The Four Pawns Attack is considered one of the sharpest weapons against the King’s Indian Defense. Play can be of a highly tactical nature and often White sacrifices a pawn in order to get active piece play and chances for a kingside attack. White’s main asset is his space advantage in the center, which gives him more flexibility.
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Our starting position is reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4 0-0 6.Nf3 c5 or any similar move order. Black’s last move, 6…c5, is considered the most reliable method of challenging White’s pawn center. Black could have, however, also chosen 6…Na6, when the main idea is to play …e7-e5 later. White now needs to consider whether he should take Black’s c5-pawn, advance the d4-pawn to d5 or just continue with piece development.

7.d5 advances the d-pawn and keeps the center closed. Now the position has some similarities to certain Benoni-like pawn structures. But the presence of White’s f-pawn on f4 adds some spice and gives White the option for an early e4-e5 pawn advance in certain lines. 
White could have also taken on c5 with 7.dxc5, when play after 7…Qa5 8.Bd3 Qxc5 9.Qe2 Nc6 10.Be3 slightly favors White. Another reasonable move is 7.Be2, when Black does best by exchanging pawns on d4. Following 7…cxd4 8.Nxd4 Nc6 9.Be3, White has a space advantage, but needs to be familiar and comfortable with playing a very different type of position.

7…b5 launches a distant relative of the Benko-Gambit. This gambit seeks to open lines on the queenside right away and secure active piece play for Black. The main difference to most Benko-Gambits is that White’s f-pawn is already on f4 and not on f2. This adds some tactical elements to this line. A more solid alternative is 7…e6, which we examine from Black’s point of view in another challenge in this module.
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Always pay attention to your opponent’s last move.

8.b3?? is too slow and weakens the a1-h8 diagonal. Black could now win an exchange with 8…Nxe4, e.g., 9.Nxe4 Bxa1.

8.Nxb5? Nxe4 allows Black to gain the center pawn on e4 in exchange for Black’s b-pawn. Early in the game this kind of exchange almost always favors the side gaining the center pawn.

8.e5 complicate matters by attacking the f6-knight. Then both 8…Nfd7 9.Nxb5 dxe5 and 8…dxe5 9.fxe5 Ng4 10.Bf4 would lead to unclear positions. Good, but we prefer a more straight forward approach.

8.Be2?? neglects to pay attention to Black’s last move. After 8…b4, White would now lose an important pawn, e.g., 9.e5 bxc3 10.exf6 Bxf6.

Accepting Black’s gambit with 8.cxb5 is the most logical move. Black may later regain his sacrificed pawn. But the time he will take to do so can be used by White to generate other types of advantages. White’s only promising alternative was advancing the e-pawn with 8.e5. Play would then be unclear after either 8…Nfd7 9.Nxb5 dxe5 10.Be2 e4 11.Ng5 (Szabo-Ree, 1975) or 8…dxe5 9.fxe5 Ng4 10.Bf4 Nd7 11.cxb5 (Schoen-Hansson, 1988).

8…a6 continues in the spirit of the Benko-Gambit. Black usually gets active piece play in return for the sacrificed pawn. Our line will try to minimize Black’s piece activity. If Black had played 8…Qa5 instead, White could get an edge with 9.Bd2 a6 10.a4.
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White will often delay kingside castling in this line as more important matters need to be addressed first.

9.a4! gives White’s extra pawn on b5 added protection and is considered the most difficult line to meet for Black. White has a fine alternative in 9.bxa6. However, this line gives Black more chances for active counter play since his pieces spring to life following 9…Qa5 10.Bd2 Bxa6 11.Be2 Qb4 or 11.Bxa6 Qxa6. White should avoid playing 9.Be2? now since he would lose a tempo after 9…axb5 10.Bxb5. Black could then also regain his sacrificed pawn with 10…Nxe4, e.g., 11.Nxe4 Qa5+ 12.Nc3 Bxc3+ 13.bxc3 Qxb5.

9…axb5 captures on b5 right away. If White does not want to take Black’s a6-pawn, Black will usually have to take on b5 sooner or later. Black has several interesting alternatives in 9…Qa5, 9…e6 and 9…Bb7. However, White keeps an edge after all a) 9…Qa5 10.Bd2 Qb4 11.Qc2, b) 9…e6 10.dxe6 Bxe6 11.Be2 and c) 9…Bb7 10.Be2 e6 11.dxe6 fxe6 12.e5.
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White’s opening strategy is quite simple in this line.

