TheChessWorld.com
TheChessWorld Facebook TheChessWorld Twitter TheChessWorld Pinterest TheChessWorld YouTube
  • Start Here
  • Store
    • On Sale
    • Free Courses
    • Offers and Packages
    • Best Sellers
    • Masterclass
    • Openings
    • Middlegame
    • Endgame
    • Strategy
    • Tactics
    • Comprehensive
  • Play
  • Learn
    • Training Techniques
    • Openings
    • Middlegame
    • Endgames
    • General Information
  • Tournaments
  • Academy
  • 21-Day Course
  • Contact
TheChessWorld.com
Close

King’s Indian Defense: Dealing with the Bayonet Attack (9.b4)

WGM Raluca Sgircea, IM Renier Castellanos
WGM Raluca Sgircea, IM Renier Castellanos,
08.31.2015
0
Category: Openings
Tags: chess, King's Indian, opening
King’s Indian Defense: Dealing with the Bayonet Attack (9.b4)

The diagram shows the starting position of the so-called Bayonet Attack against the King’s Indian Defense. For many years, this move 9.b4 has been considered the main line and possibly black’s biggest problem in the whole Mar del Plata variation.

Popularized by Kramnik, who used it successfully against the great Garry Kasparov, and later on played by several other strong Grand Masters, the move 9.b4 has earned a well-respected place when it comes to theory.

bayonet attack

Bayonet Attack (9.b4) – Part 1

White’s system can be considered very flexible, but also quite aggressive since white starts direct action on the queenside right away. Against almost any white 9th move, black’s response would be 9…Nd7 (e8) preparing to play f7-f5 on the next move, starting his kingside counter-attack. However, in this line, by keeping the knight on f3, white makes this idea rather risky, because when f5 is played, black will have to watch out for Nf3-g5 targeting the square e6.

The mainline against 9.b4 starts by black playing 9…Nh5. The current theoretical status of this move is considered to be okay for black, but still white has a slight pull. Also, against 9…Nh5 white has a considerable amount of interesting choices – 10.g3, 10.c5, 10.Re1 (main move) and even 10.Qc2 is possible.

In this article, we are going to present 2 ways to deal with this variation in a direct way. While the ideas we propose here are far from perfection, they are good enough to drive your opponent into unbalanced positions where anything can happen.

Tip:

In order to fight blunders, find the right plan in complex positions and improve your positional and tactical vision we recommend you to sign up for our comprehensive training course. Hundreds of chess players already benefited from our training. Don’t wait, start winning chess games today.

bayonet attack

King’s Indian Defense – Part 2

The first line we analyze is the move 9…a5. This is not anything new at all, but the idea we examine after 10.Ba3 Nd7 deserves some attention. This line involves an exchange sacrifice in order to seize the initiative on the kingside. We believe that white may be slightly better, but in such a tricky position the evaluations don’t mean much for either side. The play is very concrete. See all the details of this line in the next game:

***

bayonet attack

Our second choice is the move 9…c6!?, a quite solid continuation and probably much better than its reputation tells. Black’s aim is to ease the pressure on the queenside by trading on d5 and sometimes even playing along the C file – something rare on the traditional King’s Indian, but when it works it’s usually very efficient. We analyze the game between two specialists of each side, Van Wely as white against Viorel Bologan. In this game, white played the move 10.Ba3, which doesn’t create many problems for black. This idea will be analyzed as well as a few other moves in the following games:

Bayonet Attack (9.b4) – Conclusion

We hope that our readers who play this opening will find the ideas we shared here interesting and will take them into their repertoire. We have provided one very dynamic approach with 9…a5 for those who like chaos over the board and a much more moderated one with 9…c6, where black creates tension on the queenside before starting kingside play. Both variations deserve attention.

Good luck in your games!

If you want to improve your chess level, you need to have a clear study plan. If you aim for a dramatic improvement at chess you need to work on all of the elements of the game in a systematic way:

  • tactics
  • positional play
  • attacking skills
  • endgame technique
  • classical games analysis
  • psychological preparation
  • and much more

That seems to be like a lot of things, and that is. But no worries, we have made it easy for you. Our comprehensive training course covers it all and much more. Sign up for 21 Day Training right now!

Ready to start winning games with the King’s Indian Defense? Check out our store and articles:

  • This Opening by IM John Watson
  • 7 Best Games on It
  • Mar del Plata Variation
  • Dealing with the Four Pawns Attack
  • Plans with c6 and Na6
  • Off Beat Lines in This Opening: 6…Nbd7
Find this post useful? Share it?
Updated 03.10.2023
King’s Indian Defense: Dealing with the Bayonet Attack (9.b4)
Related Posts
Opening Preparation: Grandmaster's ShortcutOpening Preparation: Grandmaster's ShortcutModern Defense: Complete Guide for BlackModern Defense: Complete Guide for BlackThe Isolated Queen’s Pawn vs The c3/c6 PawnThe Isolated Queen’s Pawn vs The c3/c6 Pawn
Related Products
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Login
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Join the FREE Road to 2200 Masterclass (and learn how to Attack Like a Chess Master)
We value your privacy
Supercharge Your Chess in 21 Days!
Join Academy Today!
Company
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • F.A.Q.
  • Partnership
  • Blog
  • Grandmasters
  • Jobs
Chess Resources
  • TCW Academy
  • The Store
  • 21 Day Course
  • Play Computer
  • TCW Academy Login
Top Resources
  • Opening Lab
  • Mastermind
  • Chess Mastery Series
  • Academy
100% Secure Purchase
Money Back PayPal SSL Comodo
Customer Support +1 (410) 656-9104
Email Us [email protected]
Contact Us
Facebook Twitter Mail Pinterest Youtube
Copyright 2007-2023 • TheChessWorld.com • All Rights Reserved
Cookie Policy | Acceptable Use Policy | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of all the cookies.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
wpDiscuz