The Old Indian Defense is a chess opening defined by the moves:
- 1. d4 Nf6
- 2. c4 d6
This opening is distinguished from the King's Indian Defense by Black developing his king's bishop on e7 rather than the fianchetto at g7. Mikhail Chigorin pioneered this defence late in his career.
The Old Indian is considered sound, though developing the bishop at e7 is less active than the fianchetto, and it has never attained the popularity of the King's Indian. Some King's Indian players will use the Old Indian to avoid certain anti-King's Indian systems, such as the Sämisch and Averbakh variations.
The opening is classified in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO) with the codes A53–A55.
Read more about Old Indian Defense: Main Line, Janowski Variation
Famous quotes containing the words indian and/or defense:
“High from the summit of a craggy cliff,
Hung oer the deep, such as amazing frowns
On utmost Kildas shore, whose lonely race
Resign the setting sun to Indian worlds,
The royal eagle draws his vigorous young”
—James Thomson (17001748)
“Hence that general is skilful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skilful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.”
—Sun Tzu (6th5th century B.C.)