King's Indian Attack
1.Nf3 c5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Bg2 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.d3 d5 6.Nbd2 Nf6 7.e4 0-0
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| With both sides castling early, how would you assess the position? |
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This position, typical of one from the KIA, occurs 3.941 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database. The game is equal, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1, although the former is not far off giving Black a slight edge.
8.Re1 e6!?
The engines suggest 8...dxe4, 8...e5 or 8...Qc7.
9.c3 Qc7 10.Qe2 b6 11.Nf1 Ba6!?
The engines suggest 8...e5 or 8...dxe4.
12.e5 Nd7 13.Bf4 Rac8 14.h4 b5 15.N1h2 b4!?
The engines prefer this apparent-novelty over the known 15...Qb6, but even so give White at least the upper hand.
16.Ng4
The engines prefer keeping lines relatively closed on the queenside with 16.c4!?
16...bxc3 17.bxc3 Qa5
17...h5!? equalises (Dragon1) or leaves White with only a slight edge (Stockfish18).
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| How should White proceed? |
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18.Qd2
The engines reckon White can give up the c pawn with 18.Bh6!? Qxc3 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.Qe3, claiming White has much more than enough compensation.
The engines reckon White can give up the c pawn with 18.Bh6!? Qxc3 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.Qe3, claiming White has much more than enough compensation.
18...d4?!
Probably better is 18...h5, meeting 19.Nh6+ with 19...Kh8 (not 19...Kh7? 20.Ng5+!), when the knight on h6 seems to hinder more than help White's attack, and if White instead retreats the knight to h2 (or, even worse, e3) then the engines reckon 19...d4 is strong.
19.Rac1
The engines still like Bh6.
19...dxc3 20.Rxc3 Qa4?!
Again the engines much prefer ...h5.
21.Bh3?!
The engines' 21.Re4 lets White follow up with 22.Bh6, with what the engines reckon is a large advantage.
21...Nd4 22.Ngh2!? Bb7 23.Bg2 Bd5 24.Qc1?!
Probably better is 24.Nxd4 Qxd4 25.Bxd5 Qxd5 26.Ng4, with what the engines claim is at least the better part of equality.
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| How should Black proceed? |
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24...Nb5!
This is best, according to the engines, although they also still like ...h5.
25.Rc2 c4 26.dxc4 Rxc4 27.Rxc4 Qxc4 28.Bf1!? Qxc1
Keeping queens on with 28...Qa4 or 28...Qb4 may be a tad better, now Black's king is no longer menaced.
29.Rxc1 Rb8 30.a4 Na3 31.Rc7 Nb6?
I do not know how I missed the simple 31...Rb7, and if 32.Rc8+ Bf8 33.Bh6, then 33...Rb8, with equality.
32.Rxa7 Rb7?!
A move late, and now it seems to only make matters worse. Perhaps best is 32...Bb7!?, when the sharp line 33.Nd2 h5!? (that move again) 34.Bg2 Nd5 35.Be3 Nxe3 36.Rxb7 Rxb7 37.Bxb7 Nec4 38.Nxc4 Nxc4 divides the engines, although Dragon1 is much keener than Stockfish18 on White's chances.
33.Rxb7 Bxb7 34.a5 Nbc4 35.Bc1 Bf8 36.Bxa3!?
White has to give up the bishop-pair, but is winning, according to the engines.
36...Nxa3 37.a6 Bd5 38.Nd2 Bc5 39.Ng4 Kf8!? 40.Nf6 Ke7!? 41.Nxd5+!?
Other moves also win, according to the engines, including 41.Nxh7 and 41.Nde4.
41...exd5 42.Nb3 Bb6 43.Kg2
Even stronger is the move I feared, 43.Na5!
43...Kd7 44.f4 h5?!
Ironically, considering the number of times ...h5 was seemingly the way to play, it now probably makes matters worse, although Black is losing anyway.
45.Kf3 Kc6 46.g4 d4?
This definitely makes matters worse. After 46...hxg4+ 47.Kxg4 White's advantage is worth roughly a piece, according to the engines, but it is not simple to make progress.
47.gxh5 gxh5 48.Ke4 Nb5 49.Bc4 Nc3+ 50.Kd3 Nd5 51.Nxd4+ Bxd4 52.Kxd4 Nxf4 53.Bxf7 1-0
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