23. My Line against the King’s Indian Attack – Part 4

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. O-O O-O 5. d3 d5 6. Nbd2 d4 7. Nb3 {Diagram
[#] That's the most active move. White attacks Black's vanguard and prevents
c7-c5.} Nc6 8. e4 {The more dangerous advance of White's c-pawn will be dealt
with in the next game.} dxe3 9. fxe3 ({If White prefers a more common King's
Indian-like pawn structure, he should recapture with the bishop. However, the
bishop will have to retreat all the way home the very next move.} 9. Bxe3 Nd5
10. Bc1 e5 (10... a5 11. a4 (11. a3 a4 12. Nbd2 Nb6 (12... e5) 13. Re1 Bf5 14.
Qe2 Qd7 {with a comfortable game for Black, Boehm,M (2262)-Zude,E (2395)
Germany 2012}) 11... Ndb4 12. Re1 (12. Qe2 e5 (12... Rb8 $2 {Poschmann,M-Kock,
S Rheinhausen 1998}) 13. Rd1 b6 $1 {[%csl Yc5]} 14. c3 Be6 $1 15. Nxa5 (15. Ra3
Re8 $1 $15) 15... Rxa5 16. cxb4 Nxb4 17. Bd2 Qd6 18. Ng5 Bb3 19. Rdc1 c5 20.
Ne4 Qd8 $15) 12... e5 13. Bg5 f6 (13... Qd6 $2 14. Nfd2 f6 15. Nc4 $14 {
Stiller,J (2160)-Saathoff,R (2116) Postbauer 2007}) 14. Be3 Re8 (14... b6 15.
c3 $5 Nxd3 16. Re2 Ba6 17. Rd2 e4 18. Nfd4 Nxd4 19. Nxd4 $11) 15. Nfd2 Rb8 16.
Nc4 b6 17. c3 Nd5 $11) 11. c3 (11. Re1 f5 (11... a5 $5 12. a4 Ndb4 $11) (11...
Re8 $11) 12. Bg5 Qd6 13. Nfd2 h6 $2 (13... f4 14. Ne4 Qd7 15. d4 fxg3 16. fxg3
exd4 17. Nbc5 Qf7 18. Rf1 Qe8 $13) 14. Nc4 Qd7 15. Bd2 $14 Kh7 $2 (15... Qf7)
16. Qf3 $2 (16. Nba5 Nxa5 17. Bxa5 Re8 18. f4 $16) 16... Rd8 $2 (16... Nb6) 17.
a3 $2 (17. Nba5) 17... Rb8 $2 (17... Nb6) 18. Ne3 $2 (18. Nba5) 18... Nxe3 (
18... Nde7 $6 {Antonova,N (2004)-Zaksaite,S (2170) Tromso 2014}) 19. Qxe3 b6
$11) 11... a5 $1 12. a3 $6 (12. a4 $11) 12... b6 $1 13. Re1 Bb7 (13... a4 $1
14. Nbd2 Re8 15. Nc4 Bb7) 14. Nbd2 $6 (14. a4) 14... Qd7 15. Nc4 Rfe8 16. a4
Rad8 17. Qb3 h6 $1 (17... Kh8 $6 {Simonenko,S (2419)-Ftacnik,L (2580) Lisbon
2001}) 18. Ne3 Nf6 $1 $15) 9... a5 {Strictly speaking, 9..e5 might be slightly
more accurate because of 10.Nbd4!.} (9... e5 10. e4 a5 11. a4 (11. Be3 $2 {
Diagram [#] Careless play. White underestimates the tactical potential of the
position.} a4 12. Nbd2 $2 (12. Nc1 Ng4 13. Bd2 f5 $15) 12... Ng4 13. Bc5 Re8
14. h3 $2 (14. Re1 b6 15. Ba3 Nd4 16. h3 Nf6 17. Nxd4 exd4 18. b4 {was a
better attempt, even though Black is clearly on top.}) 14... Ra5 {Even better
was} (14... Bf8 15. Bxf8 Ne3 16. Qe1 Nxf1 17. Bh6 Nxd2 18. Qxd2 f6 $17) 15. Bf2
Nxf2 16. Rxf2 a3 $17 {0-1 (30) Bobzin,P (2189)-Kleinegger,F (2176) Ruhrgebiet
2004}) 11... b6 12. Nbd2 (12. Kh1 $6 Be6 13. Nbd2 Ng4 14. Qe2 Bh6 15. Nb1 $2 (
15. b3 {[%cal Gd2c4]}) 15... Bxc1 16. Rxc1 Nd4 17. Qd2 $2 (17. Nxd4 exd4 $15 {
[%csl Ye3]}) 17... f5 $17 {Eifler,T (2095)-Balcerak,T Speyer 1997}) (12. d4 $6
exd4 (12... Ba6 $6 {Kopp,P (2210)-Haakert,J (2320) Hessen 1991}) 13. e5 (13.
