Kings Indian Attack ( A07 - A08) - Opening Theory

Unleash Your Inner Attacker:
 King's Indian Attack 

• 
  Dominate the Chessboard: Carve out a powerful position and launch a dynamic attack on your opponent's king with the King's Indian Attack.
  
  
• Flexible Opening: The KIA isn't a rigid sequence of moves, but a strategic approach that adapts to your opponent's choices. Great for both aggressive and positional players.
  
  
• Free Resources: Learn the KIA for free with articles, video lectures, chess puzzles, and even downloadable games! Websites like Chess.com, Lichess, Chessable, and YouTube are great places to start.
  
  

Kings Indian Attack Wikipedia Page

General Opening Knowledge and History.

---

Books and Courses (Free)

This section arms you with valuable books and free online courses to jumpstart your King's Indian Attack journey.

• Easy Guide to the ♘ [knight] Nge2 King's Indian: Winning with the Hungarian Attack - 129 Page PDF - This comprehensive guide delves into the Nge2 KIA variation, a powerful system against the King's Indian Defense.
  
  
• Beating the King's Indian and Benoni: Shock your opponents with the Four Pawns Attack!  - 148 Page PDF - Learn how to surprise your opponents with the aggressive Four Pawns Attack against both the King's Indian and Benoni Defenses
  
  
• Flank Openings: A Study of Réti's Opening, The Catalan, English and King's Indian Attack Complex (Fourth Edition) by R. D. Keene  - 193 Page PDF - This classic text by R.D. Keene provides a comprehensive exploration of flank openings, including a dedicated section on the King's Indian Attack.

Chessable Courses (Free)

Short & Sweet: The King's Indian Attack - 26 Trainable Variations w/ 2hours Video

(FM Plichta shows us the secrets to his KIA set-up based on the moves 1. e4 2. d3 3. Nd2 4. Ngf3 5. g3 6. Bg2 7. O-O.)

Short & Sweet: King's Indian Attack - FM Plichta distills the point-getting lessons from his analysis and over-the-board adventures into 29 core lines w/ 2 hours of video.

 

---

Kings Indian Attack Chess Articles

This section curates insightful articles and analyses to illuminate the strategic nuances and tactical possibilities within the King's Indian Attack (KIA).

Kings Indian Attack - Simplify Chess Page - This comprehensive guide details how to reach and play the KIA against common responses like the French, Sicilian, and Caro-Kann Defenses. It unpacks the strategic rationale behind each move, giving you a solid understanding of the KIA's core concepts.

The King’s Indian Attack – How to Play It as White and Black - Nice Chessable Blog Opening Guide - (Beginner Guide ) This Chessable blog post serves as a beginner-friendly guide to the KIA, explaining the opening's core principles for both White and Black.

Chess Opening Basics: The King’s Indian Attack - Chessable blog Article (Nice) - Another Chessable blog offering, this article delves into the basic ideas of the KIA, making it a great starting point for those new to the opening.

The Kings Indian Attack - Complete Guide -   ichess.net This extensive guide from ichess.net offers a deep dive into the KIA, featuring illustrative games and embedded video lectures (total duration: 1.5 hours). (Archived Article)

How to Play the King’s Indian Attack  - Pretty Nice (In-depth Guide) Chessfox.com
Chessfox.com provides what's likely the most in-depth guide on this list, offering a detailed exploration of the KIA's various aspects.

Beating The Kings Indian Attack with the French - This resource provides valuable insights from Black's perspective, featuring an article and video by GM Fabian Libiszewski on how to combat the KIA with the French Defense.

The Kings Indian Attack - This entry offers notes from a lecture by FM Steve Stoyko, featuring analysis of 9 annotated games that showcase the KIA in action.

---

GAMES DATABASES

This section highlights valuable game databases where you can delve into thousands of KIA games played by masters and enthusiasts.

365Chess.com

A07: Reti, King's Indian attack (Barcza system) 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 - 34,386 Games
A08: Reti, King's Indian attack 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2  - 3833 Games

ChessTempo.com

King's Indian Attack, General (A07) -  33,789 Games
King's Indian Attack, Sicilian Variation (A08) -4337 Games

Chessgames.com (Collections)

King's Indian Attack (A07-A08)  - 67 Annotated Games
The King's Indian Attack - 32 Games  
King's Indian Attack Compilation - 56 Games 

---

Kings Indian Attack Chess Puzzles

WTHarvey.com

Reti Opening, King's Indian Attack (ECO A07) - 14 Puzzles 

LiChess Opening Puzzles

Kings Indian Attack LiChess Puzzles -  2510 Puzzles (Broken into 9 Variations) Halfway down Page

---

KIA LiChess Studies

This section delves into the world of Lichess studies, a fantastic resource for honing your King's Indian Attack (KIA) repertoire. Here's a curated selection to enhance your KIA mastery

• KIA -  13 Chapter LiChess Study  (141 hearts) -This well-regarded study offers detailed lessons within a focused 13-chapter format, making it ideal for players seeking a structured learning experience.
  
  
• KIA Openings - 6 Chapter Study (Setups vs French Mostly)
  
  
• King´ s Indian Attack (KIA) - 46 Chapter Study (62 heart Study) This in-depth study offers a comprehensive exploration of the KIA, covering setups against various responses, the roles of different pieces, and even featuring model games to illustrate key concepts.
  
  
• King's Indian Attack!  - 8 Chapter Interactive Study  (3056 hearts)  This highly-rated interactive study provides a dynamic learning experience. Test your understanding and solidify your knowledge by actively practicing against different Black responses.
  
