Kingsights Logo
King's Indian Defense report from your own games

King's Indian Defense report from your own games

Are you a true King's Indian warrior? Find out if your attacking instincts translate into wins.

Free • Instant Analysis • Works with any Chess.com username

Sample Report Preview

Here's what a personalized King's Indian Defense analysis looks like

Sample Report

King's Indian Defense Report

35 GAMESSample Data
Win Rate
54%

Performance vs Other Openings

King's Indian Defense54% Win
Other Openings48% Win

Key Insights

Attack Timing
black
High Impact

The ...f5 Break Succeeds 75% of the Time When Played After ...Nd7

What this means
In 35 King's Indian games, you played ...f5 in 22 of them. When prepared with ...Nd7 first (rerouting the knight from f6 to support f5), you won 9 out of 12. When you played ...f5 without ...Nd7 preparation, you won only 4 out of 10. The unprepared f5 often leaves the e6 square weak and your knight on f6 misplaced.
How to improve
Follow the standard King's Indian recipe: (1) ...Nbd7, (2) ...f5, (3) ...Nf6 back to support the attack. The knight reroute via d7 is not a waste of time — it ensures f5 has proper support. After ...f5 exf5 gxf5, your knight returns to f6 aiming for g4 or h5, and the g7 bishop comes alive. Never play ...f5 when your knight is still blocked on d7 without Nf6 being available.
#f5-break#knight-maneuver#preparation
Defensive Awareness
black
High Impact

White's c5 Break Ignored in 45% of Games, Costing an Average of 0.8 Pawns

What this means
When White achieved c5 in the Classical variation, you failed to react with ...a5 (preventing queenside expansion) in 7 out of 15 games. In those 7 games, White's queenside attack succeeded before your kingside attack, resulting in 5 losses. The engine consistently recommends ...a5 as the critical defensive resource.
How to improve
In the Classical King's Indian (d4 Nf6 c4 g6 Nc3 Bg7 e4 d6 Nf3 O-O Be2 e5 d5), always play ...a5 when White plays c5. This stops b4-b5 and gives your rook activity on the a-file. The timing is usually right after White plays c5 — respond immediately with ...a5. Don't get tunnel vision on the kingside; a quick ...a5 takes one move but saves your entire queenside.
#c5-break#queenside-defense#a5-resource
Piece Activity
black

Bishop on g7 Blocked in 60% of Games After Move 20

What this means
Your g7 bishop, the most important piece in the King's Indian, remains blocked behind your own pawns (e5, d6) past move 20 in 21 of 35 games. When the bishop is active (after ...f5 or ...c6/...d5), your win rate is 68%. When it stays blocked, it drops to 36%. The blocked bishop means your entire opening setup has failed to achieve its purpose.
How to improve
The entire King's Indian is built around activating the g7 bishop. Your plan should always include one of: (1) ...f5 followed by ...f4, opening the g7 bishop's diagonal, (2) ...c6 and ...d5, challenging the center directly, or (3) ...Nh5-...Nf4, forcing exchanges that open lines. If none of these are possible by move 15, reconsider whether the King's Indian was the right choice for that particular game.
#bishop-activity#g7-bishop#pawn-structure

Top Variations

1
Classical Variation
15 games
2
Saemisch Variation
11 games
3
Four Pawns Attack
9 games

Enter your Chess.com username to see your personalized report

What we analyze in your King's Indian games

Your execution of the f5 pawn break and kingside attack

Your handling of the Classical variation pawn storms

Your success in Benoni-type positions with c5

Your piece coordination in the Saemisch Attack

Your defensive technique when White attacks on the queenside

Your timing of the e5 break and central counterplay

Key Positions to Know

Critical concepts every King's Indian Defense player should understand

The King's Indian Fianchetto

Black's Bg7 controls the long diagonal a1-h8 and supports the ...e5 and ...f5 breaks. This bishop often becomes Black's most important piece, especially in the middlegame when lines open up after the central pawn pushes.

The ...f5 Pawn Break

Black's signature attack. After ...Nbd7, ...e5, and preparation, Black launches ...f5 to blow open the kingside. If f5 is achieved successfully, the g7 bishop comes alive and Black often gets a crushing attack.

