Why 11... Nf4????

Sort:
BillyObrien01

In the position below from my blitz game, the computer suggests 11... Nf4. I don't understand. Can't White just take the Knight, and what is my plan moving forward? Help me!!!

Laskersnephew

This is the kind of position where a little experience is helpful, so don't criticize yourself if you didn't understand it. Playing Nf4, even at the cost of a pawn, is a common theme in the Kings Indian. As llama45 pointed out, Black's Bg7 becomes a extremely powerful piece--all the more so because Whites dark-squared bishop is gone, and White's dark squares are weak after he's played c4 and e4. Check out this game between Kamsky and Kasparov. Kasparov said that Kamsky's decision to take on f4 at move 16 indicated that he didn't really understand the Kings Indian!

 

BillyObrien01
llama45 wrote:

Well, first of all I have to wonder why you moved Nh5 to begin with if you weren't thinking of f4.

 

Thanks guys. I was more thinking about pawn to f5 happy.png