Answers.Body: <p>The first section of this answer is more subjective but I hope still insightful.</p>
  <p>The KID isn't necessarily the best choice for a <em>must-win</em> game but it is a good choice for a fighting game and for creating chances to win as black. This is because it often creates a game where White will need to make many difficult choices and there are chances for White to go wrong.
  It's advantage over other openings is that it is more strategically complex and has less chances for simplification than solid mainlines. Yet is still more sound than extremely dubious lines such as the Budapest or Albin.</p>
  <p>Now for a more objective analysis of the position you provided:</p>
  <p>It is true that White has traded queens, but he has also traded his strong d4 pawn for Blacks d6 pawn. In this position Black is actually <strong>strategically better</strong>, the <strong>d4 square</strong> is forever weak and White is potentially overextended on the queenside. While Black can easily cover the <strong>d5 square</strong> with <strong>c7-c6</strong>. However it isn't so simple because black is also behind a lot in development.
  So we can understand that the position has become a dynamic fight between Whites initiative and development vs Blacks strategic advantage and control of the dark squares.</p>
  <p>So to conclude: Yes the statistical draw rate is high, but Black is still getting a fight and it isn't easy for White. In general playing for win with black against a strong opponent is the most difficult task in chess and there is no perfect solution.</p>
  <p>Edit: I will also add that the exchange variation itself has it's own body of theory which White needs to know before playing it. Most players with white aren't looking to draw (not in a must-not-lose situation) and so don't play the exhange variation regularly. Whereas Black KID players will be already familair with the theory of the exhange variation as they encounter it more often.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-06-01T02:04:26.290Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-08-18T07:38:51.567Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2021-08-18T07:38:51.567Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: mainsequence
Body: <p>Lichess's opening explorer database shows a 49% win rate for White wins compared to  Black's 41% in the King's Indian, Exchange Variation. Meanwhile, the Master's database shows a whopping 64% draw rate, and a roughly even split of an 18% White win rate to 19% for Black. So, in a must-win situation, wouldn't it be better for Black to keep the tension for a move longer with 6... Nbd7, which avoids a queen trade after 7... e5?</p>
  <pre><code>[FEN &quot;&quot;]
  
  1. c4 g6 2. Nf3 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. d4 Nf6 5. e4 O-O 6. Be2 e5 (6... Nbd7) 7. dxe5 dxe5 8. Qxd8 Rxd8
  </code></pre>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-05-23T13:19:43.130Z
Comments.Text: I took the liberty of adding a diagram to show the opening. Please make sure I got it right and this is the variation you mean.
Comments.UserDisplayName: D M
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-05-23T19:26:03.487Z
Comments.Text: Isn't 6...Nbd7 a perfectly valid move in the King's Indian Defence?
Comments.UserDisplayName: David
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-05-24T09:09:58.017Z
Comments.Text: @David I remember some time ago Khalifman disapproved it quite strongly. Not sure why though.
Comments.UserDisplayName: sleepy
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-05-24T10:52:57.923Z
Comments.Text: I guess it all comes down to the exact situation you're facing. Most of the time white doesn't really want to go for this line since it's not really that difficult for black to equalize, so generally speaking the KID tends to work well for the purpose of unbalancing the position from an early stage.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Scounged
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-05-24T12:09:41.220Z
Comments.Text: @sleepy if he was thinking about playing some of the ...Nc6 lines, then sure. But you could also try some of the 6..Bg4 lines if you dislike 6...Nbd7
Comments.UserDisplayName: David
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-05-24T14:25:11.883Z
Comments.Text: @David I'm sure Khalifman meant Nc6. Also, I don't know anything about Bg4; wasn't it considered terrible before Fabi showed us how to play it (vs Wojtaszek)?
Comments.UserDisplayName: sleepy
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-05-24T21:19:05.077Z
Comments.Text: @sleepy "terrible" is probably an exaggeration. The point that there are plenty of ways to fight for a win stands though
Comments.UserDisplayName: David
Tags: <opening><analysis><kings-indian>
Title: Why is the King's Indian often used to play for a win against 1. d4 when it allows an early queen trade?
ThreadText: # Why is the King's Indian often used to play for a win against 1. d4 when it allows an early queen trade?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2021-05-23)
  
  Lichess's opening explorer database shows a 49% win rate for White wins compared to  Black's 41% in the King's Indian, Exchange Variation. Meanwhile, the Master's database shows a whopping 64% draw rate, and a roughly even split of an 18% White win rate to 19% for Black. So, in a must-win situation, wouldn't it be better for Black to keep the tension for a move longer with 6... Nbd7, which avoids a queen trade after 7... e5?
  [FEN ""]
  
  1. c4 g6 2. Nf3 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. d4 Nf6 5. e4 O-O 6. Be2 e5 (6... Nbd7) 7. dxe5 dxe5 8. Qxd8 Rxd8
  
  **Tags:** opening, analysis, kings-indian
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: I took the liberty of adding a diagram to show the opening. Please make sure I got it right and this is the variation you mean.  
  > **username_2**: Isn't 6...Nbd7 a perfectly valid move in the King's Indian Defence?  
  > **username_3**: @username_2 I remember some time ago Khalifman disapproved it quite strongly. Not sure why though.  
  > **username_4**: I guess it all comes down to the exact situation you're facing. Most of the time white doesn't really want to go for this line since it's not really that difficult for black to equalize, so generally speaking the KID tends to work well for the purpose of unbalancing the position from an early stage.  
  > **username_2**: @username_3 if he was thinking about playing some of the ...Nc6 lines, then sure. But you could also try some of the 6..Bg4 lines if you dislike 6...Nbd7  
  > **username_3**: @username_2 I'm sure Khalifman meant Nc6. Also, I don't know anything about Bg4; wasn't it considered terrible before Fabi showed us how to play it (vs Wojtaszek)?  
  > **username_2**: @username_3 "terrible" is probably an exaggeration. The point that there are plenty of ways to fight for a win stands though  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2021-06-01. Score: 6 | Accepted answer
  
  The first section of this answer is more subjective but I hope still insightful.
  
  The KID isn't necessarily the best choice for a *must-win* game but it is a good choice for a fighting game and for creating chances to win as black. This is because it often creates a game where White will need to make many difficult choices and there are chances for White to go wrong.
  It's advantage over other openings is that it is more strategically complex and has less chances for simplification than solid mainlines. Yet is still more sound than extremely dubious lines such as the Budapest or Albin.
  
  Now for a more objective analysis of the position you provided:
  
  It is true that White has traded queens, but he has also traded his strong d4 pawn for Blacks d6 pawn. In this position Black is actually **strategically better**, the **d4 square** is forever weak and White is potentially overextended on the queenside. While Black can easily cover the **d5 square** with **c7-c6**. However it isn't so simple because black is also behind a lot in development.
  So we can understand that the position has become a dynamic fight between Whites initiative and development vs Blacks strategic advantage and control of the dark squares.
  
  So to conclude: Yes the statistical draw rate is high, but Black is still getting a fight and it isn't easy for White. In general playing for win with black against a strong opponent is the most difficult task in chess and there is no perfect solution.
  
  Edit: I will also add that the exchange variation itself has it's own body of theory which White needs to know before playing it. Most players with white aren't looking to draw (not in a must-not-lose situation) and so don't play the exhange variation regularly. Whereas Black KID players will be already familair with the theory of the exhange variation as they encounter it more often.
  
  
  ---
  
  