Best response to d4?

I currently play the King's Indian Defence as a response to 1. d4, but as I discovered in several of my games it tends to lead to cramped positions where my pieces don't really have a lot of freedom to move.

I guess I prefer open games. Hence based on my playing style what would be Black's best response to 1. d4?

Best answer to d4? strangle your opponent, make him say  "J'adoube", make him play e4, you can play c5 (the Sicilian) and then continue to kick his ass with the Dragon.

:] humph

@brendanjg

...:P I know that 1. d4 leads to closed games. What I am trying to say is: is there a response that fits my style best? Less cramped positions perhaps?

Based on your playing style I'd say anything goes, provided you will not blunder something big the next couple of moves.

 I know what you meant :)

but I can't really answer your question, because no one really plays d4 on me :D

Take Prefn's word for it.

The Tarrasch Defense (1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5) is probably Black's most open and uncramped defense to d4, but I don't think anyone will try to argue that it's the best.

Try the Dutch Stonewall.  You get good control of the center, and fighting chances for a win, and you are not cramped.

Dutch Stonewall, Tarrasch, Slav or Queen's Gambit Accepted. 

You might also want to try Nimzo-Indian, and then break open the centre quickly.

Nf6

Against 1.d4 you have to play 1...d5 because you have to learn 1...d5 and the positions that occur from it.You did the terrible mistake to start with King's Indian Defense.

Let me ask you something , If I said I want to learn driving but I want to do it on  a F1 car, wouldn't  you laugh?Can someone that doesn't know where the break and where the gas is to drive an F1 car?Exactly the same you did.

Start from the basics, then you move on to the hypermoderns. 

been playing 1d4 for almost 2 decades exclusivly i hate seeing sidelines and gambits. benko gambit gives me fits the activity black gains for that stinkin pawn is incredible. benoni with the b5 pawnpush gambit line is wicked too.

jpd, I feel your pain.  Sometimes it feels like 1. d4 gives Black a lot.  

I mix it up between a classical QGD, semi-slav/meran (sometimes a botvinnik variation, which can get crazy), and the grunfeld. 

To be honest, I have the most fun with grunfelds. White gets a big center, but you get great pressure against it immediately.   Check out some lines on the chess.com database. 

Oh, and if you really want a fight (as mentioned above), learn the benko gambit. I'm not a huge fan of gambits, but it looks very sharp. 

No, the benko is neither too theoretical, nor sharp. In most variations Black is simply aiming exchanging the right pieces and enter the endgame a pawn down (and eventually win this endgame due to his superior pawn structure and active pieces). But it definitely isn't an opening for newbies, it is very technical - they'd better forget about it.

if u like aggressive open-type games then try the Queens gambit Accepted...or the Budapest gambit.

The KID is very complex...no beginner should start from there.

Thanks for your responses! As everyone has noticed, I am still rather new to chess and prone to making blunders :P. From what I garner from the replies it seems that the King's Indian Defence is unsuitable from beginners.

I have looked at the Queen's Gambit Declined and liked it very much. In my opinion, it appears to be a solid response to 1. d4. Any thoughts on this?

Great assessment! Kasparov says that the Queen's Gambit Declined is, "according to many, *the* opening for the world championship matches." :)

I'm a fan of the KID but I feel the pain when somebody playes the Benko gamit (just seems like a trading machine) I had a game with a gambit (which I'm not sure is sound but its got some interesting activity)

MrDurdan, nice game!