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"
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