Old Indian Defense

An Indian defence where the bishop stays at home

Solid

Black answers 1.d4 with 1…d6, then plays …Nf6 and …e5. The king's bishop goes modestly to e7 instead of g7, as it would in the King's Indian. The position is sturdy and closed, but a little passive: White usually has more space. People choose it to sidestep the sharpest anti-King's Indian systems and to get a calm game with little theory.

Interactive Opening Board

7…c6

♚

Black

♔

White

7…c6

Speed:

Moves

(14 plies • 7 moves)

7…c6Tabiya

1–7moves
#WhiteBlack
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Defining move

5…Be7 — the bishop stays at home

The move that sets it apart from the King's Indian

The bishop on e7 shelters the king and holds the centre, but it looks at its own pawns. In return Black need not fear the Sämisch or the Averbakh. The price is less activity and a little less space.

Tabiya

The main position: White has space, Black has a sound wall

White has pawns on c4 and e4 and natural development. Black has the sturdy d6–e5 chain and has castled. The move …c6 prepares …a5, and later perhaps …exd4 or …d5. White tries to squeeze a small but lasting edge from the extra space; Black waits for the moment to strike back.

White’s plan

Hold the centre with c4 and e4 and develop without hurry.
Prepare d4-d5, or trade on e5 and play for a small space edge.
Do not let Black free the game with …d5 or …exd4.

Black’s plan

Build the d6–e5 chain, bring the bishop to e7 and castle.
Prepare with …c6 and …a5 and wait for a good moment.
Strike in the centre with …exd4 or …d5 once White allows it.

History

The variation 3…Bf5 is named after Dawid Janowski, who introduced it in the 1920s.

Notable players

Mikhail Tal Bent Larsen

Legends who played it

Dawid Janowski
as Black · Named after the player
Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation

Games in the Atlas

Polugaevsky – Nezhmetdinov, RSFSR Championship, Sochi 1958Lev Polugaevsky – Rashid Nezhmetdinov · 1958 · 0-1