Chess strategy
What Is a Fianchetto in Chess?
A fianchetto is developing a bishop on the long diagonal by moving the knight's pawn one square, then placing the bishop on g2 or b2 for White, or g7 or b7 for Black. The word comes from Italian and means little flank.
Example
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O
In the King's Indian Defense Black plays ...g6 and ...Bg7, fianchettoing the bishop. From g7 it looks along the long diagonal toward the center and the queenside, and it also guards the castled king.
How a fianchetto works
The bishop goes to the long diagonal, a1 to h8 or h1 to a8, which crosses the center. From there it pressures central squares from a distance instead of occupying them, which is a key idea of hypermodern openings.
A kingside fianchetto also builds a sturdy shelter for the castled king. The bishop on g2 or g7 covers the light or dark squares around the king that the moved g-pawn no longer guards.
Openings that use a fianchetto
Black fianchettoes in the King's Indian, the Grünfeld, the Modern, the Pirc, and the Sicilian Dragon. White fianchettoes in the Catalan, the English, and many Reti setups. A queenside fianchetto with b3 and Bb2, or ...b6 and ...Bb7, is common in the Queen's Indian and the Nimzo-Larsen Attack.
Weaknesses of a fianchetto
Moving the g-pawn weakens the squares around it, such as f3 and h3 for White, or f6 and h6 for Black. If the fianchettoed bishop is traded, those squares become holes, and the king can become exposed. That is why attackers often try to exchange the bishop with a plan like Be3, Qd2, and Bh6.
A fianchettoed bishop can also be blunted by an opposing pawn on its diagonal, for example a pawn chain that blocks the long diagonal.
Common questions
How do you pronounce fianchetto?
The common pronunciation is fee-an-KET-oh. Many English speakers also say fee-an-CHET-oh.
Should I trade my fianchettoed bishop?
Usually not without a good reason, especially when your king is castled behind it. Losing it weakens the squares of its color around your king.
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