E63 · King's Indian Defense

King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Panno Variation, Donner Line

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 O-O 5. Bg2 d6 6. O-O Nc6 7. Nc3 a6 8. d5 Na5 9. Nd2 c5 10. Qc2 Rb8 11. b3 b5 12. Bb2 bxc4 13. bxc4 Bh6
♜♝♛♜♚♟♟♟♟♟♞♟♝♞♟♟♟♞♟♟♝♛♞♟♟♝♟♜♜♚
The position after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 O-O 5. Bg2 d6 6. O-O Nc6 7. Nc3 a6 8. d5 Na5 9. Nd2 c5 10. Qc2 Rb8 11. b3 b5 12. Bb2 bxc4 13. bxc4 Bh6, White to move.

In the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Panno Variation, Donner Line, aim to understand the plans and pawn structures, not just memorize the first moves.

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The King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Panno Variation, Donner Line is a chess opening classified under ECO code E63. It is reached after the moves 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 O-O 5. Bg2 d6 6. O-O Nc6 7. Nc3 a6 8. d5 Na5 9. Nd2 c5 10. Qc2 Rb8 11. b3 b5 12. Bb2 bxc4 13. bxc4 Bh6: 26 moves in, with White to play.

It belongs to the King's Indian Defense family — one of many ways the line can branch. Understanding the parent system’s plans is the fastest way to play this variation well.

Club players rarely lose the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Panno Variation, Donner Line in the opening itself. They lose it a few moves later, when the plan behind the moves runs out: that is what reading your own games in this line shows you.

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Related openings

King's Indian DefenseKing's Indian Defense: Fianchetto VariationKing's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Immediate FianchettoKing's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight VariationKing's Indian Defense: Santasiere VariationKing's Indian DefenseKing's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Benjamin DefenseKing's Indian Defense: Semi-Classical VariationKing's Indian Defense: Smyslov VariationKing's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Carlsbad Variation

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