King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2
What Is The Orthodox Variation?
6.Be2 looks modest, but it is the most testing move: White finishes development before committing the centre, so you strike with 6...e5. After 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 the centre locks and the pawn chains point in opposite directions. That geometry hands each side one target: White plays c5 on the queenside, you play f5, then f4 and g5 against the king.
The Mar del Plata is a pure race: whoever breaks through first wins, and defending instead of pushing loses the tempo that decides it. Count moves, not material, and hand over the queenside without regret. White varies to slow you down: the Bayonet 9.b4 rushes the c5 break, Gligoric's 7.Be3 provokes 7...Ng4, and the Petrosian 7.d5 closes the centre on White's terms.
How Do You Play Against The King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation?
You are Black and the field splits: 30% play 6...e5, 18% 6...Nbd7 and 15% 6...Nc6. The Orthodox is the main line of the King's Indian, where White develops calmly and both sides get to carry out the plan they wanted.
...e5 is the move the whole opening is built around, because it closes the centre and starts the kingside race you need. After the centre locks, your play is ...f5, ...f4 and ...g5 while White breaks with c5 on the queenside. It is a genuine race and the loser is usually whoever hesitates. White scores 50% to 45% over 694 games, so the race is closer than the reputation suggests.
How Does Play Continue From Here?
| Move | Share | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 30% | 247 | |
| Nbd7 | 18% | 150 | |
| Nc6 | 15% | 126 | |
| Bg4 | 13% | 105 |
The Named Lines Of The Orthodox Variation
| Line | Moves |
|---|---|
| Gligoric-Taimanov System | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.Be3 |
| Donner Defense | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O c6 |
| Ukrainian Defense | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O a5 |
| Glek Defense | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Na6 |
| Aronin-Taimanov Defense | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 |
| Positional Defense | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.e4 e5 5.Nf3 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.O-O O-O |
| Positional Defense, Closed Line | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.O-O e5 8.d5 |
| Bayonet Attack | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4 |
| Korchnoi Attack | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Bd2 |
| Modern System | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Nd2 |
| Classical System | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Ne1 |
| Positional Defense, Main Line | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nbd7 8.Re1 c6 9.Bf1 a5 |
| Bayonet Attack, Sokolov's Line | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4 Nh5 10.Re1 |
| Bayonet Attack, Yepishin's Line | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4 Nh5 10.Qc2 |
| Classical System, Neo-Classical Line | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Ne1 Nd7 10.Be3 |
| Classical System, Traditional Line | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Ne1 Nd7 10.f3 f5 |
| Classical System, Benko Attack | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Ne1 Nd7 10.f3 f5 11.g4 |
| Classical System, Kozul Gambit | 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Ne1 Nd7 10.Be3 f5 11.f3 f4 12.Bf2 g5 13.Rc1 Ng6 14.c5 |