King's Indian Variation

The King's Indian Variation arises after 1. b4 Nf6 2. Bb2 g6, with Black preparing ...Bg7 to oppose White's b2-bishop on the long diagonal. Black declines to commit the central pawns early and instead adopts a King's Indian-style setup, typically completed with ...d6 and short castling. The b4-pawn loses much of its tactical point once the a1-h8 diagonal is blunted, so the game turns on how White builds a center behind the queenside space. Engine assessment is level, and online results are almost evenly split with few draws.

The most common continuation is 3. e3, a modest setup that keeps options open. 3. c4 adds queenside pressure and can lead to the Sokolsky Attack, 3. c4 Bg7 4. e3 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. d4, where White erects a broad pawn center against the fianchetto. 3. Nf3 transposes to the Zukertort System. The Schiffler Attack, 3. e4, occupies the center immediately; the pawn is indirectly defended because 3...Nxe4 opens the diagonal and allows 4. Bxh8.