i prefer playing the nimzo indians defence for black because it's more aggressive and leads to more complicated situations
Not the usual perspective (more often, players find the KID to be more aggressive/more complicated than the Nimzo)- but I can appreciate how everyone has different viewpoints. ![]()
In the late 1800s, one of the world's top players, the German master Louis Paulsen, adopted a unique defensive posture to the queen's pawn game which hadn't really been seen in Westernized chess: developing his king bishop to the g7 square, allowing White to get an early foothold in the center.
Over the decades, other renowned players began exploring the same setup and developing its dynamic theory, such as Euwe, Alekhine, and Najdorf.
But the defense truly entered the mainstream limelight when it became a favorite of two chess superstars: Fischer and Kasparov - both whom honed it, even further, into a fearsome weapon.
Now, in the 2020s, the defense's reputation seems to be split among players. Devotees praise it for the imbalanced, aggressive games it produces. Critics declare that engines have declawed and tamed the beast.
Where do you stand? Are you for it? Against it? Would like to know more?
Let's talk about the King's Indian ...