Dueling Attacks

The King's Indian creates the ultimate strategic battle: White expands on the queenside with c5-d5, while Black attacks on the kingside with ...f5-f4. Both sides must be relentless — the first to break through wins.

Opening Statistics

Original research from 1,736 real amateur games — data you won't find anywhere else.

Avg. Game Length
awaiting data
Underdog Wins
awaiting data
Quick Finishes
awaiting data
Endgame Reach
awaiting data
White's Edge
-0.7%
Favors BlackEqualFavors White

At 1200-1400

📊White's edge is 0.7% — the position is essentially equal.

How This Opening Changes as You Improve

RatingGamesWhite's Edge
800-100070
-10.0%44 /0 /54
1000-1200177
-4.5%46 /0 /51
1200-1400295
-0.7%49 /0 /50
1400-1600445
+2.2%50 /0 /48
1600-1800749
+2.0%49 /0 /47

Based on 1,736 games · Updated March 2026

Common King's Indian patterns we detect

We automatically check if you fall for these specific traps.

About the King's Indian Defense

The King's Indian Defense (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6) is one of the most dynamic and aggressive defenses against 1. d4. Black allows White to build a big center, then counter-attacks it with fierce kingside play.

We analyze your attacking play on the kingside, timing of the f5 break, and defensive resilience when White expands. We identify where your counterattacking plans fall short.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about King's Indian Defense analysis

The King's Indian Defense begins with 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6. Black allows White to build a massive pawn center (e4 and d4) and then counterattacks it. The fianchettoed bishop on g7 — the cornerstone of the defense — controls the long diagonal and supports Black's kingside counterplay. After 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5, the Classical position is reached: Black challenges the center with ...e5 and prepares the thematic ...f5 break.
The Classical Variation (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O) is the main line. After 7...Nc6 8. d5 Ne7, the position splits: White typically chooses the Mar del Plata system (9. Ne1, preparing f3 and queenside expansion) or the Petrosian system (9. b4, restraining Black). The middlegame features a classic race: White attacks queenside with a4-b5, while Black storms the kingside with ...f5, ...f4, and ...g5.
The Saemisch Variation (4. e4 d6 5. f3) is one of the most aggressive systems. White plays f3 before developing the kingside knight, building a massive center and preparing Be3, Qd2, and often O-O-O followed by a kingside pawn storm. Black must react sharply — the typical response is 5...O-O 6. Be3 e5, accepting the centre challenge. Black often sacrifices pieces for a devastating attack. The Saemisch is theoretically demanding but extremely double-edged.
The Four Pawns Attack (4. e4 d6 5. f4 O-O 6. Nf3) is White's most ambitious try — establishing four pawns across the centre (c4, d4, e4, f4) and grabbing maximum space. Black must counterattack immediately with 6...c5! 7. d5 e6, undermining the centre. The Four Pawns Attack requires precise knowledge from both sides.
The Four Pawns Blunder occurs after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f4 O-O 6. Nf3 c5 7. d5 e6 8. Be2 exd5 9. cxd5? Bg4!. White's incorrect recapture 9. cxd5 allows the pin 9...Bg4!, and after 10. O-O Nxe4!, Black wins a centre pawn. White must play 9. e5! or 9. Nxd5 instead.
The Classical Queen Trap occurs after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. b4? Nh5! 10. Re1 Nf4 11. Bf1 f5!. White's premature b4 allows Black to plant the knight on f4 and launch a devastating kingside pawn storm. White should play 9. Ne1 (Mar del Plata) or 9. Nd2 before queenside expansion.
Garry Kasparov used the King's Indian throughout his career, most famously in his 1978 USSR Championship victory over Korchnoi where a piece sacrifice on f3 opened White's kingside catastrophically. The King's Indian is not just an opening — it is a statement of psychological intent. By allowing White to build a centre and demolishing it, Kasparov turned defensive positions into devastating counterattacks.

How valuable was this analysis?

Ready to master your openings?

Get a complete breakdown of your play across all openings, not just the King's Indian Defense.

No credit card required • Works with Chess.com