King’s Indian | CHESS AT THE BAG OF CATS

This year’s Rilton Cup turned out well for me. It was not because I played very well, but rather due to the fact that I was a bit lucky and then didn’t make a mess of it in the later rounds. In the sixth round I managed to win a King’s Indian with the black colours against Maxim Turov and then in the seventh I got the chance to play the same side of the same opening against Mihail Krasenkow. It was clear to me that whatever happened I would always know less of what was going on than my opponent did. Maybe my real advantage was that I would not know how bad my position really was?

   [Event "Rilton-CUP"]  [Site "Stockholm"]  [Date "2015.01.03"]  [Round "7"]  [White "Krasenkow, Michal"]  [Black "Hillarp Persson, Tiger"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "E90"]  [WhiteElo "2614"]  [BlackElo "2544"]  [Annotator "Tiger"]  [PlyCount "112"]  [EventDate "2015.01.02"]  [SourceDate "2011.03.24"]   1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. d4 O-O 6. Be2 (6. h3 e5 7. d5 Nh5 8.  g3 {and now} Qe8 (8... a5 9. Be2 {could lead to the game, but is a line I'd  rather avoid.}) 9. Be2 f5 {is critical. With the move order chosen by  Krasenkow, Black is unable to get into this line.}) 6... e5 7. d5 a5 8. h3 $5 {  I had pretty much prepared for everything but this before the game and only  just managed to realize that this unassuming move is much more dangerous than  it seems. The point is that White is striving for a position from the  h3-system (see move 6) where Black has been forced to play a5.} Na6 9. Bg5 h6  $5 {Probably not the best move in the position, but I remembered seeing Mark  Hebden play this move in similar positions, so I thought it could not be that  bad.} ({The main line here is} 9... Qe8 10. Nd2 Nd7 11. a3 {and apart from the  fact that I dislike this line I believe Krasenkow has forgotten more about  it than I have ever known (although this is probably true of  the line in the game too).}) 10. Be3 c6 (10... Nh5 {is usually a bad fit with  h6 and}) 11. Nd2 Bd7 $6 {This move leaves me just about ankle-high in  theoretical waters.} (11... Nd7 12. g4 Ndc5 13. Nb3 {was first played in  Krasenkow,M (2645)-Shirov,A (2700) Germany 1997, a fact that I was not aware  of. Not that it would have made any difference. I would probably have continued  with an avoid-theory attitude.}) 12. g4 $5 ({Considering that White has managed  to get a "perfect" classical setup with bishop on e3 and knight on d2, it is  probably best just to play} 12. O-O {after which Black has to play c6-c5  under unfavourable circumstances. Instead my opponent continued to blitz out  moves...}) (12. h4 $5 {is another interesting option that Krasenkow has played  himself.}) 12... Nc5 ({White has two strategical ideas. One can be seen in the  game and the other is best illustrated like this:} 12... Kh7 $6 13. h4 Ne8 14.  