King's Indian Defense: Sämisch Orthodox Variation
King's Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Orthodox Variation
Definition
The King’s Indian Defense (KID) arises after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7. The Sämisch Variation is reached when White plays 5.f3 after the further moves 4.e4 d6. The term Orthodox Variation in this context refers to Black’s “classical” answer 6…e5 (instead of modern tries such as …c5, …b5 or …Nc6). A typical move-order is:
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5 7. d5. After 7…c6 the characteristic pawn structure with a locked center appears.
Strategic Themes
- White’s Setup: f3 supports an eventual g2–g4 kingside pawn storm and keeps a knight from jumping to g4. White usually castles long, aiming for a direct attack on the black king.
- Black’s Plan: By playing …e5, Black stakes his claim in the center, triggers the pawn advance d4–d5, and gains the typical King’s Indian “blockade” structure. Counterplay revolves around …c6, …a6–…b5 and piece pressure on the e4 pawn.
- Locked Center: Once pawns reach d5 and e5, the position becomes closed. Both sides launch pawn storms on opposite wings—White on the kingside, Black on the queenside.
- Minor-piece Battle: Black frequently reroutes a knight via d7–f6–h5 or plays …Nh5–f4 after …gxf4 to undermine White’s dark-square control.
Typical Continuations
- 7…c6 8.Qd2 cxd5 9.cxd5 a6 10.Nge2 b5 – the classical pawn sacrifice line where Black grabs space and speed on the queenside.
- 7…Na6 8.g4 c6 9.Nge2 Nc7 – Black delays …c6 and develops the knight toward c7 and e8–d6.
- 7…Nh5 8.Qd2 f5 – Bronstein’s dynamic idea, creating immediate complications around f4 and g3.
Historical Significance
• The Sämisch system is named after German master Samuel Sämisch, who employed 5.f3 as early as the 1920s.
• In the 1950s–60s, Soviet players like David Bronstein and Efim Geller revitalized the Orthodox line for Black.
• The variation featured repeatedly in the Kasparov–Karpov World Championship matches (notably games 12 and 16, 1985), showcasing its double-edged nature.
• Modern specialists include Vladimir Kramnik, Teimour Radjabov, and Ding Liren, who each contributed novel pawn sacrifices on the queenside.
Illustrative Game
Kasparov – Karpov, World Championship (18), Moscow 1985
• After 11…b5! Black sacrificed a pawn, opened files on the queenside, and eventually forced a draw despite White’s powerful-looking center. • The game became a classic reference for balanced counterplay in the Orthodox line.
Why Play It?
- For White: The f3+Be3 setup offers a direct attacking roadmap and avoids many heavily theorised Classical KID lines.
- For Black: The Orthodox approach keeps the central tension simple (…e5 vs d4–d5) and leads to rich, strategic battles with clear queenside targets.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Bronstein once described the position after 7.d5 as “two armies building siege engines on opposite sides of an unbreachable wall.”
- In the early computer-chess era, engines consistently overvalued White’s space advantage. Modern neural-network engines now often prefer Black!
- Grandmaster Boris Spassky tried the unusual pawn sacrifice 8…Nh5!? 9.Qd2 f5 in simultaneous exhibitions, inspiring later theoretical work.
- The ECO codes for the Orthodox Sämisch range from E81 to E83, depending on specific move-orders.
Further Study Tips
- Examine pawn-structure transformations after …exd4 and …c6 breaks—timing is everything.
- Practice typical piece maneuvers: for Black, …Nbd7–f8–h5–f4; for White, Ng1–e2–g3 and Bh6 trades.
- Memorise key illustrative games rather than endless theory—plans matter more than precise moves in the closed center.