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Why I Stopped Playing The King's Indian

I am 11 and I won with the king's indian my first titled player in a rated classical over the board game.

It was a truly insane game, with 2 queens on the board

I am 11 and I won with the king's indian my first titled player in a rated classical over the board game. It was a truly insane game, with 2 queens on the board

I really like the king's indian but to play it, you need to be ready to win beautiful games but also get blown of the board.

I really like the king's indian but to play it, you need to be ready to win beautiful games but also get blown of the board.
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He always played c5 as the pawn break instead of e5 in his games, which is the more standard opening.

The whole point of KID is to get into complications with very aggressive play from black (like in the Najdorf, but with less theory), and you're reducing the complications for your opponent by playing c5.

He always played c5 as the pawn break instead of e5 in his games, which is the more standard opening. The whole point of KID is to get into complications with very aggressive play from black (like in the Najdorf, but with less theory), and you're reducing the complications for your opponent by playing c5.

Thanks for letting me know the disadvantages of KID! I myself was going to jump in to learn some variations. I'll learn that h3 one though, although no one really plays the KID against me, but you never know.

Thanks for letting me know the disadvantages of KID! I myself was going to jump in to learn some variations. I'll learn that h3 one though, although no one really plays the KID against me, but you never know.

Great article.

I only play d4, and rather than being afraid of the KID, I hope for it, and it is one of my best-scoring openings. I don't even try to memorize lines, I play a wide variety of things, but usually with h3.

When I used to try to memorize lines (and was lower rated...) I had a lot of trouble against it, because there was not only too much to remember, but they're really difficult to tell apart. It is hard to remember all the small differences. Now, I don't worry about that at all, I just keep an eye out for the tactics I've seen in the past, and try to be the one attacking on the kingside.

I think part of the myth is that d4 openings are supposed to be slow. There are so many ways for black to make it sharp and wild early. To me, the reason I play d4 is that I can play systems, and there are a smaller number of setups I have to be comfortable with. With e4 you can't really avoid memorizing a bunch of very different things. And with c4 or Nf3 it is even worse, because there are so many transpositions.

Great article. I only play d4, and rather than being afraid of the KID, I hope for it, and it is one of my best-scoring openings. I don't even try to memorize lines, I play a wide variety of things, but usually with h3. When I used to try to memorize lines (and was lower rated...) I had a lot of trouble against it, because there was not only too much to remember, but they're really difficult to tell apart. It is hard to remember all the small differences. Now, I don't worry about that at all, I just keep an eye out for the tactics I've seen in the past, and try to be the one attacking on the kingside. I think part of the myth is that d4 openings are supposed to be slow. There are so many ways for black to make it sharp and wild early. To me, the reason I play d4 is that I can play systems, and there are a smaller number of setups I have to be comfortable with. With e4 you can't really avoid memorizing a bunch of very different things. And with c4 or Nf3 it is even worse, because there are so many transpositions.

Nice article!!

I used to also only play the Kings Indian as a kid.. and i played Nationals and that was the opening for black our couches taught us.. I always used to do well with the Kings Indian and even beated the ICC computer a few years ago with the Kings Indian. But these days with Stockfish and super computer lines i have to agree that i also stopped playing the Kings Indian lately and now mostly just play d5 for black against d4..

Nice article!! I used to also only play the Kings Indian as a kid.. and i played Nationals and that was the opening for black our couches taught us.. I always used to do well with the Kings Indian and even beated the ICC computer a few years ago with the Kings Indian. But these days with Stockfish and super computer lines i have to agree that i also stopped playing the Kings Indian lately and now mostly just play d5 for black against d4..