Understanding before Moving 17: The Panno knight

by ChessBase

I like it! | 0 Comments

3/7/2021 – Herman Grooten is an International Master, a renowned trainer and the author of several highly acclaimed books about chess training and chess strategy. In the 17th instalment of his ChessBase show "Understanding before Moving", Herman shows a particular instance in which a knight on the rim is not dim — the ‘Panno knight’ in the King’s Indian Defence. | Photo: Hans Hoornstra

ChessBase 18 - Mega package

Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

More...

Still no ChessBase Account? learn more > 8 million games online! Updated weekly, our definitive database has all the latest games. With Live Book and Let’s Check!
Still no ChessBase Account? learn more > My Games – Access your games from everywhere. Store your games, training material and opening repertoire in the cloud. Annotate, analyze and share.
Still no ChessBase Account? learn more > Sac, sac, mate! Solve tactical positions of your playing strength. Boost your calculation skills. Enjoy adrenalin rush with tactic fights!
Still no ChessBase Account? learn more > Thousands of hours of high class video training. Openings, Middlegame, Endgame Lessons. Top authors like Daniel King, Lawrence Trent and Rustam Kasimdzhanov
Still no ChessBase Account? learn more > Real Fun against a Chess Program! Play, analyze and train online against Fritz. Beginner, club and master levels. Assisted play and calculation training.
Still no ChessBase Account? learn more > Learn openings the right way! Build and maintain your repertoire. Memorize it easily move by move by playing against the variation trainer.
Still no ChessBase Account? learn more > The ultimate chess experience every day, PlayChess.com welcomes 20,000 chess players from all around the world – from beginner to grandmaster.

The Panno knight

Two weeks ago, we talked about the problems that can arise when a knight is on the edge of the board. Yet, a ‘knight on the rim’ does not necessarily have to be bad. In fact, there is a variation in the King’s Indian Defence in which a knight on a5 is even affectionately called the ‘Panno knight’, named after Argentine grandmaster Oscar Panno.

Said knight appears in the Fianchetto Variation after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 d6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.d5 and Na5. Panno demonstrates that the knight does play an important role in the upcoming middlegame.

In the diagram, which comes from this variation, we see that Black plays on two wings. White has just captured a knight on g4 with Bf3xg4. Which nice intermediate move did he miss?

This week's show (for Premium Members only)