user11629: I recently started playing 1. e4.  Since black has a big choice of replies, I would like to learn one opening at a time. If black plays something I haven't learned yet, I would like to resort to a King's Indian setup (pawns on d3, e4, g3, bishop on g2 and knight on f3) which I am familiar with and enjoy playing.
Obviously this backup plan does not work with all of black's replies (e.g. not with the Scandinavian 1. e4 d5). With most others it should be ok-ish, but perhaps there are also slight differences.
My question is: Against which openings is the KIA setup not all that great? Or alternatively, which openings should I learn first so that I don't have to resort to the KIA backup plan?

user11684: As long as you dont expect an opening edge you can play KIA against sicilian, french and caro-kann. The KIA is most often played against the french and e6 sicilian, but it can also be used with somewhat less sting against the caro and other sicilians. This is pretty good as it covers 3 out of the 4 main replies. So you should start by learning 1.e4 e5 and then go covering the rest latter. Against stuff that isnt the 4 main replies you can get away with simple development untill you have the main lines covered.

user11609: Depends on your style somewhat. I'm not sure I would like using KID setup against black playing e7-e5 at some point. I think the best openings for this backup plan are Sicilian and French, where e7-e5 is ranging from dubious to impossible. And for sure these two are theoretically the most heavy. In systems like Caro, Pirc, Alekhine I would prefer better backup plan. In e4e5 I would go for d3 Italian instead. But I can imagine some players like bishop on g2 even in e4e5 structure and then there is only Skandinavian left. Even against that I once employed 2.d3 but it is not very good.

user10233: When you play 1.e4, you should have a plan against:

d5 - Scandanavian
Nf6 - Alekhine's
d6 - Pirc
c6 - Caro-Kann
g6 - Modern
c5 - Sicilian
e5 - King's Pawn
e6 - French
Nc6 and other garbage.

I would say you can go for a King's Indian Attack setup against all of them except the Scandanavian and the King's Pawn openings. You just need to know where to place your pieces based on your opponents opening choices and what pawn structures you want to achieve against them.
So, Scandanavian and 1...e5 it is not so great against. Everything else you can make do with minor tweaks. I like 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 and if 2...Nf6 3.Bb5+ lines in the Scandanavian. White gets easy development and Black's pices sort of get in each others way a bit.

11629: <p>I recently started playing 1. e4.  Since black has a big choice of replies, I would like to learn one opening at a time. If black plays something I haven't learned yet, I would like to resort to a King's Indian setup (pawns on d3, e4, g3, bishop on g2 and knight on f3) which I am familiar with and enjoy playing.</p>

<p>Obviously this backup plan does not work with all of black's replies (e.g. not with the Scandinavian 1. e4 d5). With most others it should be ok-ish, but perhaps there are also slight differences.</p>

<p>My question is: Against which openings is the KIA setup not all that great? Or alternatively, which openings should I learn first so that I don't have to resort to the KIA backup plan?</p>
 11684: <p>As long as you dont expect an opening edge you can play KIA against sicilian, french and caro-kann. The KIA is most often played against the french and e6 sicilian, but it can also be used with somewhat less sting against the caro and other sicilians. This is pretty good as it covers 3 out of the 4 main replies. So you should start by learning 1.e4 e5 and then go covering the rest latter. Against stuff that isnt the 4 main replies you can get away with simple development untill you have the main lines covered.</p>
 11609: <p>Depends on your style somewhat. I'm not sure I would like using KID setup against black playing e7-e5 at some point. I think the best openings for this backup plan are Sicilian and French, where e7-e5 is ranging from dubious to impossible. And for sure these two are theoretically the most heavy. In systems like Caro, Pirc, Alekhine I would prefer better backup plan. In e4e5 I would go for d3 Italian instead. But I can imagine some players like bishop on g2 even in e4e5 structure and then there is only Skandinavian left. Even against that I once employed 2.d3 but it is not very good.</p>
 10233: <p>When you play 1.e4, you should have a plan against:</p>

<ol>
<li>d5 - Scandanavian</li>
<li>Nf6 - Alekhine's</li>
<li>d6 - Pirc</li>
<li>c6 - Caro-Kann</li>
<li>g6 - Modern</li>
<li>c5 - Sicilian</li>
<li>e5 - King's Pawn</li>
<li>e6 - French</li>
<li>Nc6 and other garbage.</li>
</ol>

<p>I would say you can go for a King's Indian Attack setup against all of them except the Scandanavian and the King's Pawn openings. You just need to know where to place your pieces based on your opponents opening choices and what pawn structures you want to achieve against them.</p>

<p>So, Scandanavian and 1...e5 it is not so great against. Everything else you can make do with minor tweaks. I like 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 and if 2...Nf6 3.Bb5+ lines in the Scandanavian. White gets easy development and Black's pices sort of get in each others way a bit.</p>
