Learning openings requires understanding chess notation, the system for naming pieces and moves. Get a refresher on chess notation here!

LEARN CHESS ON DUOLINGO

King’s Indian Attack: 4 quick facts

  • Despite being a sound opening, the King’s Indian Attack is not commonly seen at the grandmaster level today, although it has been regularly played by famous players in the past.
  • This opening mimics the Black setup from the King’s Indian Defense, but adapts it for White, giving it the related name King’s Indian Attack, sometimes abbreviated as the KIA.
  • One of its key features is its flexibility: it can be reached through a variety of move orders and doesn’t have to be played in a strict order.
  • The King’s Indian Attack is a closed opening that offers attacking chances for White. It can be played against a wide range of Black openings, including the Caro-Kann Defense.

King’s Indian Attack: The moves

Here are the moves for the King’s Indian Attack:

💡
1. Nf3 d5 2. g3

A gif showing the opening moves for the King’s Indian Attack: 1. White’s knight moves to f3 and Black’s d-pawn moves to d5. White’s g-pawn moves to g3.

A flexible system for White

If you want to learn a White setup with flexible move order that can be used against a variety of Black openings, try the King’s Indian Attack!

If you’re looking for more openings, check out our guide featuring over 30 options for every skill level!