h5 g5 15. f3 {when the whole game hinges on whether Black can hold the  queenside. White can usually succeed in exchanging the light-squared bishop on  the a4-e8-diagonal and then put a knight on f5. This is a most depressing  scenario for Black.}) 13. h4 a4 14. g5 ({After} 14. h5 {Black can play} gxh5 (  14... Nh7 15. hxg6 $6 (15. b4 $1) 15... fxg6 16. Bxh6 $6 Bxh6 17. Rxh6 Kg7 18.  Rh2 Ng5 {and Black has excellent compensation for the pawn.}) (14... Qa5 $1 15.  f3 (15. Kf1 $2 a3 16. Qc2 Nxg4) 15... gxh5 16. gxh5 a3 17. Qc2 axb2 18. Qxb2  Nh7 $1 {is comfortable for Black.}) 15. gxh5 Nh7 16. Nf3 {is not as good for  Black as the line where White first has to play f3.}) 14... hxg5 15. hxg5 Nh7 {  Now we are back swimming in theoretical waters.} 16. Rg1 ({I was more worried  about} 16. Nf3 {during the game, because I did not see how I would manage  without f6 in the long run (when the knight will be excellently placed on f3).  Because of this I was vaguely aware that I had to act dynamically with} cxd5 {  intending} 17. Bxc5 dxc5 18. Qxd5 Bg4 {with a balanced game.}) 16... Qa5 17.  Qc2 {My opponent continued to play a tempo. In this well known position White  has tried a number of other moves too:} (17. a3 cxd5 18. Nxd5 $5 Rfe8 19. Qc2  Nf8 20. Qc3 Qd8 $6 (20... Nfe6 $1 21. Qxa5 Rxa5 {followed by Nd4 looks like a  better way to get counterplay.}) 21. Bg4 {and with no good way to avoid the  exchange of the light-squared bishops Black was struggling in Korobov,A (2713)  -Ezat,M (2454) Antalya 2013.}) (17. Qb1 {intending to meet a3 with b4, is  hardly any better than a3 after} Rfe8 $1 (17... cxd5 18. Nxd5 Rfe8 19. Bxc5  dxc5 20. Qd3 $1 Nf8 21. Bg4 {looks nice for White.}) 18. f3 cxd5 19. cxd5 (19.  Nxd5 Nf8 {and f3 has blocked the bishop from going to g4!}) 19... b5 {when  White will have to waste a tempo on a3 anyway.}) (17. Rc1 $5) 17... a3 ({The  game Krasenkow,M (2635)-Hebden,M (2532) Porz Erin IOM 2006 went} 17... cxd5 18.  Nxd5 Rfe8 19. Qc3 $5 Bc6 20. Bxc5 Qxc5 21. Nc7 {with a big advantage for White.  Another game that underlines the vast practice my opponent has in this line.})  18. b4 $1 {Another move that was played within seconds from me making my move.}  ({I expected} 18. b3 Na6 19. Rc1 Nb4 20. Qb1 {when I would have to reroute the  bishop to e7 before starting counterplay on the queenside, or I would end up  creating more weaknesses in my own position than actual counterplay. On  the other hand, with my bishop on e7, White would have to protect g5 while  simultaneously keeping the situation on the queenside in check. I was hoping  this would be a more tricky undertaking.}) 18... Qxb4 19. Rb1 Qa5 20. Bxc5 dxc5  21. Rxb7 Qd8 $1 {So far I had used approximately forty minutes while my  opponent had a few minutes more than he had started out with. This was the  first moment of the game that he slowed down and took his time.} (21... Bc8 22.  