King's Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation

Before the first move

The Sämisch Variation is one of White's most aggressive weapons against the King's Indian Defense. By reinforcing the center with f3, White prepares a massive kingside pawn storm while limiting your counterplay. You'll need to challenge the center early and prepare for a high-stakes battle on both wings.

1. d4White

White starts with d4, a classic move that controls the center and prepares for long-term positional pressure. While e4 is the most common alternative, d4 leads to more closed, strategic battles where understanding the pawn structure is key.

1... Nf6Black · your move

Develop your knight to f6. This flexible move prevents White from immediately playing e4 and keeps your options open. You are ready to react to White's next move while staying active in the center.

Other paths here: Na6 (Australian Defense) · g5 (Borg Defense: Borg Gambit) · b6 (English Defense) · e5 (Englund Gambit)

2. c4White

White plays c4, the standard follow-up to d4. This establishes the Queen's Gambit structure. White could try the London System with Bf4 or the Trompowsky with Bg5, but c4 is the most ambitious attempt to seize the center.

Other paths here: f4 (Canard Opening) · g4 (Indian Defense: Gibbins-Weidenhagen Gambit) · e4 (Indian Defense: Omega Gambit) · d5 (Indian Defense: Pawn Push Variation)

2... g6Black · your move

Push your pawn to g6. You are preparing to fianchetto your bishop to g7, where it will exert long-range pressure along the great diagonal. This is the defining characteristic of the King's Indian setup.

Other paths here: g5 (Indian Defense: Medusa Gambit) · b5 (Indian Defense: Pyrenees Gambit) · a6 (Indian: 2.c4 a6) · Nc6 (Mexican Defense)

3. Nc3White

White plays Nc3, developing a piece and preparing e4. This is the most principled continuation. White could also try g3 for a quieter Fianchetto Variation or even the aggressive h4 Basman-Williams Attack to disrupt your kingside early.

Other paths here: d5 (Indian Defense: Anti-Grünfeld, Advance Variation) · f3 (Indian Defense: Anti-Grünfeld, Alekhine Variation) · h4 (Indian Defense: Anti-Grünfeld, Basman-Williams Attack) · g3 (King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Immediate Fianchetto)

3... Bg7Black · your move

Bring your bishop to g7. Your bishop is now a powerful long-range attacker, staring down the h8-a1 diagonal. From here, it will support your central strikes and protect your king once you castle.

Other paths here: d5 (Grünfeld Defense) · c5 (King's Indian: 3.Nc3 c5) · c6 (King's Indian: 3.Nc3 c6) · d6 (King's Indian: 3.Nc3 d6)

4. e4White

White seizes the full center with e4. This is the main line, though White sometimes tries Nf3 or the more positional g3. You must now decide how to break this center before White's space advantage becomes overwhelming.

Other paths here: Bf4 (King's Indian: 4.Bf4) · Bg5 (King's Indian: 4.Bg5) · g3 (King's Indian: 4.g3) · Nf3 (King's Indian: 4.Nf3)

4... d6Black · your move

Move your pawn to d6. This solidifies your control over e5 and prevents White from pushing their e-pawn further. It also opens a path for your light-squared bishop to enter the game later.

Other paths here: O-O (King's Indian: 4.e4 O-O)

5. f3White

White plays f3, the hallmark of the Sämisch. This move blunt's your knight on f6 and prepares a storm on the kingside. White could have chosen the Classical Nf3 or the Averbakh with Bg5, but f3 is the most aggressive.

Other paths here: Bg5 (King's Indian Defense: Accelerated Averbakh Variation) · Nge2 (King's Indian Defense: Kramer Variation) · Bd3 (King's Indian: 4.e4 d6 5.Bd3) · h3 (King's Indian Defense: Makogonov Variation)

5... O-OBlack · your move

Castle kingside to bring your king to safety. Your rook is now ready to help in the center, and your king is tucked behind a solid wall of pawns and your powerful bishop on g7.

Other paths here: a6 (King's Indian: Saemisch, 5...a6) · c5 (King's Indian: Saemisch, 5...c5) · c6 (King's Indian: Saemisch, 5...c6) · e5 (King's Indian: Saemisch, 5...e5)

6. Be3White

White plays Be3, continuing the Sämisch plan. The bishop is well-placed to support d4 and prepare Qd2 for a battery. White might also develop the knight to e2 first, but Be3 is the most direct way to organize the pieces.

Other paths here: Nge2 (King's Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Bobotsov-Korchnoi-Petrosian Variation) · Bg5 (King's Indian Defense: Steiner Attack)

6... e5Black · your move

Strike the center with e5. This is the most thematic way to challenge White's pawn wall. You are forcing White to decide whether to close the center, trade pawns, or maintain the tension while you develop.

Other paths here: c5 (King's Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Sämisch Gambit) · a6 (King's Indian: Saemisch, 5...O-O 6.Be3 a6) · c6 (King's Indian: Saemisch, 5...O-O 6.Be3 c6) · Nbd7 (King's Indian: Saemisch, 5...O-O 6.Be3 Nbd7)

7. Nge2White

White plays Nge2, a flexible developing move. White is keeping the tension in the center for now. They could have closed the center with d5 or traded on e5, but Nge2 keeps the most options alive for the coming middlegame.

Other paths here: dxe5 (King's Indian: Saemisch, Orthodox, 7.dxe5) · d5 (King's Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Closed Variation)

7... c6Black · your move

Move your pawn to c6. This move prepares to bolster your center and creates a potential exit for your queen. It also prepares d5 or b5, giving you more ways to fight for space on the queenside.

Other paths here: exd4 (King's Indian: Saemisch, Orthodox, 7.Nge2 exd4) · Nbd7 (King's Indian: Saemisch, Orthodox, 7.Nge2 Nbd7) · Nc6 (King's Indian: Saemisch, Orthodox, 7.Nge2 Nc6)

Where you stand

The position is a classic Sämisch struggle. White will likely play Qd2 and castle queenside, launching a pawn storm with g4 and h4. Black must counterattack quickly, either by pressuring the d4 pawn or by initiating a queenside expansion with a6 and b5. The battle revolves around whose attack lands first in this opposite-side castling scenario.

• d1-d2 Form a battery to attack h6
• e1-c1 Castle queenside for king safety
• b8-d7 Develop knight to support the center
• a7-a6 Prepare b5 for queenside counterplay
• g2-g4 Start the kingside pawn storm