10.axb5?? is the worst recapture on b5 as Black could now win your queenside rook with 10…Rxa1.

10.Nxb5?? is not a good way to recapture Black’s pawn since your e4-pawn would now fall to 10…Nxe4.

10.Bxb5 is the only reasonable recapture on b5 since 10.Nxb5? loses the e4-pawn to 10…Nxe4.

10…Ba6 seeks to exchange light-squared bishops. This is a common positional idea in the Benko-Gambit as Black hopes to take over the light squares later on. If Black develops with 10…Na6 instead, White kept the advantage in the game Banikas-Karner (1996) with 11.e5 Ne8 12.0-0 Nb4 13.Qe2 Nc7 14.Bc4.
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White needs to focus on Black’s early pressure to keep his edge.

Black’s idea is to trade bishops on b5 next and then win your e4-pawn. Your 10. …0-0 move does not stop Black from reaching his goal.

11.Be3? gets this bishop off the back rank. But Black will often play …Qa5 in this line and pin White’s c3-knight. Then the e4-pawn will be attacked by Black’s f6-knight. White’s best way to meet Black’s …Qa5 move is by moving this dark-squared bishop to d2. Your move therefore develops this bishop to the wrong square.

11.Bd2 is White’s most popular move. This bishop takes the sting out of Black’s possible idea of playing …Qa5 next. Note that White’s queen now also protects the queenside rook on a1. White’s best alternative is 11.Bxa6 Nxa6. This exchange seems to help Black. But after 12.0-0 Qb6 13.Qe2 Nc7 14.Nd2, White had the edge in Ivanov-Vitolinsh (1990). White can also consider playing the less common 11.Qe2 and 11.Rb1.

11…Bxb5 continues Black’s strategy of playing forcing moves. Play would likely transpose later after 11…Qb6. A different plan begins with 11…Nbd7. Then 12.0-0 Nb6 13.Qe2 Qc8 also leaves White in the driver seat.
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Play will be rather forced for a while.

12.Nxb5?? is not a good way to recapture Black’s bishop since your e4-pawn would now fall to 12…Nxe4.

Recapturing with 12.axb5 is the idea behind playing 11.Bd2 on the previous move. White now has doubled b-pawns, but it won’t be easy for Black to take advantage of this. This is the only reasonable move since 12.Nxb5?? loses the e4-pawn to 12…Nxe4.

12…Rxa1 gets rid of Black’s unprotected queenside rook. The only playable alternative was 12…Nbd7. Then 13.0-0 Rxa1 14.Qxa1 Qb6 or 14…Qb8 both give White a slight edge.
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The position is changing quickly.

13.Qxa1 is a forced move and should be played without thinking about what Black will do next.

13…Qb6 gets Black’s queen to a better square and tries to put pressure on White’s b5-pawn. Normal development with 13…Nbd7 may transpose to an interesting line for Black if he continued with …Qb6 on the following move.
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Always try to find out how your opponent can improve his position over the next few moves.

Castling kingside now with 14.0-0 is White’s best move since attempts to hold on to the b5-pawn will all be unsuccessful. Black can meet queen moves such as 14.Qa4 with 14…Ne8! Then both 15.Be3 Nc7 16.Nd2 Nd7 17.Nc4 Bxc3+ 18.bxc3 Qxb5 and 15.0-0 Nc7 16.Ra1 Nd7 are fine for Black. 
Unfortunately White’s dark-squared bishop on d2 makes it impossible for White to play the desired Nf3-d2-c4 in due time. Note that 14.Qa8?! instead looks like an interesting move at first since White would meet the weak 14…Nd7? with 15.Qc6 and reach a strong position. But after the better 14…Ne8! and 15…Nc7 to follow, White will have to retreat the queen to a4 soon and Black could win the b5-pawn a bit later.