Rb3 Qd8 23. dxc6 f6 24. Nd5 {and Black was losing, in Markos,J (2596)  -Wiedermann,D (2220) 2012.}) 22. Nf3 {There is nothing wrong with this move,  but} (22. Qd3 $1 {looks even stronger. The point is that it forces Black's  hand in the center, while threatening to move the queen over to the kingside.  Still, it is quite possible that Krasenkow knows more about this than any  other living creature in the galaxy and just decided to avoid my preparation...  } Bc8 23. Rb3 Nxg5 (23... cxd5 $1 {looks like an improvement, with the  intention} 24. Nxd5 Re8 25. Qg3 Nf8 26. Rd3 Ne6 27. Nf6+ Bxf6 28. Rxd8 Bxd8 29.  Qxe5 (29. Qh4 Nf4 30. Bf1 Ba5 31. Rh1 Bh3 $3 {(these damned engines...)} 32.  Bxh3 Reb8 33. Kf1 Bxd2 34. Kg1 Rb2 35. Bf1 Nh5 {and Black is on top.}) 29...  Bc7 30. Qf6 Bd8 {with a draw.}) 24. dxc6 Qxd3 25. Bxd3 Bh6 26. Nd5 {was quite  unpleasant for Black, in Schroeder,C (2149)-Gonzaga Grego,L (1980) LSS email  2009.}) 22... Re8 $1 {Sooner or later I will have to move either the knight or  the bishop to f8 and then it is also a good idea to have some extra protection  to the e-pawn.} 23. Qd2 {There are plenty of good moves here for White. It is  hard for me to break out with my pieces without taking on d5, which would give  White excellent play on the light squares.} ({Both} 23. Rg3 {intending  Ke1-f1-g2 and Rg3-b3/a3, or}) (23. Qc1 $5 {keeping an eye on a3 and g5,  waiting for Black's next move, are good alternatives.}) 23... Rb8 $5 {The  rook seemed too strong on b7 to be tolerated.} 24. Rxb8 ({After} 24. Ra7 Ra8  25. Rxa8 Qxa8 {my other rook can join the fight on the b-file.}) 24... Qxb8 25.  Bd1 $6 ({It was better to play} 25. Rg3 {, to clear the way for the king to g2  and simultaneously keep an eye on the queenside on the third rank.}) 25... cxd5  26. Nxd5 ({Not} 26. cxd5 c4 $1 {, when - with Bf8 coming next - White is worse.  }) 26... Bc6 27. Rg3 Bf8 28. Nh2 $6 {This is a move with a plan, but it  disregards the fact that Black also has threats. Better was} (28. Qd3 Qb2 29.  Nc3 {although I can keep some pressure with} Re6 $1 {intending Bd6-c7-a5.})  28... Bxd5 29. exd5 (29. cxd5 c4 {is even worse now, than it was on move 26.})  29... Qb4 $6 {I was a bit short on time here and decided to play a move "after  which I can not be worse". Yes, that is what I thought and I'm not proud of it.  It is extremely silly not to dare play the best move when you know what it is:}  ({Both} 29... e4 30. Ng4 Be7 {and}) (29... Be7 $1 {is better for me.}) 30. Qxb4  cxb4 31. Ba4 $6 {A pleasant surprise. This move hands the initaitive back to  me.} ({After} 31. Nf3 {I have no advantage whatsoever and one might even  question my evaluation on move 29. since} e4 32. Nd2 {forces me to play very  exact in order not to be worse:} Kg7 33. Rg4 e3 34. Nb3 exf2+ 35. Kxf2 Re5 {  and all three results are possible.}) 31... Rc8 32. Bb3 e4 33. Rg4 Re8 34. Kd2  $6 (34. Ke2 Re5 35. Nf1 Nxg5 36. Nd2 Kg7 {is clearly better for Black,  although still very messy.