Hello,

I've avoided the King's Indian on principle, since I think positions such as these are hard for players at my level to play well without a deep understanding of the dynamics involved. I've always tried classical defenses to 1.d4, but I wanted to get more chances for attacking opportunities to make things more fun. Should class players touch this opening? 

chessman

I've tried so many things against 1. d4, it isn't funny anymore. I've started playing a new line, that is fun for me, but slightly position with tactical fun.

Had similar concerns myself, but found it depends a lot on what your opponents are like. In the english club player scene 1.d4 players are not terribly ambitious, particularly the lower rated ones. Opponents typically avoid the mainline, and then the KingsIndian gives plenty of flexible options. My own play maynot be terribly advanced in dynamic play, but there are some straightforward attacking plans, with f5-f4 etc. The lower rated opponents are usually worse at this, wanting nice safe positional advantages, which you don't give them.

The Clarendon Court is refuted but I play it sometimes.

As for the

King's Indian Defense

I like this line. I played it a lot.

I still often play it every once and a while.

If you want a more solid line than you can try the K-I-D brother line.

"The Gruenfeld" This line is very respectible and if you enjoy the K-I-D.

You will like this type of line as well.

Frankly I enjoy playing all 3 lines.

• Clarendon Court

• Kings Indian Defense

• Gruenfeld

I believe the Gruenfeld is the most solid;however, sometimes not as fun.

I believe the Clarendon Court is the most fun;however, its refuted and not that solid.

Between the 2 above lines I believe the K-I-D is slightly inbetween both.

Its not 100% refuted and its not 100% solid. Yet its a middle of the road line.

You can touch it, of course. Just stay away from the bulk of established theory, and try focusing on ideas and pawn structures.

I suggest two books: "Mastering the King's Indian Defence" (Bellin & Ponzetto) and "Bronstein on the King's Indian".

That's called the Clarendon Court Defense.  It's a hybrid of the Benoni and the Dutch.  It's considered slightly dubious, but White has to make a few counter-intuitive moves ("normal" moves will usually fail here) to bust the system.

I played it a few times in 2007 (OTB) with mixed results.