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The position
What King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Benjamin Defense puts on the board
Material is level, with white to move.
White has central pawns on d4.
White has castled kingside; Black has castled kingside.
White’s plan
What White is trying to build
Use the broad pawn centre to gain queenside space or break with e5.
Meet a kingside attack with concrete central or queenside play.
Black’s plan
How Black challenges it
Attack the centre with …e5 or …c5, then play on the wing the locked centre points toward.
Keep the dark-squared bishop active on the long diagonal.
The idea
The tactical pattern to recognise
…f5–f4 can open lines near the white king.
A locked centre often creates opposite-wing races rather than quiet manoeuvring.
The mistake
What to check before committing
Starting the wing race before the centre is fixed.
Trading the dark-squared bishop without a concrete gain.
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Reference links and alternate move orders
Related variations
- King's Indian Defense: Averbakh Variation, Benoni Defense
- King's Indian Defense: Averbakh Variation, Flexible Defense
- King's Indian Defense: Averbakh Variation, Geller Defense
- King's Indian Defense: Averbakh Variation, Main Line
- King's Indian Defense: Averbakh Variation, Modern Defense
- King's Indian Defense: Averbakh Variation, Nc6 Defense
- King's Indian Defense: Averbakh Variation, Spanish Defense
- King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Carlsbad Variation
- King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Classical Fianchetto
- King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Classical Main Line
- King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Classical Variation
- King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Debrecen Defense