}) 34... Bd6 $1 {I read somewhere that the kibitzers  could not believe that neither I nor Michal didn't see that White's  last move blunders a pawn. Let me assure those guys: we both saw it, but we  are not engines and had a hard a hard time evaluating:} (34... Nxg5 35. Rxg5  Bh6 36. f4 $1 exf3 37. Nxf3 f6 38. c5 {This is as far as I got in my  calculations before I stopped. Yes, Black wins the exchange, but then White  gets two very dangerous passed pawns. I was not even sure that I would not  lose. For a modern engine however it is a piece of cake to continue and find:}  Bxg5+ (38... fxg5 $6 39. d6+ Kf8 40. Nd4 g4+ 41. Kc2 Re3 42. c6 {leads to a  draw.}) 39. Nxg5 fxg5 40. d6+ Kf8 41. Kd3 Rc8 $1 42. Kd4 (42. Kc4 g4) 42... g4  43. Bd5 g3 44. d7 Rd8 45. c6 g2 46. Bxg2 Ke7 47. Kc4 Rf8 $1 {and after} 48.  Kxb4 Rf2 {indeed Black wins. However, it is hardly human to see this line in  time trouble. All this considered, I believe my move was the best human  move under the circumstances.}) 35. f4 f5 $1 36. gxf6 (36. Rh4 Nf8 37. Nf1 Nd7  38. Ne3 Nc5 39. Nc2 Ra8 40. Ke3 Nxb3 41. axb3 Bc5+ 42. Ke2 Kg7 {, followed by  Rh8, is hopeless for White.}) 36... Nxf6 37. Rxg6+ Kf7 38. Rg2 e3+ $1 (38...  Bxf4+ 39. Ke2 Rh8 40. Ng4 {and White defends.}) 39. Ke1 ({Just as bad was} 39.  Kd1 Nh5 40. Nf3 Nxf4 41. Rg4 Nd3 {, but the best chance for survival was}) (39.  Ke2 Nh5 40. Rg4 Nxf4+ 41. Rxf4+ $1 Bxf4 42. Nf3 {although Black should  eventually win after} Kf6 43. c5 Rc8 44. c6 Rh8) 39... Nh5 $1 {Now my pieces  are cooperating perfectly.} 40. Nf3 Nxf4 41. Rg1 (41. Rg4 $2 {loses on the  spot to} Nd3+ 42. Ke2 Nc1+ 43. Ke1 Nxb3 44. axb3 a2) 41... e2 42. Ng5+ $6 ({  This makes thing easy for me. I was expecting} 42. Kd2 Kf6 43. Rh1 Bc5 {, after which  I didn't see a clear win for me, but still felt that it should be impossible  for White to defend. Indeed, after} 44. Bc2 b3 $1 45. Bxb3 Bb4+ 46. Kc2 Re3 47.  Ne1 Rh3 48. Rxh3 Nxh3 49. c5 Bxe1 50. Bc4 Nf4 {Black gets an endgame with  bishop and knight against king.}) 42... Kf6 43. Ne6 Be5 $1 ({I spent some time  trying to figure out whether there was no win for me after} 43... Rxe6 44. dxe6  Be5 45. Rg3 Bc3+ 46. Rxc3 bxc3 47. c5 {, but in the end I came to the (correct)  conclusion that White can draw with} Ke7 48. Kf2 $1 Nxe6 49. Kxe2 Nxc5 50. Kd1  $1 Nxb3 51. Kc2 Nc5 52. Kxc3 {and Black has no way of defending the a3-pawn.})  44. Nxf4 Bc3+ 45. Kf2 Bd4+ 46. Ke1 Bc3+ 47. Kf2 Bd4+ 48. Ke1 Bxg1 49. Ne6 (49.  Nxe2 {loses to} Re3 $1 50. Bc2 b3 51. Bb1 Bh2 52. Kd2 Rh3 {followed by Be5 and  Rh1.}) 49... Rh8 50. Nf4 Be3 $1 51. Ng2 (51. Nxe2 $2 Rh1+) 51... Bc5 52. Kxe2  Rh2 53. Kf1 (53. Kf3 $2 Rh3+ 54. Ke2 Rxb3 {and the a-pawn queens.}) 53... Ke5  $1 (53... Rh1+ 54. Ke2 Rb1 55. Ne1 $1 {is somewhat less clear.}) 54. Bc2 Kd4  55. Bb3 Kc3 56. d6 Kd2 {and my opponent resigned.} 0-1

