| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moves | 1.g3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECO | A00 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Synonyms |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
TheKing's Fianchetto Opening,[1] also known as theRat Opening,[2] theBenko Opening,[3] and theHungarian Opening,[4] is achess opening characterized by the move:
White's 1.g3 ranks as the fifth most popular opening move, but it is far less popular than 1.e4, 1.d4, 1.c4 and 1.Nf3. It is usually followed by 2.Bg2,fianchettoing thebishop.Nick de Firmian writes that 1.g3 "can, and usually does, transpose into almost any other opening in which White fianchettos his king's bishop".[5] Included among these are theCatalan Opening, theKing's Indian Attack and some variations of theEnglish Opening. For this reason, theEncyclopaedia of Chess Openings has no specific code devoted to 1.g3. The move itself is classified under A00,[6] but the numeroustranspositional possibilities can result in variousECO codes. Transposition by delayed fianchetto occurs in theBarcza Opening (1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 or 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3).[7]
While this opening has never been common, theMadras playerGhulam Kassim, annotating the 1828correspondence match between Madras andHyderabad, noted that "many of the Indian players commence their game in this way."[8] Thehypermodern playerRichard Reti played 1.g3 several times atBaden-Baden in 1925, with mixed results. 1.g3 received renewed attention afterPal Benko used it to defeatBobby Fischer andMikhail Tal in the 1962Candidates Tournament inCuraçao, part of the1963 World Championship cycle.[9] Benko used the opening the first eleven times he was White in the tournament.[10]Viktor Korchnoi employed it once againstAnatoly Karpov in the1978 World Chess Championship.
By playing 1.g3, White prepares tofianchetto theking's bishop on thelong diagonal and also to push e4, since the fianchettoed bishop supports that square. White can alsotranspose into theKing's Indian Attack by playing Nf3, thencastlingkingside. This opening generally leads toclosed positions.
The following lines are examples of the kinds of positions that can develop from the King's Fianchetto Opening.Move order is flexible in each case.
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
| 8 |              | 8 | |||||||
| 7 | 7 | ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | ||||||||
| 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | ||||||||
| 2 | 2 | ||||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
1. g3 d5 2. Bg2 Nf6 3. Nf3 c6 4. 0-0 Bg4 5. d3 Nbd7 6. Nbd2 e5 7. e4 (diagram).
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
| 8 | | 8 | |||||||
| 7 | 7 | ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | ||||||||
| 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | ||||||||
| 2 | 2 | ||||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
1. g3 g6 2. Bg2 Bg7 3. c4 e5 4. Nc3 d6 5. d3 f5 6. e4 Nf6 7. Nge2 Nc6 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Nd5 (diagram).
| Outline | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment | |||||||||
| History |
| ||||||||
| Rules | |||||||||
| Terms | |||||||||
| Tactics | |||||||||
| Strategy | |||||||||
| Openings |
| ||||||||
| Endgames | |||||||||
| Tournaments |
| ||||||||
| Art and media | |||||||||
| Related | |||||||||