Nbxd4 Nxd4 14. Nxd4 (14. Qxd4 Qxd4+ 15. Nxd4 Bb7 $17) 14... Ng4 15. c3 (15. Nc6
Qe8 16. e5 Bb7 17. Ne7+ Qxe7 18. Bxb7 Rab8 19. Qxg4 Rxb7) 15... Ne5 $15) (13.
Bg5 Qe8 14. e5 Ne4 15. Bf4 Bb7 $15) 13... Ng4 14. Bg5 (14. Nfxd4 Nxd4 15. Bxa8
Bxe5 16. Bg2 (16. Bf4 Ba6 $19) 16... Nxh2 $19) 14... Qe8 15. Nbxd4 Nxd4 16.
Qxd4 h6 17. Bf4 Bb7 $15) (12. h3 $6 Be6 13. Nbd2 Nd7 $1 (13... h6 {Tobiska,
J-Mueller,D Magdeburg 1997}) 14. b3 Nc5 15. Bb2 Qe7 16. Qe2 Rad8 $15) 12... Be6
13. b3 (13. Ng5 Bg4 14. Ngf3 Nd7 $1 (14... Qe7 $11 {Sparnacini,S (2113)-Pares
Vives,N (2315) ICCF email 2011}) 15. Nc4 Nc5 16. Ne3 Be6 {with a positional
imitative for Black.}) 13... Nd7 ({Black can also go for a black-square
strategy, with the aim to play against White's bad light-squared bishop.} 13...
Bh6 $5 14. Nc4 Bxc1 15. Qxc1 Bxc4 16. bxc4 {Alas, White can resolve his
positional problems by tactical means:} Nd7 (16... Qd6 17. Bh3 Nd7 18. Bxd7 {
Getting rid of the bad bishop, before the knight reaches c5.}) 17. Qh6 {
[%cal Rf3g5]} Qe7 18. c3 $1 Nc5 19. d4 exd4 20. e5 $1 {[%cal Rf3g5]} Ne6 21.
cxd4 Ncxd4 22. Nxd4 Nxd4 23. Bxa8 Rxa8 24. Qe3 $13) (13... h6 $6 {Darban,M
(2270)-Romanishin,O (2575) Yerevan 2001}) 14. Ba3 Nc5 {with a good game.}) (
9... Ng4 $5 10. c3 Qd6 11. e4 a5 12. d4 $2 a4 (12... Rd8 $2 {Borchert,O (1841)
-Didzuhn,W (1832) Ellwangen 2001}) 13. e5 (13. Nbd2 $2 Ne3) (13. Nc5 $2 e5 $17)
13... Ngxe5 14. Nxe5 Nxe5 15. Nc5 Nc6 $15) (9... Bg4 $5 10. Qe2 (10. h3 Be6 {
[%csl Yg3]}) 10... Qc8 11. c3 e5 (11... Rd8 $6 {Castaldo,A (1604)-Bozza,A
(1568) Ivrea 2012}) 12. e4 Qd7 {with a good position.}) 10. a4 {Diagram [#]} (
10. a3 e5 $15 (10... h6 {Kiessling,A (1965)-Joachim,S (2443) Dresden 2001})) (
10. Bd2 a4 $6 (10... e5 $15) 11. Nc5 $2 (11. Nbd4) 11... b6 (11... e5 12. Ng5
Qe7 13. Nce4 Ng4 $15) 12. Ng5 bxc5 $5 (12... Bg4 13. Qe1 Qe8 $15) 13. Bxc6 Rb8
14. Bxa4 (14. Bc3 Qd6 15. Bg2 (15. Bxa4 $2 Bh6) 15... c4 $15 16. dxc4 $2 Qc5)
14... Qd5 15. Nf3 c4 $1 (15... Bh3 $2 16. Bb3 $15 {Loeffler,W-Reichenbacher,G
Germany 1996}) 16. dxc4 Qa8 (16... Qxc4 17. Bb3 Qc5 $17) 17. Bb3 Rd8 18. Qe2
Ne4 $17) (10. Nbd4 $1 {White takes the chance and changes the structure to
something unconventional:} Nxd4 11. exd4 a4 $11) 10... Ng4 {As I already
stated in my comments of the previous games, I quite like the idea of using
the square g4 for the minor pieces as this may tempt White into weakening his
kingside structure with h3.} (10... Bg4 $5 {Here, Black indeed managed to provoke the
weakness:} 11. h3 Be6 12. Nc5 Bc8 {[%cal Rd8d6,Rd6g3,Rd6c5]} 13. d4 Qd6 14. Kh2
$2 (14. g4 $11) 14... b6 ({In the game Kopp,P (2150)-Frank,W (2209) Kaufungen 2003, there followed unnecessarily shy} 14...
