After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 Black plays 2...d6 and then ...e5. Black builds a solid pawn wall and develops calmly. You learn the main line with ...Nbd7, ...Be7 and ...c6, the queenless middlegame after 4.dxe5, and the answers to 4.d5 and 4.e4. You also meet the Janowski 3...Bf5 and the quiet 3.Nf3 with g3. This is a intermediate opening course for Black (ECO A53-A55) with 6 variations and 3 traps, written for players rated around 1400. Each move is explained and then drilled on a board; it is free.
Key ideas of Old Indian Defence
Hold the e5 pawn with ...Nbd7 and ...c6. A firm pawn on e5 gives Black a share of the centre.
The bishop goes to e7, the king castles, and the rook comes to e8. Later the bishop can drop back to f8.
Gain queenside space with ...a6 and ...b5 when White's pieces sit on the kingside.
When the queens come off early, the king is safe in the middle. Develop fast and use the active pieces.
Watch the e5 pawn. If its guards leave, White trades on e5 and d8 and wins it.
Variations you learn
Main line: 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.e4 Be7 – 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. e4 Be7 …. The main line. Black keeps the e5 pawn with ...Nbd7 and ...c6, puts the bishop on e7 and castles. Then Black gains queenside space with ...a6 and ...b5, and keeps a solid, flexible position.
4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+: the queenless middlegame – 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 e5 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Kxd8 …. White trades queens at once and takes away Black's right to castle. Black does not mind. The king is safe on c7, the pieces develop quickly, and Black gets an active and pleasant game.
4.d5: the closed centre – 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 e5 4. d5 Be7 5. e4 O-O …. White closes the centre with 4.d5. Black develops, castles and plays ...a5 to give the knight a safe home on c5. Then Black trades the dark-squared bishops with ...Bg5 and breaks with ...f5.
4.e4 exd4 5.Qxd4 Nc6 – 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 e5 4. e4 exd4 5. Qxd4 Nc6 …. White plays 4.e4 at once. Black takes on d4 and chases the queen with ...Nc6. Then Black fianchettoes, castles and puts a rook on e8 against the e4 pawn.
Janowski Variation: 3...Bf5 4.f3 – 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 Bf5 4. f3 e5 5. e4 exd4 …. Black develops the light-squared bishop early to f5. White kicks it with f3 and e4. Black strikes with ...e5 and ...exd4, chases the queen with ...Nc6 and fianchettoes the other bishop.
3.Nf3 Nbd7 4.g3: the fianchetto – 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nf3 Nbd7 4. g3 e5 5. Bg2 c6 …. White starts with 3.Nf3 and then fianchettoes with g3. Black plays ...e5 and ...c6, develops the bishop to e7 and castles. Then the rook goes to e8, the bishop drops to f8, and Black gains queenside space with ...a5.
Traps
4...Bg4? 5.dxe5: the loose e5 pawn – After 4.Nf3 the natural pin 4...Bg4 leaves the e5 pawn without a guard. White trades on e5 and d8, and the knight takes e5 with an attack on the g4 bishop and f7.
10.Qc2? Nxe4: the e-file trick – In the 4.e4 line Black's rook on e8 aims at the e4 pawn. If White plays 10.Qc2, Black takes on e4. After the knight trade the bishop pins the e4 knight to the queen, and Black wins material.
Janowski: 6.exf5? dxc3 – In the Janowski, taking the f5 bishop at once is a mistake. Black takes the c3 knight with the d4 pawn and comes out a pawn up, and White's pawns are broken.
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