Kingside Fianchetto Positions

Find chess positions where White has fianchettoed the king's bishop on g2. A central diagonal weapon used in the King's Indian Attack, Réti, English, and Catalan.

About this pattern

The kingside fianchetto — bishop on g2 supported by a pawn on g3 — is a fundamental development plan in many openings: the King's Indian Attack, Réti, English, Catalan, and Bird's Opening all feature it. The bishop commands the long h1-a8 diagonal, often pressuring Black's queenside without committing to a specific central pawn structure. The trade-off is reduced control over the dark squares around the white king, particularly f3 and h3, which becomes especially relevant if the fianchettoed bishop is exchanged.

Example positions

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