King's Indian Attack
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.0-0
This is the KIA move, but marginally more popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database is 4.d4, which scores seven percentage points better.
4...e5
This is what puts some people - and engines - off castling at move four. Stockfish18 and Dragon1 reckon that, after the text, Black is already slightly better.
5.d3 Nf6 6.Nbd2 Be7 7.e4 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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Black's extra space gives a slight edge, according to the engines, although Dragon1 is less sure than Stockfish18.
8.exd5 Nxd5 9.Re1 f6
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| There are 102 examples of this position in Mega26 - it is reminiscent of a Maróczy Bind, with colours reversed, except White has used the e pawn, rather than the c pawn, to swop off Black's d pawn |
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10.Nc4 Bg4
The engines are not keen on evicting the c4 knight with 10...b5, evaluating 11.Ne3 Be6 12.a4 as equal.
11.Ne3 Be6
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| This position occurs 14 times in Mega26, but with Black to play in all but one of the games - nevertheless, even with White to play, the engines give Black a slight edge |
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12.Nxd5 Bxd5 13.c3!?
This may be a novelty. Kapil Chandran (2333) - Bence Pribelszky (2413), Budapest 2023, went 13.Be3 Qd7 14.Nd2!? Bxg2 15.Kxg2 Rae8 16.a4 f5, with at least a slight edge for Black, according to the engines (but 1-0, 81 moves).
13...Qd7 14.Be3 Rad8 15.Bf1?!
Passivity is rarely correct, unless it is forced, and that apparently is not the case here. The engines suggest 15.Qe2!? or 15.a3!? If, after 15.Qe2!?, Black plays 15...Bxf3?! 16.Qxf3 Qxd3, the engines reckon 17.Rad1 Qc4 18.Qd5+ Qxd5 19.Bxd5+ Kh8 20.g4!? gives White more than enough for a pawn. Similarly, 15.a3 Bxf3?! 16.Qxd3 Rad1 gives White an edge, according to the engines.
15...Qf5?!
Black is better after this, but is positionally winning after 15...f5, according to the engines.
16.Nh4 Qe6 17.a3?!
Not 17.c4? Bxc4!, but the engines much prefer 17.Qh5!? or 17.f4!?
17...f5 18.Ng2 Qg6?!
Black is well on top after 18...Qf7 or 18...c4, according to the engines.
19.f4
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| How should Black proceed? |
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19...e4?!
The engines reckon both 19...Qf7 and 19...Qf6 give at least a slight edge.
20.dxe4 Bxe4
20.dxe4 Bxe4
Black gets a passed pawn after 20...fxe4?!, but it is probably too weak to be of much use.
21.Qb3+ Kh8 22.Rad1
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| White completes development, and has equalised, according to the engines |
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22...Rfe8 23.Bf2 Bd6?
Best may be playing for exchanges with 23...Rxd1 24.Rxd1 Rd8.
24.Nh4 Qf6 25.Bg2
Even stronger, according to the engines, is 25.Qxb7!?, when 25...Rb8? runs into 26.Rxe4!
25...Bxg2 26.Kxg2 b6
Perhaps best is 26...Re7, when the position is sharp, but best-play may go 27.Rxe7 Qxe7 28.Re1 Qd7 29.Qd5 g6 30.Bxc5 Bxc5 31.Qxc5 Qd2+ 32.Qf2 Qxf2+ 33.Kxf2, although the engines agree White is winning.
27.Rxe8+ Rxe8 28.Qd5 Bf8
There is nothing better - Black is losing a pawn.
29.Qxf5 Qxf5 30.Nxf5 Re2 31.b4
BW offered a draw.
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| Objectively, should Black accept? |
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½–½Black is 'only' one pawn down, and the black rook is more active than its white counterpart, but all the other white pieces are better than their opposite numbers. The engines reckon White's advantage is worth almost three pawns.
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