An opening course for Black (ECO E60-E99)
The King's Indian lets White occupy the centre before Black challenges it with ...e5 or ...c5. In the Classical main line, 7...Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 produces the opening's defining race: White advances on the queenside while Black moves the f6-knight, plays ...f5, and attacks the king. The positions are sharp and heavily analysed, so this first course stays with five source-bounded structures instead of pretending that one setup answers every White system.
This course is part of your daily work.
After d5 closes the centre, White's space points toward a queenside advance and Black's chain points toward the white king. The familiar race is c4-c5 on one wing against ...f5-f4 and ...g5 on the other; speed matters, but only after the pieces are placed for the break.
In the Mar del Plata, Ne1 is a route rather than a retreat. White commonly continues Nd3, supporting c5, keeping Nf2 available for defence, and sometimes adding pressure to e5 after f2-f4. Black answers with ...Nd7 and ...f5 before White's queenside play arrives.
The old ...Nh5 attack remains playable, but the modern Re1 plan gives White a direct way to slow it. The course therefore uses 9...a5, the source's most reliable answer: challenge the queenside first, then play ...f5 from a position whose pieces are not committed to an all-or-nothing pawn rush.
When White fianchettoes the king bishop, the usual kingside assault loses much of its force. Black instead uses ...Nbd7, ...e5, ...c6 and ...a5, then releases the centre with ...exd4 and places a knight on c5. This is slower pressure, not a Mar del Plata copied onto the wrong structure.
Learning order, one scoresheet per chapter. The coach serves review one line a day; enter any line directly when you want it now.
Start with the source's two critical ninth moves. Ne1 prepares the long pawn-chain race; b4 begins the Bayonet immediately and demands the more reliable ...a5 response.
The fianchetto and the early Bg5 system require different answers. One calls for slow central pressure; the other invites an immediate ...c5 counterattack.
Club games that started in the King's Indian Defense produced these tactics, and you solve every one from Black's side, the seat you actually sit in. Difficulty follows your solving, the same as the puzzle room.
The King's Indian Defense is the chess opening that begins 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7, and it is filed under ECO E60-E99. This course teaches it from Black's side in 5 drills across 2 chapters, with a coach note on the moves that need one, every position checked with Stockfish at depth 20, and every plan credited to the author who wrote it down.
Lines you will drill
Theory credited to
8 branches are deliberately not drilled here, and the course records which and why rather than leaving the gap silent.
Questions
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