In fact I was just about to ask a question about 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 Nbd7, which just occured in one of my games.

Two fairly obvious moves for white are 7.Be3 and 7.0-0. 

I played 7.0-0 and after 7...c6 8.Le3 Ng4 9.Bd2 e5 10.d5 I had a position that was actually played by Ivanchuk and Burgess before, but as white I would be more happy if the moves 7.0-0 and 7...c6 had not been inserted (then I would have a position that Palliser likes quite a bit for white, but now an immediate h3+g4 is not such a good option as in the Palliser line).

So maybe 7.Be3 is the more useful move and in case of 7...Ng4 8.Bd2 e5 9.d5 I have more options as white and 7...e5 would give me a totally standard position (that I know). Although I wonder whether black could not play some random vaguely useful move like 9...c6?! or maybe something else?!

Does someone know a bit more about all this?

Oh, I'm not concerned about the Exchange in that I think it's better for White - I'd just rather avoid the usual Exchange Variation which I think is a rather easy draw - 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.Qxd8 Rxd8 9.Bg5 Re8 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.cxd5 c6 12.Bc4 cxd5 13.Bxd5 Nd7 14.Nd2. I know some people who play this with white against higher-rated players, and I'd prefer to avoid the drudgery of trying to squeeze water from a rock in that endgame.

So, if possible, I'd like to take any prospective Exchange Variation players out of their "comfort zone" by having them play 6...Na6 7.0-0 e5, and then if they want an Exchange, they can have it with a slightly less equal version or on slightly less familiar terms.

Hey everybody,

I was wondering whether there is any downside to a move order like 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 Na6!? (or 6...Nbd7!? and 6...Nc6!?, for that matter). I've looked at Gallagher's ...Na6 recommendations, but I would like to avoid some of the usual Exchange KID variations that arise after 6...e5 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.Qxd8 Rxd8 9.Bg5 - does White have anything better than 7.0-0 after 6...Na6, thereby relegating him to a poor Exchange/drawing attempt after 7...e5?

Thanks!