The Réti against the King's Indian: A Strategic Repertoire for White
Every Réti player facing ...Nf6, ...g6 and ...d6 eventually has to decide whether to play d2-d4. It's the natural move, but it leads straight into King's Indian theory. After 6.d4 Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.e4, the main reply 8...c6 alone counts around 16,000 games.
GM Andrea Stella's answer is to stay out of it. White keeps the pawn on d3, lets Black play ...e5, and turns the game into a strategic fight on his own terms, far from the usual King's Indian battlegrounds.
A Different Approach to the King's Indian Setup
After 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O O-O 5.c4 d6 6.Nc3 e5 7.d3, White has plans on the whole board. He can expand with Rb1 and b4-b5, take the centre with e4 and Be3-Qd2, or prepare h3, Nh2 and f4 on the kingside.
The same position arises after 1.c4, so the repertoire works for both Réti and English players.
The key moment comes after 7...Nc6 8.Rb1 a5 9.b3 h6. Here Stella recommends 10.e4!?. It is rare in practice and new to chess literature, and it differs from the established 10.h3 and 10.Bb2.
The Author's Reasoning
Stella's main point is about the light-squared bishop. The usual view is that a g2-bishop behind a pawn on e4 is passive. He argues the opposite.
After 10...Bg4 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Bxf3 Nd4 13.Bg2, the bishop can go to h3 after h3-h4 is played. If Black plays the typical King's Indian break ...f5, exf5 opens the long diagonal at once.
That is why White does not need to spend a tempo on h3 earlier. The time goes into expansion in the centre and preparing to play on both wings.
Map of Variations
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O O-O 5.c4 d6 6.Nc3 e5 7.d3 (also via 1.c4)
- 7...Nbd7, 7...Nh5, 7...c5, 7...h6, 7...Re8 → Chapter 1
- 7...c6 → Chapter 2
- 7...Nc6 8.Rb1
- 8...h6 → Chapter 3
- 8...Nh5, 8...Nd4, 8...Bg4, 8...Re8 → Chapter 4
- 8...a5 9.b3
- 9...Nd4 and ...d5 ideas → Chapter 5
- 9...Re8 and other sidelines → Chapter 6
- 9...h6 10.e4!?
- 10...Nh7, 10...Ng4, 10...Nh5, 10...Ne8 → Chapter 7
- 10...Nd7 → Chapter 8
- 10...Be6 → Chapter 9
- 10...Bg4 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Bxf3 Nd4 13.Bg2 → Chapter 10
Course Features
- 10 theoretical chapters
- Video instruction
- 2 annotated model games
- Memory File (the full repertoire condensed into one file)
- 5 Things to Know
- 30 test positions
- 5 positions to play against the engine
- Memory Booster
- To-Go Version of every chapter
- Multilingual PGN availability (English, German, French, Spanish)
Part of the KIA According to Stella Series
This course continues the KIA According to Stella series. After the volumes on 1.Nf3 d5 2.g3, Stella now turns to Black's King's Indian setup and gives Réti players a strategic plan against it.
Add It to Your Réti Repertoire
If your Réti or English keeps running into the King's Indian setup, this course gives you a clear plan without the theory that follows d2-d4. Add The Réti against the King's Indian to your repertoire today.