Rb8 $2) 15. e4 (15. Nd3 Ne4 16.
Nfe5 f5 $15) 15... e5 (15... bxc5 16. e5 Qd7 17. exf6 Bxf6 18. Ne5 Nxe5 19.
dxe5 Bxe5 20. Qxd7 Bxd7 21. Bxa8 Rxa8 22. Re1 Bd6 23. Bf4 Kf8 {is also good
for Black}) 16. Nb3 (16. dxe5 Ng4+ 17. hxg4 Qxc5 $17) 16... Ba6 17. dxe5 (17.
Re1 Nh5 18. d5 Nb4 $17) 17... Nxe5 18. Qxd6 cxd6 19. Re1 Rac8 20. Nxe5 (20. c3
$2 Nd3 $17) (20. Nfd4 $6 Rfe8 21. Bd2 Nc4 22. Bc3 Bb7 23. e5 Nd5 24. exd6 Nxd6
$17) 20... dxe5 21. c3 Bd3 $15) 11. e4 $2 {Diagram [#] In the two actual games,
this position occurred via a different move order: 7..d4 8.e4 de3 9.fe3 Nc6 10.
e4 Ng4 11.Nb3 a5 12.a4. Before immersing into this interesting position, let's
have a look into a game of mine, where White started out prudently, only to
lose the tread later on:} (11. Qe2 Qd6 $6 {During the game I thought this was
a good move out of prophylactic reasons. If White should ever challenge the
Ng4 with h3, the g3-pawn would already be under attack. However, as it turns
out, the queen is a bit too exposed on d6. Better is the solid 11..e5.} 12.
