King's Indian Sämisch Variation
You play White · 9 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
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10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 5
- Sämisch Variation, Orthodox Variation, Bronstein VariationE871. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 Nh5 8. Qd2 Qh4+ 9. g3 Nxg3 10. Qf2 Nxf1 11. Qxh4 Nxe3 12. Ke2 Nxc412 moves
- Sämisch Variation, Panno Main LineE841. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 Nc6 7. Nge2 a6 8. Qd2 Rb88 moves
- Sämisch Variation, Closed Variation, Main LineE891. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5 7. Nge2 c6 8. d5 cxd58 moves
- Sämisch Variation, Closed VariationE881. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 c67 moves
- Sämisch Variation, Byrne DefenseE811. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 c6 7. Bd3 a67 moves
Other variations · 4
- Sämisch Variation, Sämisch Gambit AcceptedE811. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 c5 7. dxc5 dxc5 8. Qxd8 Rxd8 9. Bxc59 moves
- Sämisch Variation, Ruban VariationE831. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 Nc6 7. Nge2 Rb87 moves
- Sämisch Variation, Double FianchettoE821. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 b66 moves
- Sämisch Variation, Bobotsov-Korchnoi-Petrosian VariationE811. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Nge26 moves
What is the King's Indian Sämisch Variation?
The Sämisch Variation is one of White's most ambitious systems against the King's Indian Defense: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3. The pawn on f3 gives rock-solid support to e4, rules out ...Ng4 ideas against your bishop on e3, and prepares the classic set-up with Be3 and Qd2. From there you can castle long and storm the kingside with g4 and h4, or play positionally in the centre and on the queenside. It is a mainstream, respected weapon.
Main ideas and plans
The main battleground arises after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 O-O 6.Be3, where Black chooses the counterplay. Against the Orthodox Variation with ...e5 you can close the centre with d5 (the Closed Variation), then play on the queenside while Black looks for ...f5, or keep the tension with Nge2 and push d5 later. Watch out for the Bronstein Variation, in which Black plays ...Nh5 and ...Qh4+ and can sacrifice the queen for two bishops and pawns. The Sämisch Gambit with ...c5 offers a pawn: taking it with dxc5 and exchanging queens leads to the Sämisch Gambit Accepted, where Black gets lasting activity, so many players prefer Nge2 or d5, reaching Benoni-type structures.
In the Panno Formation Black answers your Nge2 with ...Nc6 and ...a6, then ...Rb8 and ...b5 to open lines against your king if you castle long. In the Panno Main Line, after your Qd2 and Black's ...Rb8, typical answers are to delay castling, reroute the knight via c1 to b3, push h4 for a sharp kingside attack, or play d5 to hit the c6 knight. Against other set-ups, such as the Byrne Defense with ...c6 and ...a6 or the Double Fianchetto with ...b6, your basic plan stays the same: Be3, Qd2 and Nge2, then either Bh6 to trade Black's key bishop followed by h4-h5, or a slower queenside squeeze. The Bobotsov-Korchnoi-Petrosian Variation, with an early Nge2, keeps the bishop's choice flexible.
Who is it for?
The Sämisch suits White players who like a big centre and are willing to play both positional squeezes and opposite-side attacks. The theory is substantial, because Black has many set-ups and each needs a different reaction. The downsides are that f3 takes the natural square from your king's knight, your development is a little slow, and the dark squares around your king can become weak if the e3 bishop disappears. Learn first the Be3, Qd2 and Nge2 set-up, the Bh6 idea, and a clear plan against the ...c5 gambit and the Panno with ...a6 and ...b5.