I’ll be back soon.

So, how do you learn to play an opening well? Read a book, or go through a DVD on the subject? Good idea. Play it in some blitz games (and then analyze them!!)? That’s another good idea. Try to find thematic exercises and solve them? Right on spot. Those are the basics, but where do you go from there? I would recommend two things:

1. Find a position in that opening and study it until you know it better than anyone (that you can imagine). Try to find something New, something that is your own idea.

2. Select someone who plays that opening well and go through that player’s games until his/her style becomes your second nature. You do not have to choose a world class player. Rather, choose someone that is principled and who plays a lot of lower rated opponents! In this way you will learn how to recognize and play against mistaken concepts. You will evolve.

I often get questions concerning the Kings Indian. Is it still playable? Can you avoid it if you play the Modern? How do you deal with the fianchetto variation? And it goes on. I do believe it to be playable. One reason is that Radjabov still plays it and another reason is that Smirin still plays it. Yes, Smirin; there you have your principled guy and one who does not only play against world class players. He is the kind of guy I would pick if I tried to learn the Kings Indian:

   [Event "ch-ISR"]  [Site ""]  [Date "2013"]  [Round "6"]  [White "Postny, E."]  [Black "Smirin, I."]  [Result "1/2-1/2"]  [ECO "E92"]  [WhiteElo "2635"]  [BlackElo "2660"]  [PlyCount "104"]  [EventDate "2013"]   1. d4 d6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. e4 O-O 6. Be2 {I sometimes wonder  how it comes that this move has stood up over time so well. It develops a  piece; yes, but apart from that, what benefits does it bring? Just like} (6. h3  {it has a prophylactic impact in that Bg4 is no longer a threat. See next line.}) 6... e5 (  6... Bg4 7. Be3 {and White is quite happy to have played 6.Be2.}) 7. Be3 $5 Ng4  8. Bg5 f6 9. Bh4 g5 {The reason for taking this step so early on is best  explained by looking at the alternative:} (9... Nh6 10. dxe5 $1 dxe5 11. Qxd8  Rxd8 12. Nd5 g5 13. Nxc7 gxh4 14. Nxa8 Na6 15. Rd1 Rf8 16. Nxh4 {as in  Arizmendi Martinez,J (2532)-Muratet Casadevall,A (2181)/La Massana 2010, Black  can catch the knight on a8, but will still not reach equality.}) 10. Bg3 Nh6 $1  {In "The Kings Indian - a Complete Black Repertoire", Bologan points out that  this move creates the threat g5-g4 which might come in handy later when the  central fight gets going.} (10... Nc6 $2 11. d5 Ne7 12. Nxg5 Nxf2 13. Bxf2 fxg5  14. Bg4 {leads to the kind of position that can best be described as "horrible  for Black". There really should be such a sign. ;)}) 11. h3 {With this move  White continues to maintain the tension in the center. The alternatives are  respectable, but all lead to more static positions:} (11. d5 Nd7 12. O-O f5 13.  exf5 Nxf5 14. Nd2 Nd4 15. Nde4 h6 16. Bg4 b6 17. f3 Nc5 18. Bxc8 Qxc8 19. Bf2  Qd7 20. Ng3 a5 21. Nce2 Nf5 22. Nxf5 Qxf5 23. Ng3 Qg6 24. Bxc5 bxc5 25. Qb1  Qxb1 $1 26. Raxb1 e4 $3 27. Nxe4 Bd4+ 28. Kh1 a4 {and Black had a dangerous  initiative in the endgame and eventually won, in Wang Yue (2739)-Radjabov,T  (2761)/Wijk aan Zee 2009.}) ({After} 11. O-O Nc6 {now} 12. d5 {is not  attractive for White because castling + Bg3 is not good in combination with  closing the center.