Nbd2 (12. Nfd2 $5 Qd7 13. Nc4 b6 $11) 12... e5 13. Ne4 $2 {Here, the knight
will be dislodged soon by f7-f5.} (13. Nc4 {Of course, I expected this move,
but underestimated its potential. Now, things are not too bad for Black, but
he has to be somewhat careful.} Qe7 {This was my intention.} (13... Qd8 14. h3
(14. Nfd2 f5 15. Nb3 e4 16. dxe4 fxe4 17. Rxf8+ Qxf8 18. Bd2 Nge5 19. Bxe4 Bg4
20. Qf1 Qe7 21. Nxe5 Nxe5 22. Bxb7 Rf8 23. Qb5 c6 24. Bxc6 Nxc6 25. Qxc6 Qf7
26. Qg2 Bf3 27. Qf1 Qe6 $44) 14... Nf6 15. e4 (15. Nfxe5 $2 Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Nh5)
15... Nh5 16. Kh2 Be6 17. c3 {with a tiny edge for White}) 14. Nfd2 $1 {
Diagram [#] As it turns out, 15.Bxc6 is a positional threat, which didn't
perceive during the game.} Qd7 (14... f5 15. Bxc6 bxc6 16. b3 e4 17. Ba3 c5 (
17... exd3 18. Qf3 $1) 18. d4 Qg5 19. Bxc5 Re8 20. Rae1 h5 $14) (14... Bd7 $2
15. Bxc6 Bxc6 $6 16. Qxg4) 15. h3 Nf6 16. b3 Nd5 (16... Nh5 17. Qf2 f5 18. Ba3
Nb4 (18... Re8 $2 19. g4 fxg4 20. hxg4 Nf6 21. g5 Nh5 22. Ne4 $18) (18... Rd8
19. Bb2 Re8 $2 (19... Qe8 20. Bf3 $1 Nf6 $2 21. Bxc6) 20. g4) 19. Nf3 Re8 20.
Bb2 Nc6 21. Nfd2 $14 (21. g4 $5 fxg4 22. hxg4 Qxg4 23. Nfxe5 Nxe5 24. Nxe5 Qe6
25. d4 c6)) 17. Bb2 $14 {White enjoys active piece play, while Black still has
to complete his development, e.g.} Ndb4 18. Ne4 f5 19. Nc3 b6 20. Nb5 Bb7 21.
Rad1 Rad8 22. g4 $1) 13... Qe7 14. b3 $2 {White is betting on his chances
connected with the diagonal a3-f8, but doesn't take into account his own
liabilities.} (14. c3 f5 15. Nf2 Nxf2 16. Rxf2 e4 $15) (14. Bd2 f5 15. Nf2 Nxf2
16. Rxf2 Be6 17. Bc3 {with only a slight edge for Black}) (14. Nc3 f5 15. Nd5
Qd6 16. e4 Be6 17. h3 {with a playable position}) 14... f5 15. Ba3 Nb4 16. Nc3
$2 (16. h3 fxe4 17. dxe4 Nf6 18. c3 Be6 19. Nd2 Nd7 $17 {was the lesser evil.})
16... Qc5 $2 (16... e4 $1 17. dxe4 Qc5 $1 $19 (17... Bxc3 $4 18. Qc4+)) 17. Nb5
$2 (17. Nd1 e4 18. c3 exf3 19. Bxf3 Be6 $17) 17... Nxe3 $19 18. Qf2 e4 19. d4
$2 (19. Rae1 exf3 20. Bxf3 c6 21. c3 cxb5 22. cxb4 axb4 23. Bc1 Re8 24. Rxe3 (
24. Bxe3 Rxe3 $19) 24... Be6 $19) 19... Qb6 20. Nd2 (20. Qxe3 Nxc2 21. Qf4 Nxa3
22. Rxa3 exf3 23. Bxf3 c6 $19) 20... c6 $1 21. Qxe3 cxb5 22. c3 Nc2 23. Qf4 b4
$1 {Diagram [#] I like this undermining move, however profane it may be.} 24. Nc4
Qd8 25. Bc1 (25. Bb2 Nxa1 26. Bxa1 bxc3 $19) 25... Nxa1 {0-1 (25) Szenetra,W
(2265)-Wahls,M (2550) Hamburg 1995}) 11... Nd4 $1 {Diagram [#] Skillfully
exploiting White's weaknesses. The threat now is not only to cripple White's
structure with 12...Nb3, but also to win the exchange by following up with 13..
.Bd4.} (11... e5 $2 {Mack,P (2300)-Kindermann,S (2530) Germany 1990}) 12. Nfxd4
{That's a decent way to solve the problems. Two of the alternatives are clearly
inferior:} (12. Nbxd4 $2 Bxd4+ 13. Kh1 Nf2+ 14. Rxf2 Bxf2 15. c3 ({The bishop
cannot be caught:} 15. d4 e5 16. c3 exd4 17. cxd4 Bg4) 15... Bb6 16. d4 Bg4
17. Bh6 Re8 18. Qf1 {threatening 19.Ne5 Be6 20.d5 +-} f6 19. Qc4+ Kh8 20. e5
Rg8 21. h4 (21. Qf7 Qe8 $19) 21... Qd7 22. Nd2 g5 $17) (12. Ra3 {White
prevents the deformation of his pawn structure and also wants to use the rook
along the 3rd rank.} Be6 $5 {Now, White s forced to capture on d4. In the end,
however, He gets enough compensation for his material with correct play:} (
12... Nxb3 $2 13. Rxb3 Bd4+ 14. Kh1 Nf2+ 15. Rxf2 Bxf2 16. d4 c5 (16... e5 $6
17. Rd3 {Here, the rook makes itself felt.} Qe7 (17... exd4 $2 18. Qf1) 18. Bg5
(18. c3 $2 exd4 19. cxd4 c5) (18. Nxe5 Bxd4 19. Nxg6 hxg6 20. Rxd4 b6 21. h4
Bb7 22. Kh2 Rad8 $17) 18... f6 19. Bh6 Re8 20. dxe5 fxe5 21. Ng5 {with
sufficient compensation, .e.g.} Bc5 22. Rc3 Bb4 23. Bf1 Bxc3 24. Bc4+ Kh8 25.
