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By Chad Lieberman

The Bayonet Attack is the most formidable response to the King's Indian Defense. When I was playing in the World Open this summer, I attended a lecture by GM Jon Fedorowicz. He is one of several devoted KID players who had decided to give it up because of the Bayonet.

Like the Sicilian Defense, the KID Bayonet Attack usually results in a sector war. Black attempts to expand on the kingside with ...f5, ...f4, ...g5, etc. and white initiates the attack with his expansion 10.b4.

The reason why white's queenside expansion is so strong is because it is usually easier for white's pawns to break down black's queenside than it is for black's pawns to break down white's kingside. They simply get there faster.

The open files and bad pawn structure lead to a white initiative. I believe that the only way black has a legitimate chance against the Bayonet is if he is willing to sacrifice some queenside pieces in return for time. If he can break down the white kingside defense while black is busy scooping up useless queenside pieces, then black may have a chance at a quick checkmate. Although I must admit, white has several methods of stifling an attack.

In this week's featured game, black attempts to seek compensation through an open f-file by playing 11...fxe4 instead of the more normal 11...f4. As it turns out, the open file never gave him an attack. In the end, white's central domination and superior piece placement, coupled with black's poor queenside pawn structure resulted in a lost game for black.

The lesson here is before you decide to play the KID, make sure you know that somebody is just waiting to stab with the Bayonet.