First published in 1997. While books on the King's Indian Defence abound, chess theoreticians have tended to ignore or give short shrift to the 'unconventional' variations. But such variations are encountered in more than a third of the games actually played! At the club level, the 'unconventional' lines are even more common so that any King's Indian player who is not prepared to meet these systems will be at a serious disadvantage. John Watson remedies the previous lack of attention to these 'unconventional' lines. He offers the player of Black a complete and detailed repertoire versus every 'unconventional' White move order. He covers such popular lines as the Kramer System, the Bd3 System, h3 systems, as well as club favourites such as the Torre Attack and the London System. He provides an extraordinary number of original suggestions, and his new analysis often overturns the assessments of older theory. To help the reader find a repertoire to fit his or her own taste, the book gives at least distinct solutions to each White system, corresponding to different styles of play.
Beyond the presentation of variations, each chapter has a discussion of recurring positional ideas. The examples are carefully chosen to illustrate distinct strategies so that the reader will be familiar with all of the main ideas associated with a position. Thus, players on either side of the King's Indian Defence will not only gain the advantage over prospective opponents, but will enhance their understanding of this ever-popular opening.
