Kings Indian Defense Samisch Orthodox Closed
King’s Indian Defense
Definition
The King’s Indian Defense (KID) is a hyper-modern response to 1. d4 in which Black allows White to occupy the center with pawns and then strikes back with piece play and pawn breaks. A typical starting sequence is:
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6.
How It Is Used
- Chosen by players who relish dynamic, double-edged positions and are comfortable playing for a kingside attack even at the cost of space.
- Appears at every time-control, from blitz to classical, and at every level – from club events to World Championship matches (e.g., Fischer–Spassky 1972, game 3).
- Often employed as a “must-win” weapon with Black because it keeps more tension on the board than solid openings like the Queen’s Gambit Declined.
Strategic Significance
- Delayed central fight: Black lets White grab space and then uses pawn breaks …e5 or …c5 – often coordinated with …f5 or …b5.
- Kingside vs. queenside race: In many main lines White expands on the queenside (c5, b4, a4) while Black aims for mate on the kingside (…f5, …g5, …f4, sacrifice on h3).
- Piece placement: The fianchettoed bishop on g7 and the knight maneuvers (Nf6–h5–f4 or Nf6–e8–c7–e6) are recurring motifs.
Historical Notes
The opening was systematized in the 1930s by players such as Bronstein and Boleslavsky, made fashionable by Najdorf and Geller, and later became a mainstay of Bobby Fischer’s Black repertoire. Garry Kasparov used it extensively in the 1980s, adding innumerable theoretical wrinkles.
Illustrative Example
After 9…Qe8 Black is ready for …Nd7, …f5 and a full-scale kingside assault, displaying typical KID themes.
Interesting Facts
- AlphaZero’s self-play games featured an astonishing number of King’s Indian structures, breathing new life into many forgotten lines.
- GM Hikaru Nakamura once quipped, “If you want to play chess, choose the King’s Indian; if you want to memorize chess, choose the Berlin.”
Sämisch Variation (in the King’s Indian)
Definition
The Sämisch Variation is a sharp anti-KID system that begins 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3. It is named after German master Friedrich Sämisch (1896-1975).
Purpose and Usage
- Reinforces e4: The move 5. f3 overprotects the center so White can later expand with g4 or d5 without worrying about …Nxe4.
- Restricts Black’s kingside play: By controlling g4 and e5 squares, White slows down the usual …e5 / …f5 breaks.
- Typically transposes into sharp lines featuring opposite-side attacks: White storms on the queenside with c5–b4–a4 while Black sacrifices material to pry open the kingside.
Strategic Ideas
- Pawn Chain: The setup d4-e4-f3 resembles a Maróczy Bind reversed; if Black fails to break with …c5 or …e5 he risks long-term space disadvantage.
- h-pawn lever: Black often answers with …h5 to fix g4 and gain squares for the knight via h5-f4.
- Exchange sacrifices: The thematic …Rxc3 or …Bxc3 followed by …Qb6, …Nxe4 is a standard Black counter.
Classical Example
Geller – Fischer, Stockholm Interzonal 1962, featured the spectacular exchange sac 14…Rxc3!! leading to a famous Black victory. The game remains compulsory study for Sämisch aficionados.
Interesting Tidbits
- The Sämisch is one of the few main lines where Black castling queenside (…O-O-O) is perfectly acceptable, underlining the mutual violence of the variation.
- Many modern grandmasters, including Ding Liren and Richard Rapport, re-popularized 6. Be3 instead of the traditional 6. Nge2, blending Sämisch themes with modern prophylaxis.
Orthodox Variation (classical lines in major openings)
Definition
In chess opening terminology, “Orthodox Variation” generally denotes a main-line or ‘classical’ way of handling a position as opposed to hyper-modern or gambit play. Two of the most prominent instances are:
- King’s Indian Defense – Orthodox Line: After 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7, Black adopts a restrained setup, delaying …f5.
- Queen’s Gambit Declined – Orthodox Defense: Begins 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6. Black supports the center with pawns rather than immediate piece pressure.
Usage and Characteristics
- Favored by players who prefer solidity and established theory over speculative lines.
- Often recommended as a “first repertoire” because plans are logical: rapid development, classical pawn center (pawns on d5/e6 or d6/e5), and safe king.
- Produces fewer forced tactical melees than razor-sharp alternatives like the Grünfeld or Benko Gambit, but still allows rich strategic play.
Historical Significance
The label “Orthodox” dates to the early 20th century, when hyper-modern thinkers (Réti, Nimzowitsch) challenged the ‘orthodox’ belief in occupying the center with pawns. The term stuck, especially in the QGD, where Black’s setup exemplified pre-hyper-modern principles.
Example Snippet (KID Orthodox)
Here Black keeps pieces flexible, aiming for …Nd7, …f5 or …c6 at the right moment rather than the immediate …f5 seen in the Mar del Plata.
Interesting Fact
During the 1954 Botvinnik–Smyslov Candidates’ match, almost half the games featured the Orthodox QGD, underscoring its status as the “default” high-level opening of the era.
Closed Position / Closed Opening
Definition
A “closed” position is one in which the pawn structure blocks the central files and diagonals, restricting piece mobility and making pawn breaks the primary strategic lever. An opening labeled “Closed” (e.g., Closed Sicilian) typically leads to such structures or has a slower, maneuvering character.
How It Is Used
- Strategic Planning: Players must prepare pawn breaks (c3-d4, f4-f5, …b5-b4, …f6-f5) well in advance, often shuffling pieces behind their own pawns.
- Time Management: Because immediate tactics are rare, time controls like classical chess showcase closed-position expertise, while blitz players may struggle to find the right restructuring plans quickly.
- Piece Value Shifts: Knights gain value over bishops as they can jump over blockades; bishops come alive after a successful pawn break.
Typical Examples
- King’s Indian main line after 7…Nbd7 8. Be3 Ng4 9. Bg5 – the pawn chain d6-e5 vs. d5-e4 locks the center.
- Ruy López, Closed: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 creates a slow, maneuvering struggle.
- French Defense, Classical: After 3…Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 the pawn chain d4-e5 vs. e6-d5 typifies closed play.
Historical Anecdote
In the 11th game of the 1984 Karpov–Kasparov World Championship, a seemingly innocuous closed Queen’s Gambit morphed into a 70-move grind, showcasing Karpov’s masterful maneuvering skills — a textbook lesson in exploiting tiny weaknesses when the board is locked.
Interesting Tidbits
- The cliché “Closed positions teach patience” is so widespread that some coaches forbid juniors from playing openings like the Benko until they have “survived 20 French pawn chains.”
- Computer engines originally underrated long-term pawn breaks, leading to early-2000s jokes that “Fritz gets claustrophobic in French positions.” Modern neural nets fare much better.