- The moves1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7
- OpeningKing's Indian Defense
- Chosen byBlack
- ECOE97–E99
- Also calledthe classical main line
The Mar del Plata Variation is the main line of the King's Indian Defense: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O Nc6 8.d5 Ne7. White closes the center and gains space, and Black's knight goes to e7 on its way to the kingside. Then each side plays on its own wing: White prepares the c4–c5 break, Black moves the knight from f6 to d7 and storms with …f5–f4 and …g5.
The name comes from the 1953 tournament in Mar del Plata, where Svetozar Gligorić won with the variation as Black against Miguel Najdorf. Najdorf learned from the defeat. The same year he played the variation himself with Black against Mark Taimanov at the Candidates Tournament in Zurich and won a game that earned a brilliancy prize.
Gligorić later wrote a whole book on the variation. Many of the King's Indian's great names have played it, and around the turn of the century it was Vladimir Kramnik, with White, who gave the opening a headwind. Today it is played by Hikaru Nakamura and Teimour Radjabov among others.
The main line, move by move
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. Ne1 Nd7 10. Be3 f5 11. f3 f4 12. Bf2 g5 13. Rc1 Ng6 14. c5
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The plans
White wants to
- Break through on the queenside with c4–c5, often prepared with b4, Rc1 and a knight on d3.
- Open the c-file and get into c7.
- Keep the kingside closed with f3 and a bishop on f2.
Black wants to
- Close the kingside with …f5–f4 and storm with …g5–g4.
- Bring the pieces into the attack: …Ng6, and the rook to f7 or f6.
- Get there before White's queenside attack reaches Black's position.
The pawn structure
Two pawn chains point in opposite directions. White's chain, f3, e4 and d5, points at the queenside, and that is where White attacks. Black's chain, d6, e5 and f4, points at the kingside, and that is where Black attacks.
The center is completely locked, so both sides can storm without the game opening up in the middle. Whoever first opens a line toward the other side's position usually has the upper hand.
Important lines
9.b4: the Bayonet Attack
With 9.b4 White starts on the queenside at once and prepares c5 without moving the knight first. The move was already played in the 1950s but only became popular in the 1990s, above all through Vladimir Kramnik, and for a time it made top players avoid the whole variation with Black. Black often answers 9…Nh5, so that the f-pawn can advance at once, or 9…a5.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. b4 Nh5 10. Re1 f5
9. b4
The Bayonet Attack. The pawn wants to reach c5 as fast as possible.
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9.Nd2: at an easy pace
With 9.Nd2 White prepares b4 and c5 at an easy pace. Black slows things down with 9…a5, and after 10.a3 Nd7 11.Rb1 f5 12.b4 Black puts the king on h8 before the attack goes on.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. Nd2 a5 10. a3 Nd7 11. Rb1 f5 12. b4 Kh8
9. Nd2
The knight makes way for the f-pawn and covers c4 and e4.
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10.Nd3: the knight first
White can also bring the knight straight to d3, where it supports c5, and develop the bishop to d2 instead of e3. After 10.Nd3 f5 11.Bd2 Black's …f4 comes without chasing a bishop.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. Ne1 Nd7 10. Nd3 f5 11. Bd2
How it goes in real games
How the games ended once they had reached the positions, in blitz, rapid and classical games. White wins, draws and Black wins, as a percentage of the games. A position counts however the game got there.
| Position | Level | Games | White wins | Draw | Black wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar del Plata Variation 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 | Club players | 867,015 | 52% | 5% | 43% |
| Strong players | 658,279 | 52% | 5% | 42% | |
| Mar del Plata Variation, main line 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. Ne1 Nd7 | Club players | 196,749 | 53% | 5% | 42% |
| Strong players | 167,024 | 53% | 5% | 41% | |
| 9.b4: the Bayonet Attack 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. b4 | Club players | 279,395 | 52% | 5% | 43% |
| Strong players | 225,688 | 52% | 6% | 42% |
The most common moves after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7
Share of the games in the position, for club players and strong players. A dash means the move isn't among the most common in that group.
| Move | Club players | Strong players |
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| 9.Ne1 | 44% (377,356) | 47% (307,471) |
| 9.b4 | 32% (279,146) | 34% (225,593) |
| 9.Bg5 | 6% (51,520) | 4% (26,517) |
| 9.Nd2 | 5% (43,990) | 5% (35,160) |
| 9.h3 | 5% (40,781) | 3% (19,431) |
| 9.Be3 | 4% (35,099) | 3% (20,187) |
Source: games on Lichess, fetched November 7, 2026. Club players means games where the players average 1600 or more, strong players games where they average 2000 or more. Positions that aren't in our numbers aren't shown.
Explore the position on the analysis board: the moves club players choose from here, how the games tend to end, and what Lavi thinks of each move.
The main line with all the comments as text
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 Black strikes at the center, the typical King's Indian move. 7. O-O Nc6 Black presses on d4. White has to decide. 8. d5 White closes the center and gains space. Now the game will be decided on the wings. 8… Ne7 The Mar del Plata Variation. The knight heads for the kingside, where Black will attack. 9. Ne1 The most common move. The knight makes way for f3 and can go on to d3, where it supports c5. 9… Nd7 The knight leaves f6 so that the f-pawn can advance. From d7 it also slows down White's c5. 10. Be3 The bishop covers c5. 10… f5 Black's attack begins. 11. f3 White supports e4. 11… f4 Black closes the kingside, gains space and chases the bishop. 12. Bf2 The bishop retreats and guards the kingside. 12… g5 The pawn storm goes on; next come …Ng6, …h5 and …g4. 13. Rc1 The rook takes the c-file ahead of c5. 13… Ng6 The knight joins the attack. 14. c5 White sacrifices a pawn to open the c-file as fast as possible. Now it is a pure race.
Read more
King's Indian Defense
Let White take the center, strike back with e5 and storm the kingside.
Grünfeld Defense
Black lets White build a center and then goes after it. Hypermodern and sharp.
Every move on this page has been checked against the rules of chess.
Updated November 14, 2026
8… Ne7
The Mar del Plata Variation. The knight heads for the kingside, where Black will attack.