black resigned here. 6 k I hope you enjoyed this lecture. If you have any feedback, drop me an email at cissmjg@hotmail.com. Recommended book on the KIA "The ChessBase University Bluebook Guide to Winning with the KIA by IGM Henley and Maddox. ISBN 1-883358-00-0" 37