King's Indian Defence, Sämisch Variation

King's Indian Defence, Sämisch Variation

a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h
Moves	1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3
ECO	E80–E89
Named after	Friedrich Sämisch
Parent	King's Indian Defence

The Sämisch Variation of the King's Indian Defence is a chess opening that begins with the moves:

The opening is named after the German Grandmaster Friedrich Sämisch. The Sämisch has been played by numerous grandmasters, including world champions Mikhail Botvinnik, Mikhail Tal, Tigran Petrosian, Boris Spassky, Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov.

Bobby Fischer had trouble against the Sämisch. Mednis' How to Beat Bobby Fischer showed that five of Fischer's losses were against the Sämisch King's Indian, and remarked that Fischer eventually avoided the King's Indian if he believed he would face the Sämisch. Fischer faced the Sämisch five times against Boris Spassky in their 1992 rematch, however—winning two, drawing two and losing one.

In the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO), the Sämisch Variation is covered in chapters E80 to E89.

By playing 5.f3, White postpones the development of the kingside pieces in order to solidify the centre. The pawn on f3 also prevents Black from utilising the g4-square.

Compared to the classical King's Indian lines where White plays Nf3, the Sämisch allows relatively little counterplay for Black on the kingside and grants chances for a kingside initiative. The classical plan for White is to castle queenside and initiate an attack on the kingside involving advances of the g- and h-pawns. The Sämisch has therefore been noted as a good line for aggressive attacking players. A drawback to White's plan is that the pawn on f3 deprives the g1-knight of its most natural square, a point summarised by Eduard Gufeld: "Ask the king's knight what it thinks of 5.f3." (Gufeld's favourite victory was a win with black over Vladimir Bagirov against the Sämisch.)