I'm a modern player against e4 but always end up playing 1...Nf6 against d4 and prefer to go into a nimzo. I don't quite know why. I enjoy playing against the KID as white and often go into the Four Pawn's Attack but I've never played it as black. I suppose part of the reasoning for not wanting to is the sheer amount of theory to learn, even if I'm used to modern/pirc/dragon positions, but what do you suggest? You also seemingly play modern/Pirc setups. Do you have the KID in your opening repertoire and, if so, how often do you play it?
I play the KID against d4 all the time. About your question, there's a lot to be said. The Nimzo is a great opening so it's really good that you play it and you don't need to change it, but on the other hand it's cool that you feel like trying the KID. So, first of all: you're right, there's more theory to know by heart in the KID than in the pirc/modern. At the same time, if you use the modern, i'm sure that at least once in a while your opponents include the move c4 and so you are playing the KID anyway. Aside that, there are tons of ideas that the KID shares with the pirc/modern, so one way or another you will always be in familiar territory and thats another good reason to try the KID with black. You said that you play Modern/pirc/dragon, and dragon is the key that tells me you normally go for the ...c5 break ( I used to play like that all the time until after some years i've mixed up with the ...e5 break ) and i think that initially what you should do is to study the KID with black with that pawn break, main lines with ...c5 and nothing else. So if white goes for fianchetto, averbach, 4 pawns attack, classical, saemisch, no matter which one you just go for the ...c5 break and that way you can fix knowledge instead of just using your memory and even play good chess naturally even if in a game you don't remember the theory, or even worse, you've played a bad opening move for example.
@@PauseTheVideoAndThink Thank you for taking the time in compiling that response. That's a great suggestion, in studying just the c5 lines, as I do like getting in c5 in most setups. Against the London I play nf6, e6, c5 and move to fianchetto the light-squared bishop with b6, Bb7 and Nc6. I also play c5 in lines where the nimzo is declined with Nf3 and obviously if I decide to play the dragon then I'm playing c5 (in most cases) on move 1, although there is scope for 3...c5 (after g6 Bg7) as I know a little bit of theory after dxc5.
Can't wait for part 3
i'll try and make it soon :)
The whole forced line starting with ...Qb6 is truly remarkable. BTW, RIP Yuri Averbakh, 8 February 1922 - 7 May 2022.
Great tribute to the most old grandmaster in the world (he turns 100 in february). Nice and original channel.
right back at ya! :):):)
I'm a modern player against e4 but always end up playing 1...Nf6 against d4 and prefer to go into a nimzo. I don't quite know why. I enjoy playing against the KID as white and often go into the Four Pawn's Attack but I've never played it as black. I suppose part of the reasoning for not wanting to is the sheer amount of theory to learn, even if I'm used to modern/pirc/dragon positions, but what do you suggest? You also seemingly play modern/Pirc setups. Do you have the KID in your opening repertoire and, if so, how often do you play it?
I play the KID against d4 all the time. About your question, there's a lot to be said. The Nimzo is a great opening so it's really good that you play it and you don't need to change it, but on the other hand it's cool that you feel like trying the KID. So, first of all: you're right, there's more theory to know by heart in the KID than in the pirc/modern. At the same time, if you use the modern, i'm sure that at least once in a while your opponents include the move c4 and so you are playing the KID anyway. Aside that, there are tons of ideas that the KID shares with the pirc/modern, so one way or another you will always be in familiar territory and thats another good reason to try the KID with black.
You said that you play Modern/pirc/dragon, and dragon is the key that tells me you normally go for the ...c5 break ( I used to play like that all the time until after some years i've mixed up with the ...e5 break ) and i think that initially what you should do is to study the KID with black with that pawn break, main lines with ...c5 and nothing else. So if white goes for fianchetto, averbach, 4 pawns attack, classical, saemisch, no matter which one you just go for the ...c5 break and that way you can fix knowledge instead of just using your memory and even play good chess naturally even if in a game you don't remember the theory, or even worse, you've played a bad opening move for example.
@@PauseTheVideoAndThink Thank you for taking the time in compiling that response. That's a great suggestion, in studying just the c5 lines, as I do like getting in c5 in most setups. Against the London I play nf6, e6, c5 and move to fianchetto the light-squared bishop with b6, Bb7 and Nc6. I also play c5 in lines where the nimzo is declined with Nf3 and obviously if I decide to play the dragon then I'm playing c5 (in most cases) on move 1, although there is scope for 3...c5 (after g6 Bg7) as I know a little bit of theory after dxc5.