  
• On kings Indian Attack  - 36 Chapter Study  (Short Lessons w/ a lot of Example games)
  
  
• KIA VS FRENCH  -  36 Chapter Study - Focusing specifically on the KIA against the French Defense, this study offers in-depth analysis with well-annotated games, equipping you to handle this common Black response. 
    

Unfamiliar with Lichess Studies?

Lichess studies are fantastic tools for chess improvement. They allow you to explore chess concepts and variations move-by-move. You can test your understanding by attempting to solve critical positions and review explanations for the correct moves. This interactive approach fosters deeper learning and knowledge retention compared to passive reading alone.

---

Annotated Games

Petrosian vs Pachman 1961 [A04] - (archived)

---

Chess Video Lessons - Deepen Your KIA Expertise

Whether you're a beginner seeking foundational knowledge or an experienced player aiming to refine your repertoire, these resources cater to all learning styles.

Lessons

King's Indian Attack | Chess Opening - 10 Video Playlist  - NM Robert Ramirez - This playlist by NM Robert Ramirez offers a structured approach, featuring lessons, analyzed games, and even a chess speed run showcasing the KIA's effectiveness across various skill levels.

King's Indian Attack | Beginner Kids' Class - GM Dariusz Swiercz - 60 Min St.Louis CC -Aimed at beginners, this St. Louis Chess Club class by GM Dariusz Swiercz provides a clear introduction to the KIA, emphasizing its versatility, attacking potential, and key concepts for playing as White.

Kings Indian Attack Mainline 14 Min - NM Bryan Tillis - Focus on the KIA mainline with NM Bryan Tillis! This video tackles key moves, structures, and tactical ideas to exploit against various Black defenses, including the French, Sicilian, and Caro-Kann.

Petrosian on the King’s Indian Attack with IM Bill Paschall - 26 Min -This video delves into the KIA's strategic nuances, emphasizing strong points and piece positioning. IM Bill Paschall concludes with an analysis of Petrosian's renowned endgame technique in the context of the KIA.

QUICK Wins!  The King's Indian Attack the Easy Way with GM Roman

 Dzindzichashvili! - 38 Min -Want quick victories with White? GM Roman Dzindzichashvili demonstrates how to use the KIA to exploit weaknesses and create winning chances.

GM Damian Lemos - offers a three-part series on the KIA:

• King's Indian Attack - An Introduction [Part 1/3] - 24 Min - Explains the KIA's core ideas and how to capitalize on common Black mistakes.
• King's Indian Attack - Smash the Sicilian 👏 [Part 2/3] - 24 Min -Reveals how to use the KIA to challenge the Sicilian Defense with a seemingly calm approach.
• King's Indian Attack against Caro-Kann 👊 [Part 3/3] - 25 Min -Analyzes an instructive KIA game against the Caro-Kann, showcasing a strong setup for White. 
•  Webinar: Bobby Fischer’s Deadly System: the King’s Indian Attack! - 50 Min - Gain historical context and strategic insights in this webinar by GM Lemos, exploring the KIA as a weapon favored by the legendary Bobby Fischer. 
• Bobby Fischer's System An Introduction to the KIA(Deep Dive) - 40 Min - For a deep understanding of the KIA's core principles, GM Damien Lemos delves into Bobby Fischer's favored system, explaining its strategic foundations and the reasons behind its effectiveness. 

Kings Indian Attack Game Videos (W/Analysis)

Witness the KIA in Action: Analyzing Masterful Games - 

Extensive Playlists

• Aman's Kings Indian Speedrun - 12 Video Playlist - (Over 9 hrs of Video) (Watch a GM explain every game played with this opening) -  GM Aman Hambleton
  
• King's Indian Attack   - 12 Video Playlist  - Chess School
  
  
• The Kings Indian Attack  - 19 Video Playlist - kingscrusher 
  
  
• King's Indian Attack Rating Climb - 18 Video playlist - IM Alex banzea (Lots of game analysis Here)
  
  

Kings Indian Attack - Fischer vs. Tal   - 11 Min

Magnus Carlsen vs Hikaru Nakamura || Blitz chess 2018 - 12 Min

Longer Chess Games #61 The Kings Indian Attack - 33 Min GM Simon Williams

How Not to Play the Kings Indian -  32 Min YouTube Video - Kingscrusher

Master Class | King's Indian Attack | Chess Speedrun | Grandmaster Naroditsky - 57 Min - Always a master class of analysis of whatever opening he plays or plays against.

IM John Bartholomew

• Blitz Chess #6: IM RichieIncognito vs. IM Bartholomew (King's Indian Attack) - 13 Min
  
  
• Blitz Chess #318: IM Alexey Kireev vs. IM Bartholomew (King's Indian Attack) - 12 Min 
  
  
• Blitz Chess #16: IM MaestroASK vs. IM Bartholomew (King's Indian Attack) - 8 Min
  
  
• Blitz Chess #363: IM Alexey Kireev vs. IM Bartholomew (King's Indian Attack) - 23 Min
  
  
• Blitz Chess #366: GM Vladimir Fedoseev vs. IM Bartholomew (King's Indian Attack) - 20 Min
  
  
• Blitz Chess #66: IM Bartholomew vs. GM Gofshtein (King's Indian Attack) - 8 Min

PGN Game Downloads

Kings Indian Attack.zip (Comprehensive) - 4410 Games (U of Pitt Archive)