I'm thinking of playing the KID, and I'm starting off with the classical variation. After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0, I know that the main response is Nc6. I've also heard that Na6 is a sideline that is viable. I don't know which one to choose as I like how Na6 is more strategic but I also like how after Nc6 the positions are more closed. I don't really like how after the Nc6 the position is much more sharp than after Na6, though I'm still okay with it.
Please help me decide, any comment would be helpful!
The real KID aficionados will go 7. ... Nc6.
Ram it down!
Play them both for a while, then you will know which one to choose.
The way I see it:
If you play Nd7 (I prefer this) or Na6 then that knight controls c5 (and White's plan in the KID tends to be a queenside breakthrough) so you have one extra defensive resource.
If you play Nc6 then after d5 you have to go Ne7 and your knight is not a defensive resource and also interferes with the Rf7-Bf8 defensive manoeuvre which gives you extra protection on the queenside while preparing the kingside attack.
In the latter case (Nc6), Black is strategically lost on the queenside and so has to try and mate White on the kingside. If Black messes up the attack, and White blocks the kingside, then Black is basically lost as White just plays natural moves and crashes in on the queenside. This is what I dislike about the Nc6 Mar del Plata lines - even against a much lower ranked player, if you mess up a bit you can lose, as White's queenside plan is obvious and Black has no defenders there. Whereas with Nd7 (or Na6) you have more control on the queenside so White cannot just crash through and the game is more strategic.
Even the Mar Del Plata var. scores well in correspondence chess. The kingside attack is not easy to handle.
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Thanks for all the responses! I think I will start out with trying Nc6 as it is the main line and try out Na6 later.
FWIW I've generally found it trickier to deal with ...Na6 lines in the KID than the ...Nc6 lines. I'm usually happy to see ...Nd7 as well, as I feel like sometimes it's the worst of both worlds (not as aggressive as ...Nc6, not as flexible as ...Na6).
Keep in mind that if you're limited in time or memory, 7...Na6 or 7...Nbd7 are generally smaller in volume that the Mar Del Plata, which is undoubtedly one of the most complicated variations in the game. Also, consider 6...Na6 or 6...Nbd7 7.O-O e5 instead, which avoids the Exchange, Petrosian and Gligoric, saving you a ton more theory.
