King's Indian Attack: French Variation

King's Indian Attack: French Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code A08, part of the King's Indian Attack family. It goes 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nc6. White opens with 1. Nf3 (the Zukertort/Réti knight move) and Black answers 1... d5. After 6 moves it is White to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.

The moves

1. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
1... d5 – Black plays the pawn to d5
2. g3 – White plays the pawn to g3
2... c5 – Black plays the pawn to c5
3. Bg2 – White plays the bishop to g2
3... Nc6 – Black plays the knight to c6

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 4. O-O.

About the King's Indian Attack

White sets up Nf3, g3, Bg2, O-O, d3 and later e4: a King's Indian with colours reversed. It is an easy system against almost anything.

White plays Nbd2, e4 and often e5 to gain kingside space.
With a pawn on e5, White attacks with Nf1, h4 and Ng5 or Nh2-g4.
Black usually expands on the queenside with ...c5, ...b5 and ...b4.

chessGM has a full course for this line: open the King's Indian Attack: French Variation course lesson.

Related openings

It extends: King's Indian Attack: Sicilian Variation (1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2)
Continues with: Zukertort Opening: Reversed Grünfeld – adds 4. d4
Related line: King's Indian Attack: Yugoslav Variation (1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 b6 5. O-O)
Related line: King's Indian Attack: Sicilian Variation (1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. Ngf3 c5 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1)
Related line: King's Indian Attack: Yugoslav Variation (1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 c6 4. O-O Bg4)
Related line: King's Indian Attack: Sicilian Variation (1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5)
Related line: King's Indian Attack: Sicilian Variation (1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 c5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. O-O e6 5. d3)
Related line: King's Indian Attack: Pachman System (1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. O-O e5 5. d3 Ne7)

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