Ponderchess / Openings
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Opening
The Old Indian Defense in 3D
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6. Black prepares ...e5 with ...Nbd7 and usually puts the bishop on e7, a solid but more passive cousin of the King's Indian Defense.
Rebuild the sequence yourself. The board responds to each move, and hints are available.
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Old Indian Defense, move by move: d4 d6 c4
The white pieces
Use the extra space. e4, Nf3, Be2 and O-O form the standard setup; if the centre locks with d5, play on the queenside with b4 and c5.
The black pieces
Hold e5 with ...Nbd7 and ...c6, keep the bishop on e7 and the rook on e8, and look for ...exd4 when White's centre is overextended. If White plays d5, ...a5 and ...Nc5 secure a good square for the knight.
Look a little deeper · 01
The usual plan is ...Nbd7, ...e5, ...Be7, ...O-O and ...c6, as in the Normal Variation (3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.e4 e5 5.Nf3). Black's pieces sit behind a firm pawn on e5, much as in the Philidor Defense.
Look a little deeper · 02
In the Ukrainian Variation (3.Nc3 e5) White can exchange queens with 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8. Black loses the right to castle, but with queens off the king is safe enough and the position is sound.
Look a little deeper · 03
The Janowski Variation (3.Nc3 Bf5) develops the bishop outside the pawn chain before White plays e4. The main line, 4.f3, prepares e4 to drive it back.
Look a little deeper · 04
The Czech Variation (...c6) and the Tartakower-Indian (3.Nf3 Bg4) are flexible alternatives: one keeps ...e5 in reserve, the other pins the knight to fight for d4.
Old Indian Defense, move by move: d4 d6 c4
Keyboard: Space pauses, the arrow keys step. Gold arrows are White's moves, violet are Black's, red rays are threats, green shows support, blue shows plans.
