Fianchetto Variation

The Fianchetto Variation arises when White, having held back Nc3, meets the King's Indian setup with 4. g3 and develops the light-squared bishop on g2. With the king sheltered behind this bishop, Black's customary ...f5 and kingside pawn storm rarely has much effect, so the struggle moves to the center and queenside. It is one of the more popular lines at grandmaster level, and Korchnoi was once its best-known exponent. Black usually castles with 4...O-O, 4...d6 is the next choice, and 4...d5 is rarer. Engines rate the position as roughly balanced, and online results are close to even.

After 4...O-O 5. Bg2 d6 6. O-O, Black picks a system. The Classical approach, 6...Nbd7 7. Nc3 e5, contests the center; after 8. e4 Black may play 8...c6, the Classical Main Line after 9. h3, or release the tension with 8...exd4 9. Nxd4 Re8 10. h3 a6, the Gallagher Variation, preparing ...Rb8 and ...b5. The Panno Variation, 6...Nc6 7. Nc3 a6, often continues 8. d5 Na5, placing the knight on the rim to target the weak c4-pawn, while 7...e5 instead is the Uhlmann-Szabo System. The Yugoslav System, 6...c5, adopts Benoni-style pressure on d4.