King's Indian Defense
Also called the KID.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6
A defense for Black
Let White build a big centre, then blow it up.
Show me the opening
0 / 4 moves
Win likelihood
Black ~45%Our chess engine scores this position at about 45% for Black - theoretically harder, but very playable. From here it would play Nf3.
Most openings are close - the first move gives White a small edge. What actually wins games at the beginner level is playing the plan and not hanging pieces, far more than which opening you pick. How we score this.
The idea
Black gives White a large pawn centre on purpose, fianchettoes the bishop to g7, castles, and then counterattacks - often with a kingside pawn storm (...f5, ...g5, ...f4).
The plan
After ...d6 and ...e5, Black launches the kingside pawns at White's king while White attacks on the queenside. It's a thrilling race.
What to play next
After fianchettoing the bishop to g7 and castling, play ...e5 to stake a claim in the centre and start the classic KID tension with d4. White will usually respond dxe5 or d5 - if the centre closes with d5, you launch the kingside attack with ...f5, ...g5, and ...f4. Castle early and develop before pushing pawns.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5
Watch the typical continuation
Show me the opening
0 / 12 moves
One tip for beginners
The KID rewards attacking players. If you love throwing your kingside pawns forward at the enemy king, this is your opening.
What to watch out for
Timing. If you push the kingside pawns before you're ready, you just weaken your own king. Develop and castle first.
Who plays it
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