• Fianchetto Variation
• 5.Nge2
• 5.Be2 0-0 6.Be3
• Four Pawns Attack
• Samisch System
• Classical

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Fianchetto Variation

In Tregubov - Vovk a queen's check from a5 on the 5th move brought a relatively easy victory for Black:

Still, do not expect that it always will be like this!

A good old Yugoslav Variation was tested in S.Guliev-Fedorov. Black triumphed completely in this game as well.

• Fianchetto Variation
• 5.Nge2
• 5.Be2 0-0 6.Be3
• Four Pawns Attack
• Samisch System
• Classical

5.Nge2

For 5...0-0 6.Ng3 a6!? (which has also attracted the attention of Bologan) see Shemeakin - Korobov:

Not so clear, I would say.

• Fianchetto Variation
• 5.Nge2
• 5.Be2 0-0 6.Be3
• Four Pawns Attack
• Samisch System
• Classical

5.Be2 0-0 6.Be3 Variation

The rare variation 5.Be2 0-0 6.Be3 c5!? occurred in the game Gulko - Beccera Rivero:

White played a novelty at an early stage, and a complex fight followed.

• Fianchetto Variation
• 5.Nge2
• 5.Be2 0-0 6.Be3
• Four Pawns Attack
• Samisch System
• Classical

The Four Pawns Attack

See Palliser - McShane for 5...0-0 6.Nf3 Na6 7.Bd3!? e5:

Slightly better for White, maybe, though not in this game.

• Fianchetto Variation
• 5.Nge2
• 5.Be2 0-0 6.Be3
• Four Pawns Attack
• Samisch System
• Classical

Samisch System

See Tomashevsky - Shomoev for the most critical line according to modern theory, 5...0-0 6.Be3 c5:

In the notes 6...Nc6 and 6...e5 are also discussed.

• Fianchetto Variation
• 5.Nge2
• 5.Be2 0-0 6.Be3
• Four Pawns Attack
• Samisch System
• Classical

Classical with 7.Be3

See Lazarev - Riazantsev for 6...Nbd7 7.0-0 e5 8.Qc2 Nh5! (currently considered by some enthusiasts to be nearly winning for Black!) and some news in other deviations from the very main lines:

In Shulman - Onischuk there was 6...e5 7.0-0 Na6 8.Re1. Without a doubt we should pay attention when such a fine positional player as Onischuk plays the King's Indian with success.

By the way, the 1963-1969 World Champion Tigran Petrosian was also an active 'Black' KID player, so there is certainly enough strategy in this opening.

Then, of course, thre is the Bayonet Attack 6...e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4. See Ivanchuk - Grischuk for the most recent developments in various lines.

Finally, there is a Mar del Plata Variation, 6...e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Ne1 Nd7 10.Be3 f5 11.f3 f4 12.Bf2 g5:

Shirov - Radjabov was quite a crazy game, in a good sense. The annotator has some new ideas.

• Fianchetto Variation
• 5.Nge2
• 5.Be2 0-0 6.Be3
• Four Pawns Attack
• Samisch System
• Classical

Till next month, Mikhail

Don't hesitate to share your thoughts and suggestions with me. Any queries or comments to the KID Forum, or to me directly at mikhail@chesspublishing.com (subscribers only) would be most welcome.