Nf7+ Kg8 26. Ng5+ Kh8 $11) 17. Bh6 Re8 18. Rd3 Qc7 19. c3 cxd4 20. cxd4 e5 21.
Nxe5 Bxd4 22. Nxf7 Qxf7 23. Rxd4 Qf2 24. Rd2 Bg4 25. Qb3+ Qf7 26. Qe3 Red8 27.
Rxd8+ Rxd8 28. h4 {with only a small edge for Black}) (12... Nxf3+ $1 {
Hereafter, Black obtains some advantage without risk.} 13. Qxf3 (13. Bxf3 Ne5
14. Bg2 c5 15. Nd2 Qd4+ 16. Kh1 Ng4 17. Qf3 Be6 $15) 13... c5 14. Qe2 Qb6 15.
Kh1 Be6 16. h3 Ne5 17. Be3 Rac8 18. Rb1 Rfd8 {with a nice bind.}) 13. Nbxd4
Bxd4+ 14. Kh1 Nf2+ 15. Rxf2 Bxf2 16. d4 c5 17. d5 (17. Rd3 $2 cxd4 (17... Qb6
18. d5 c4 $17) 18. Qe2 Bc4 19. Qxf2 Bxd3 20. cxd3 Qd7 21. Bh6 Qxa4 $17) 17...
Bg4 18. Bh6 (18. c3 c4 $15) 18... Re8 19. Qf1 Bd4 (19... Bxf3 $2 20. Rxf3 Bd4
21. Rxf7) 20. Nxd4 cxd4 21. h3 Bd7 22. e5 (22. Qf2 e5 23. dxe6 Bxe6 24. Rd3 Qe7
25. Rxd4 $15) 22... Qc7 23. Qf4 (23. Rf3 $2 Qxe5 24. Rxf7 Bf5 25. Rg7+ Kh8 26.
Rf7 Qxg3 {[%cal Rg3h4]} 27. Bf4 Qh4 28. Be5+ Kg8 29. Rxf5 (29. Rg7+ Kf8) 29...
gxf5 30. d6 e6 $19) 23... Rac8 24. Rf3 f6 25. d6 exd6 26. Qxf6 (26. exf6 $2 Kf7
$17) 26... Bc6 27. exd6 Qd7 28. Kg1 d3 29. cxd3 Bxf3 30. Bxf3 Rc5 31. Qd4 $44)
(12. h3 $2 Nxb3 13. cxb3 Bd4+) 12... Bxd4+ 13. Kh1 Nf2+ 14. Rxf2 Bxf2 15. Bh6 {
Diagram [#]} Be6 $2 {This lets go of the advantage.} (15... Re8 16. d4 e5 (
16... c5 17. d5 Qb6 18. Qf3 Bd4 19. Rf1 f6 20. Nxd4 cxd4 21. e5 Bd7 22. Qf4)
17. c3 Be6 $1 (17... exd4 18. cxd4 Be6 19. d5 Bd7 20. Qd2 Bb6 21. Qc3 f6 22.
Rf1 Re5 23. Nd2 Qe7 (23... Rh5 24. Rxf6 $1 Rxh6 25. d6 Rh5 26. Bf1 $13) 24. Nc4
Rxe4 25. d6 Qe6 26. Nxb6 cxb6 27. Rxf6 Re1+ 28. Bf1 Qd5+ 29. Kg1 Qc5+ 30. Qxc5
bxc5 31. Kf2 Re4 32. Bg2 Re5 33. Bf1 $13) 18. d5 Bd7 19. Qc2 Bb6 20. c4 Ba7 21.
c5 c6 $15) (15... Bb6 16. Bxf8 Qxf8 17. e5 (17. d4 e5 18. d5 Bd7 $15) 17... Be6
(17... Qh6 18. d4) 18. Bxb7 Rb8 19. Bc6 Bxb3 20. cxb3 Bd4 21. e6 f5 $15) 16.
