King’s Indian Attack

Hey there, let us discuss on king’s Indian attack. The opening was successfully used by some well known monstrous players, from Bobby Fischer to Kasparov to Botvinnik. Most descriptions refer KIA as a solid or at least sound opening. However, the opening is very rarely played in top level games in comparison to other system openings such as the London System. What are some lines for and against the KIA you guys may recommend? Please do share your games with the KIA as well, the better the accuracy the better the accuracy of the game, the better example it is. 

ok!!!!!!!

There are 30,000+ KIA master games in the Local Explorer just for your pleasure and convenience.

The king's Indian attack is a closed and strategic opening that presents common tactics and schemes in a comfortable way to play against different defenses.

Well thanks for letting me into this game. I assume that this is your game and so, what are the basic ideas behind the KIA?

Thanks for letting me know, I’ll definitely look into it.

Yes, it was one of my games (Round 2, IIRC) from the OTB Championship of New Brunswick.

The KIA is flexible enough that there are many possible themes. 

1) Pressure on the dark squares on the K-side, with the Pawns on e5 and h4, the Bishop on f4 and the Knight on f3. All of these pressure dark squares and help to tie Black down on that flank.

2) Maneuvering the Queen's Knight from b1 through d2 and f1 to e3 or h2, and eventually to g4, to increase the pressure on the dark squares.

3) Depending on the formation adopted by Black... especially if he pushes d5-d4... White can sometimes play c2-c3 and a2-a4, combined with N(d2)-c4 and play it like a reversed King's Indian Defense.

4) If Black adopts a less ambitious formation in the center, White can consider playing c2-c3 and d3-d4, with a central structure similar to the Ruy Lopez.

5) Maintaining firm control of the e5 square is often a key concept. Here's a game where I ended up aiming every one of my remaining pieces at e5:

My game where Black misplayed the queenside, allowing an exchange sacrifice

I have a strong feeling that these ideas behind the KIA would solidify my concept of KIA itself. However, is there any lag or con of the KIA which a practitioner must know before adding it to their repertoire?

This was a pretty open game for an opening which often leads into closed games.

The KIA is less effective if Black is in a position to establish and maintain a pair of Pawns on e5 and d5 without loss of time. That's one reason why many players will transpose into the KIA only against a system where Black has already played e6 or d6.

I can do decent in the KIA if the center is closed but if someone opens the center I have no clue what to do

It is a solid opening with a deceptive name: It is far from being an "attack".

Exactly, It’s more like King’s Indian Defense, but for white

Yes that's exactly what it is. It transposes to a line in the KID

Update, recently I’ve noticed a few top players employing the KIA in their repertoire with the idea of controlling the e4-e5 squares as you’ve stated. However, I found one line in the English that’s very close to the KIA- English Opening, Botvinnik Variation/ system. Rather than indulging into any active fight for centre, it rather delays any central development for the starting moves.

The Botvinnik is more properly a formation rather than a variation. It is fully playable with either color. I sometimes used to reach a Botvinnik as Black in the closed Sicilian.

Caruana used this opening against Deac in a tournament recently