King's Indian Defense: Averbakh Variation
ECO E73 · King's Indian Defense · positional · advanced
The King's Indian Defense: Averbakh Variation (E73) is a positional chess opening in the King's Indian Defense family, played by Black. It arises after the moves 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Bg5. Early Bg5. Prophylactic approach. Recommended for advanced players.
Moves: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Bg5
About this opening
The Averbakh Variation (5.Be2 and 6.Bg5) aims to disrupt Black's favorite plan: the bishop pin on g5 makes the ...e5 push awkward and forces the opponent to find other paths, often ...c5 or ...Na6. White thereby seeks a stable space advantage without exposing itself to a direct attack. Yuri Averbakh, the great Soviet theorist, gave his name to this prophylactic approach.