King's Indian Defense: Sämisch & BKP Variations

King's Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation

Definition

The Sämisch Variation is a vigorous system for White against the King’s Indian Defense (KID). It arises after the moves 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3. The key positional marker is the pawn on f3, buttressing the e4–pawn and restricting Black’s typical …Nf6–g4 leap. White plans a broad, space-grabbing centre and a direct kingside assault, while Black seeks counterplay on the light squares and on the queenside.

Main Move-Order

A frequently seen continuation is:
leading to highly unbalanced play.

Strategic Themes

• White: Maintains a massive pawn chain (c4–d5–e4–f3). Typical ideas include g2–g4–h4–h5, long-castling, and heavy-piece pressure on the g- and h-files.
• Black: Tries to explode the centre with …e5 or …c5, undermine c- and d-pawns with …b5 or …a6 & …b5, and generate tactical play on the dark squares around White’s king.
• The pawn on f3 weakens g1–a7 diagonal squares, so both sides often castle on opposite wings, inviting mutual pawn storms.

Historical & Theoretical Significance

Introduced to master praxis by the German grandmaster Friedrich Sämisch in the late 1920s, the variation was later refined by Botvinnik, Bronstein, and the entire Soviet school. In modern times it has been wielded by aggressive players such as Garry Kasparov, Vishy Anand, and Hikaru Nakamura to sharpen the game from the very first moves.

Illustrative Example

One of the most celebrated Sämisch battles is Kasparov – Kamsky, Linares 1993, where Kasparov’s pawn storm outweighed Black’s queenside counterplay:

Interesting Facts

• Because the f-pawn moves early, the Sämisch is one of the few mainstream 1.d4 systems that very rarely transpose into the Queen’s Gambit structures.
• Many modern engines evaluate the initial position as roughly equal, yet over-the-board play remains ferociously double-edged, making it a favourite in must-win situations.
• In several World Championship Candidates matches (e.g. Korchnoi–Petrosian, 1974) both sides trusted the Sämisch as a prime weapon, underscoring its theoretical depth.

King's Indian Defense: Sämisch, Bobotsov-Korchnoi-Petrosian Variation

Definition

The Bobotsov-Korchnoi-Petrosian (BKP) Variation is a specific plan for Black within the Sämisch framework, characterised primarily by the early …c6 and …a6 pawn pair. A typical move order is 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 c6  7. Qd2 a6. Black postpones the central break in favour of a flexible queenside set-up that prepares …b5 and keeps the e5-square in reserve.

Origins of the Name

• Georgi Bobotsov (Bulgaria) was among the first to suggest 6…c6 as an antidote to White’s direct ambitions.
• Viktor Korchnoi employed the system extensively in the 1960s–70s, supplying critical analytical improvements.
• Tigran Petrosian, World Champion 1963-1969, adopted the same idea in elite tournaments, lending his name to the most common follow-up 7…a6.

Typical Continuation

A model line of the BKP setup is:
where Black has traded queens, seized the b- and d-files, and aims for counterplay based on the minority pawn majority on the queenside.

Strategic Aims

• Black:
  1. Play …c6 and …d5 (or …e5) under the best circumstances, keeping the centre elastic.
  2. Expand with …a6–b5, challenging White’s c4-pawn and gaining space on the queenside.
  3. Sometimes exchange queens early (…Qxd2) to reduce mating threats and emphasise structural play.
• White: Maintain the central wedge with d5 and e4, push on the kingside with g4–h4–h5, and exploit the outpost on d6 if Black captures on d5 too casually.

Theoretical Evaluation

Contemporary theory regards the BKP variation as a solid yet dynamic choice. Engines suggest an objective 0.00 to −0.20 evaluation for Black—healthier than many sharper KID branches— making it popular among players who want KID fighting chances without entering the ultra-tactical …e5 main lines.

Famous Encounters

• Petrosian – Korchnoi, Moscow 1967 — A theoretical duel in which Korchnoi’s preparatory 11…e6 allowed him to equalise completely.
• Topalov – Gelfand, Linares 1999 — Demonstrated Black’s resources in a heavy-piece middlegame where the …b4 break neutralised White’s attack.

Interesting Facts

• The BKP set-up is sometimes employed by King’s Indian refugees who prefer a Caro-Kann-like pawn chain (pawns on c6 & d6) but still want KID piece activity.
• Because queens often leave the board early, endgame specialists such as Korchnoi loved steering the game into slightly better rook endings.
• Modern correspondence and engine games reveal a huge body of novelties on move 12 or later, indicating that the variation remains fertile territory for original research.