Are you fed up with playing inferior defences as Black? Would you like to play 'real' openings but are put off by the steep theoretical learning curve? Then this book can be the answer to all your problems! The King's Indian Defence is an extremely sharp and yet well respected opening with great pedigree. It scores very well in practical play and is particularly dangerous in the hands of dynamic players who like to play to win as Black.

The King's Indian has always been one of the sharpest, most complex and popular openings that Black can play; it still provides the setting for many encounters at the elite level of Grandmaster chess. Straight from the start, Black fights for the initiative and in many variations, while White pursues material gains, it is Black who has the psychological advantage of trying checkmate the opponent's king.

Despite its many advantages, some prospective Kings' Indian players are put off by the seemingly endless amount of theory one is supposed to learn. In Play the King's Indian, however, Grandmaster and life-long King's Indian devotee Joe Gallagher has produced a comprehensive and yet workable black repertoire against all of White's most dangerous possibilities.

- Written by a renowned King's Indian expert

- Includes up-to-date theory on a fascinating opening

- Covers all of White's replies

List of Content

004 Bibliography

005 Introduction

Part One: The Classical Variation

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Be2 e5

007 1 The Classical Variation: Modern Main Line

026 2 The Classical Variation: 9 Ne1 Nd7 without 10 Be3

040 3 The Classical Variation: The Bayonet Attack 9 b4

057 4 The Classical Variation: White's 9th Move Alternatives

069 5 The Classical Variation: 7...Na6

083 6 The Classical Variation: White's 7th Move Alternatives

Part Two: Other Lines

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6

094 7 The Sämisch

120 8 The Fianchetto Variation

144 9 The Four Pawns Attack

164 10 White Plays an early h3

178 11 The Averbakh Variation

191 12 Other Systems

205 Index of Variations

207 Index of Complete Games