1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4 0-0 6.Be2 c5 7.Nf3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Nc6 9.Be3 opens the King's Indian Defence, Four Pawns Attack: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 9.Be3, ECO E79. Across rating levels it shows up in 17,276 recorded games — enough data to map exactly where it succeeds and where it stalls.
History and Notable Players
It arises from the King's Indian Defence, Four Pawns Attack: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 7.Nf3. On the White side, Wolfgang Uhlmann (16 games), William E Martz (15 games), Mario Bertok (8 games) top the database. Notable Black exponents: Svetozar Gligoric (7 games), Werner Golz (4 games), Samuel Herman Reshevsky (4 games).
Move Diversity and Theory Depth
Move choice is far from uniform in the King's Indian Defence, Four Pawns Attack: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 9.Be3. At 1200 Elo, the top reply is e5, played 27.1% of the time. There are 7 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 60% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 2.96. By 2500, Bd7 dominates at 24.4% of replies; only 7 viable alternatives remain and 57.2% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 2.97. Even elite players don't fully agree on the best continuation here, which keeps the position dynamic.
Common Mistakes
- Neglecting development — Extra pawn moves in the opening are tempting, especially when you "know the moves". Developing a piece each turn is the simple correction.
- Letting White own the centre — Hypermodern openings concede central space on purpose, but only if you strike back in time. Delay the counter-blow and you end up squeezed.
Practice on Chessiverse
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