14…Ne8 is an ambitious move since Black is trying to win White’s b5-pawn in a few more moves. Although this move is most ambitious and has been played many times, it is probably not Black’s most reliable choice due to White’s strong maneuver over the next two moves. After the “normal” 14…Nbd7 15.Qa6 Rb8 16.Ra1 Ne8 17.Qxb6 Nxb6 a draw was agreed a few moves later in the game Vaisser-Lanka (1994).
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If White cannot improve upon the 14…Nbd7 line, he should probably consider playing the 11.Bxa6 system instead.

15.Qa8? hopes for the weak 15…Nd7?, when White would reach a fine position with 16.Qc6. But after the better 15…Nc7, White will have to retreat the queen to a4 soon and Black could win the b5-pawn a bit later.

15.Kh1 moves the king to safety in the corner. This is a reasonable idea, but we prefer to generate active play on the kingside now.

15.Ng5? moves this knight away from where it has some control over the center. On g5 this knight would not threaten anything and could be pushed back with …h7-h6 any time. In general, you should only move your knight here if it comes with a threat.

Advancing in the center with 15.e5?! is a desirable move in general, but is premature now. White should try to get more pieces in supporting places on the kingside before considering this move.

15.f5? does not achieve anything positive and leaves the e5-square without White pawn control. Black’s pieces will now be able to use this outpost permanently.

15.Be1?! with the idea of getting this bishop to h4 next is an original idea. You are not that far off the correct idea. However, the bishop would not be strong enough to lead a kingside attack from h4.

15.Qe1! is a surprising queen move that suddenly shifts the attention to the kingside. Now that Black’s f6-knight is moving to the queenside, Black’s king is no longer protected very well. This is by far White’s most promising plan since all attempts to hold on to the b5-pawn will fail. For example, 15.Qa4 Nc7 16.Ra1 Nd7 17.Qa7 Rb8 gives Black enough counter play and equal chances in the endgame.

15…Nc7 continues with Black’s plan to go after White’s b5-pawn. It is difficult to suggest any improvements for Black since taking White’s c3-knight with the dark-squared bishop is too risky for Black as long as the queens stay on the board. Following 15…Bxc3? 16.Bxc3 Qxb5 17.Qh4, White would have a winning initiative on the kingside.
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You often have to trade one kind of advantage for another one.

16.Qe2?! protects the b5-pawn, but is too slow. Black wouldn’t have any problems after 16…Nd7 and 17…Rb8, when he could next regain the b5-pawn.

16.Qh4 attacks Black’s e7-pawn and tries to generate a kingside attack at the same time. This is White’s only promising continuation since protecting the b5-pawn with 16.Qe2?! instead is too slow. Black wouldn’t have any problems after 16…Nd7 and 17…Rb8 and could soon regain the b5-pawn. Black now faces a difficult decision. The logical 16…Bf6 preserves the e7-pawn and allows Black to regain the sacrificed pawn following 17.Qh3 Nxb5. But then White could launch a strong kingside attack with 18.e5, e.g., 18…Bg7 19.Ng5 h6 20.Nce4! Then White threatens to increase the pressure with e5-e6 next. If Black took the g5-knight with 20…hxg5, then 21.Nxg5 Re8 22.e6! gives White a decisive attack. This line demonstrates well how White can trade the advantage of having an extra pawn on the queenside for getting a strong attack on the kingside. 
For this reason Black usually continues with 16…Nxb5 instead. However, Black has not been able to get equal chances following 17.Nxb5 Qxb5 18.Qxe7. The game Nogeiras-Sax (1984) then continued with 18…c4 19.Bc3 Re8 20.Qxd6 Rxe4 21.Ne5! and White had a nearly decisive edge. Black instead tried 18…Bxb2 in Michaelsen-Kunstowicz (1987). But after 19.e5 c4 20.f5 Qd7 21.Qh4, White had an overwhelming kingside attack. We can see in all these lines how Black sorely misses the f6-knight on the kingside. It can therefore be said that Black’s plan to gain White’s b5-pawn with 14…Ne8, 15…Nc7 and …Nxb5 is too risky since it leaves Black’s kingside without adequate protection. Black has to play the more solid 14…Nbd7 line instead. It appears as if White has much greater difficulty to generate an edge against this. Fortunately, White has several promising alternatives earlier that promise him good chances for a lasting edge, e.g., 7.dxc5, 9.bxa6 and 11.Bxa6.