Bxf8 $6 {White could still have made use of this bishop:} (16. Qd2 Bb6 17. Qc3
f6 18. Bxf8 Kxf8 $11) 16... Qxf8 17. Qd2 Bb6 18. Qc3 Qg7 (18... Qd8 19. Nc5
Bxc5 20. Qxc5 b6 21. Qf2 c5 22. b3 Qd4 23. Rf1 Kg7 {and Black has a tiny edge
due to his superior bishop.}) 19. e5 $1 Bxb3 20. Qxb3 $2 (20. cxb3 Rd8 (20...
c6 21. b4) 21. Bxb7 Rd4 22. Re1 Qf8 23. Re4 Qd8 24. Rxd4 Qxd4 25. Qxd4 Bxd4 26.
e6 f5 27. b4 axb4 28. b3 {is drawn}) 20... Qxe5 21. Rf1 e6 22. Bxb7 Rb8 23. Bg2
Ba7 $17 {Diagram [#]} 24. Qc4 Kg7 $2 {Apparently, Black was afraid of ghosts.}
(24... Rxb2 25. Qc6 Rb8 26. Qd7 f5 $17 {and there is no way for White to
exploit Black's weakened king's position.}) 25. b3 Bd4 26. Qc6 h5 {Obviously,
Black enjoys the initiative, due to his better protected king. The standard
plan is to further weaken White's structure with the advance h5-h4 and
finally attack the soft spot h2.} 27. Qd7 Rf8 28. Qe7 $6 (28. Qb5 {Exchanging
queens with} Qxb5 29. axb5 {would have been a better option, due to the
difference in king's safety. Even then, Black would have a good reason to
continue the fight by playing f5, g5-g4 and h4, mobilizing his f-pawn.}) 28...
Qd6 {Diagram [#] In apparent contradiction to my last comment, Black now
offers the exchange of queens by himself. But note, he is doing this on his
terms. If White accepts the offer, this will strengthen Black's pawn majority
on the kingside and open the c-file for the rook.} 29. Qg5 f5 30. Qd2 Qc5 $6 {
This was a good time to advance the h-pawn:} (30... h4 $1 31. c3 (31. gxh4 Rh8
32. Qe1 Bf6) 31... Bf6 32. g4 (32. gxh4 Rh8) 32... fxg4 33. Qe2 Bxc3 34. Qxg4
Rxf1+ 35. Bxf1 Bf6 $17) 31. Qe2 Qd6 32. Qe1 h4 $6 {Now, the advance is not as
dangerous anymore, since White has a good defense:} 33. gxh4 Rh8 {Diagram [#]}
34. Rf3 $2 (34. Bf3 $1 {Before Black is able to attack the pawn a second time,
White prepares the answer h4-h5.} g5 (34... Be5 35. Qf2 Kf7 36. h5 gxh5 (36...
g5 37. h3)) (34... Bf6 35. h5 g5 36. h3) 35. Qg3 g4 36. Bxg4 Qxg3 37. hxg3 fxg4
38. Rf4 e5 39. Rxg4+ Kh6 40. Re4 Rg8 41. Kh2 Rf8 42. Re2) 34... g5 35. Rg3 $2 {
That's a very bad place for the rook. Now, White can't even organize a defense
based on the move h3 anymore.} (35. h3 Rxh4 36. c3 Bf6 37. d4 g4 $17) 35... g4
$19 {Diagram [#]} 36. c3 (36. h3 Qf4 $1 $19 {[%cal Rd4e5]}) 36... Bf6 37. Re3
Bxh4 38. Qe2 (38. Qg1 Bf2 $19) 38... Bg5 39. h3 Bxe3 40. Qxe3 Kf7 41. d4 gxh3
42. Bf3 Rg8 43. d5 e5 44. Bh5+ Ke7 45. c4 e4 46. c5 Qg3 47. d6+ cxd6 48. cxd6+
Ke6 49. Qh6+ Ke5 0-1