} (12. dxe5 dxe5 13. h3 $5)) ({Another line that has been  played a lot is} 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Qd5+ Kh8 13. Qxd8 Rxd8 14. h4 {There are  literally hundreds of sub-lines here (and in general), but this seems to be  the most critical line.} g4 15. Nd2 Na6 16. O-O-O Be6 17. Nb3 Nf7 18. h5 Bh6+  19. Kc2 Nd6 20. Bh4 Kg7 21. a3 Nxc4 (21... Rf8 $5) 22. Bxc4 Bxc4 23. Na5 Bf7  24. Nxb7 $13 {David,A (2589)-Bologan,V (2690)/Bastia 2010.}) 11... exd4 (11...  Nc6 $6 12. d5 Ne7 13. Qd2 $1 Ng6 14. O-O-O {and White is able to break up the  kingside with h3-h4 later.}) 12. Nxd4 Nc6 13. h4 ({Also possible is} 13. O-O  Nxd4 14. Qxd4 f5 15. Qd5+ Kh8 16. f3 f4 17. Bf2 c6 18. Qd2 Nf7 {This position  seems to be balanced.} 19. Rfd1 Qa5 (19... Be6 $5) 20. Rab1 Be6 21. b4 Qe5 22.  Rbc1 Rfd8 23. b5 {1/2-1/2 Moradiabadi,E (2542)-Kovalev,A (2533)/Vienna 2009.})  13... Nxd4 (13... f5 $5 14. hxg5 Bxd4 15. gxh6 fxe4 16. Nxe4 Bf5 17. Rh4 $5  Bxb2 18. Qd5+ (18. Rb1 $1 {would leave White with some advantage.}) 18... Kh8  19. Rb1 Bf6 20. Qxf5 $2 Bc3+ {and Black won in Hillarp Persson,T (2443)-Blehm,  P (2530)/Ohrid 2001.}) 14. Qxd4 f5 {This position well illustrates the mixed  blessing of the Kings Indian; 14 moves have passed and we are (should be)  still on prepared ground. That is a good thing if you spend lots and lots of  time on preparations, but it can be frustrating if you do not spend the  right amount of analysis.} 15. Qd5+ (15. Qd2 $5 f4 16. Bh2 Be5 (16... Ng4 $5  17. Qd5+ Kh8 18. Bxg4 Bxg4 19. f3 c6 20. Qxg5 Be6 21. Bxf4 Bxc4 22. Qxd8 Raxd8  23. Bg5 {is probably a bit better for White, but Black's bishop pair is quite  strong in this kind of open position.}) 17. hxg5 Ng4 18. Bxg4 Bxg4 19. f3 Be6  20. Nd5 $14 {Damljanovic,B (2510)-Miljanic,B (2410)/Mataruska Banja 1996.  Black had huge problems with the f4-pawn.}) 15... Kh8 16. hxg5 Qxg5 17. Rh5 $5  ({The engines prefer White after} 17. c5 $5 {, but it is still a huge mess  after} Bd7 18. cxd6 Bc6) 17... Qg6 18. Qd2 fxe4 19. Nd5 $6 ({The position  would still be hugely complicated after} 19. Bf4 $1 Nf5 20. O-O-O Nd4 21. Rdh1  {Now} Nxe2+ 22. Nxe2 Bf5 23. Rxh7+ Qxh7 24. Rxh7+ Bxh7 {is a bit better for  White according to the engine. I would rather say "unclear".}) 19... Nf5 {Now  White is not able to hang on to the dark squared bishop; which is a bit of a  let down.} 20. O-O-O (20. Bf4 c6 21. Rg5 Qf7 22. Nc3 Nd4 23. Rxg7 Qxf4 24. Qxd4  c5 {is one charming line that ends with a "slight advantage for Black".}) 20...  c6 21. Nf4 Qf6 22. Rdh1 h6 23. Bh4 Qf7 {White's pieces are becoming  increasingly dislocated. The next move is a desperate try to change that.} 24.  Bg5 $6 Kg8 25. g4 hxg5 26. Rxg5 e3 $1 ({Black could also consider} 26... Nd4  27. Nh5 Ne6) 27. Qc3 $6 {Objectively speaking this is not the best move, but  in a complicated position (where you are worse off and time is an issue) it is  sometimes better to play a worse move; meaning one that your opponent has not  expected.} Qe7 $1 28. Rhh5 exf2 29. gxf5 Rxf5 30. Rh8+ Kxh8 31. Ng6+ Kh7 32.  Qh3+ Bh6 33. Nxe7 Rxg5 {Black should of course win this. I claim no  understanding of what happens at the end.} 34. Qd3+ Kg7 35. Kc2 Be6 36. Qxd6  Kf6 37. Qh2 Rh8 38. Nxc6 Bf5+ 39. Kb3 bxc6 40. Qxf2 Rb8+ 41. Ka4 Kg6 42. Bh5+  Rxh5 43. Qg3+ Kh7 44. Qxb8 Bg7 45. Qxa7 Rh2 46. Qc5 Bg6 47. Qxc6 Rxb2 48. Qh1+  Bh6 49. c5 Rxa2+ 50. Kb5 Rb2+ 51. Ka5 Rb1 52. Qh3 Ra1+ 1/2-1/2

CHESS AT THE BAG OF CATS

Tiger Hillarp on Chess

Tag Archives: King’s Indian

Ignorance is bliss

Learning The Kings Indian part 1