King's Indian Defense, Bayonet Attack

The Bayonet Attack arises from a closed King's Indian structure. White's pawn on d5 and Black's pawn on e5 lock the center, and a black knight has retreated from c6 to e7. The coordinates name squares by file and rank. White advances the b-pawn from b2 to b4 to gain space, meaning more room for the pieces, on the queenside, the side where the queens begin, and to prepare a c-pawn advance.

A pawn chain is a group of pawns protecting one another diagonally. The c-pawn advance aims at the base of Black's chain; weakening that base can undermine the whole group. While White expands on the queenside, Black often advances the f-pawn on the kingside, the side where the kings began. This creates a race between opposite plans, but neither side can push pawns safely without calculating which lines will open near its own king.

White's knight on f3 may jump to g5 and, in some lines, continue to e6 if Black advances the f-pawn without preparation. Black can also answer with the a-pawn or reorganize the knights. The Bayonet belongs to the broader Mar del Plata Variation, but the immediate b-pawn advance gives it a specific identity.